3PAR discontinuing the use of a toll-free phone connection

[Richard Siemers]

Recently we have been contacted by support to make changes to our Service processors to accomodate their change from a toll free dial in number to a conventional toll line. Additional options also include using https to avoid long distance charges.

The service processor is the 1U *nix device in the 3PAR racks used to monitor the Inserv system, the service processor is not an element required to serve storage to your production hosts. What the service processor does is peroidicly send logs and alerts to support and even the local admins if configured to do so. It is also the "workstation" support connects with via modem, internet or local cross over cable to talk to the inserv. Modem operations use sophisticated security measures such as certificates as well as dial back authentication. When configured for remot operations by modem, a remote tech has to dial in, authenticate, then the modem hangs up, and dials back to the pre-configured 3PAR support gateway. It is this number that is being converted from a toll free number.

At the time we originaly deployed 3PAR, our remote support options were either modem, or punch some holes in the firewall to allow SSH into the service processors. We went the modem option to circumvent the political log jam opening ports on the firewall. At some point between then and now, they have developed a secure network connection for the service processors, SP version 2.4.1 supports this. Basically, the SP peroidicaly sends a heartbeat/logs to 3PAR at frequent intervals and at the same time checks to see if it needs to initiate a connection for remote support... no holes for incoming traffic through the firewall required... the connection is initiated from the "inside" much like a webex.

Our current plan is to upgrade the SP to 2.4.1 and change our remote operations from modem to https.