Zyxel Nebula Cloud Network Management System: Equipment

The network infrastructure of small companies usually consists of a router, switches, and access points. Of course, it also happens that all of them are collected in a single device – a wireless router, but in this article we will consider a larger version of the local network.

With the growth of the number of devices, the question arises about the convenience of infrastructure management. If they are not related to each other, then the administrator may need to perform some configuration operations individually on each device, which requires more time and can potentially lead to errors. In addition, the requirements for staff qualifications are also increasing. At the same time, the use of “large” network management systems does not fit into the organization’s budget or limits the choice of equipment.

The company Zyxel, a well-known manufacturer of network equipment, presented the Nebula system (its version of solving the problem of centralized management and control) last year. This product is the Cloud service for working with network equipment of the company, which can be used for networks of different scales from one small office to a company with several branches or offices.

First of all, it is worth saying a few words about security issues. Still, when it comes to Cloud products, many users care about the confidentiality of their data. Of course, if the company’s policy does not allow the transfer of any information to the third parties, the Clouds may not be suitable. However, in the modern world, many services are implemented in this way, including e-mail, instant messengers, data exchange systems, and so on, which can significantly reduce their costs and at the same time provide the necessary reliability and performance. So in this case we can talk about administrative restrictions rather than technical ones. In addition, it is no secret that SMB enterprises are completely in a situation where the system administrator is not a full-time employee of the company or these functions are outsourced to a third-party company. Therefore, Cloud implementation can be considered just one of the characteristics of the solution in question and take into account the pros and cons of this approach. As for the question of the dependence of the system on availability of the Internet access in the office, here it can be argued that modern business without the Internet is practically inoperable and providing reliable access to the network does not depend on the network infrastructure management system.

Equipment

Among the equipment supported by the system today are security gateways, switches, and access points. Herewith, the device is hybrid and can be controlled either through Cloud or locally. We will not consider in detail the products used for publication in this article, but we will briefly describe their technical capabilities.

Zyxel NSG100 Cloud Gateway

In total, the lineup of gateways contains four models, differing mainly in overall performance and a set of ports. Of these, NSG100 is the second one in the line and is capable of providing up to 450 Mbps through a firewall and up to 150 Mbps via VPN. An external power supply unit (12 A 2.5 A), rack mount angles, rubber feet, console cable, brief instructions, warranty card are included in the delivery set of the gateway.

Zyxel GS1920-8HPv2 Hybrid Switch

There are usually rarely any special requirements for switches in the SOHO/SMB segment. But the GS1920v2 series is interesting in that it combines Smart capabilities and PoE/PoE+ support, which simplifies the use of network equipment such as access points and IP video cameras. The delivery package consists of brief instructions, a set of fasteners, rubber feet, and a power cable (the power supply unit is built-in).

Zyxel NAP102 Cloud Access Point

After gateways and switches, local access points are prevalent in local networks, without which it is not easy to imagine a modern office. Zyxel offers several product series to solve this problem. Zyxel NAP102 is the youngest in the line of products managed exclusively through Nebula Cloud. The package includes a power supply unit (12 V 1 A), a set of fasteners (frame, two variants of dowels and screws), instructions, a couple of leaflets.

Zyxel NWA1123-AC Pro Hybrid Access Point

In addition to access points with work only through Cloud, there are hybrid products with the NebulaFlex technology in the company’s catalog, in particular Zyxel NWA1123-AC Pro. The device comes complete with a mount, power injector with cable, network cable, and documentation. The case of matte white plastic has a diameter of 20 cm and a height of 3.5 cm. The model is equipped with a hardware antenna configuration switch, which allows to provide optimal modes in the case of mounting both on the ceiling and on the wall.

We hope that you received all necessary details about Zyxel Nebula and its equipment.

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• Tags: cloud, device, equipment, nebula, router, switch, zyxel