From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Oct 17 00:17:17 2005 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 047D116A41F for ; Mon, 17 Oct 2005 00:17:17 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from stheg_olloydson@yahoo.com) Received: from web32713.mail.mud.yahoo.com (web32713.mail.mud.yahoo.com [68.142.206.26]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with SMTP id A32DF43D48 for ; Mon, 17 Oct 2005 00:17:16 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from stheg_olloydson@yahoo.com) Received: (qmail 67199 invoked by uid 60001); 17 Oct 2005 00:17:15 -0000 DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws; s=s1024; d=yahoo.com; h=Message-ID:Received:Date:From:Subject:To:Cc:MIME-Version:Content-Type:Content-Transfer-Encoding; b=p2nqdTReo6mdN07dwDmRCahxKCJdkGopcYtxz7sxFGnz5k6JsGieXhMctds7LuoPTlpy3wdgqWwD0YViajwyhsdSNLYA88+ZmS4EHsIOYgZptLogM9fyXhZuI1CLTIn/RLXI/+yXPVnqCZy6I8Uf9zmSjKSt2Xq6cuGAqxOwM2U= ; Message-ID: <20051017001715.67197.qmail@web32713.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Received: from [70.157.193.71] by web32713.mail.mud.yahoo.com via HTTP; Sun, 16 Oct 2005 17:17:15 PDT Date: Sun, 16 Oct 2005 17:17:15 -0700 (PDT) From: stheg olloydson To: gpeel@thenetnow.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Cc: infofarmer@gmail.com, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Remote Console X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 17 Oct 2005 00:17:17 -0000 >Hi all, > >RS-232 Serial Port hubs seem to be a little hard to come by, and >the ones I have found are quite expensive. > >COuld we could achieve the same using USB terminals and a 16 >port USB hub? > >-Grant > >----- Original Message ----- From: "Andrew P." > >To: "Grant Peel" >Cc: >Sent: Sunday, October 16, 2005 8:44 AM >Subject: Re: Remote Console > > >On 10/16/05, Grant Peel wrote: > >> Thanks Andrew, >> >> So If I understand your reply, a setup like this should always give me >> access to any of the servers by SSHing to one server, then CUing to get to >> the console of the 'broken' one, regardless of its state (assuming the disks >> are OK, and boot stage 1 worked): >> >> (WAN Shown, LAN Same, using seperate nics on Servers and Switch) >> >> >> ISP's router >> | >> My Switch >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> | | | | >> | >> Serv1 Serv2 Serv3 Serv4 >> Serv5 >> >> Serial1--------->Serial2 >> Serial1------------->Serial2 >> Serial1------------>Serial2 >> >> Serial1---------->Serial2 >> >> Can more than 1 console access type be specified in loader.conf ? >> i.e. >> console='serialconsole' >> console='videoconsole' >> >> When using 'serial console, does anything have to be specified to use serial >> 2? >> >> What is the default local console, how is it specified? >> i.e. the one you use when you plug a keyboard and monitor directly into >> the machine? >> >> Would I need to install any other software other than the client (CU)? >> >> -GRant >> > >I haven't configured comconsoles myself, I just happen >to work at a place where they are used heavily (Sun >ALOM mostly, but built-in LOMs and FreeBSD software >comsonsoles also). Please consult the Handbook and >google, I'm sure there's nothing difficult to it. > >I would not support your chaining idea, though. It's >the only one that requires $0.00 budget, but COM >hubs are cheap today. If you rent rackspace, I'm >sure your colocation provider can offer you some >kind of non-expensive remote management. If >rackspace is free, consider buying some hardware >(like a COM hub). > >The matter is, that you'll want 9600 bps speeds >for max compatibility. While it is usable for >occasional failure recovery, chaining it would >make it lag too much. > > Hello, If you're in the US, you can get a 30 port serial hub for <$100.00 USD on eBay.com. Just search on "portmaster" and look for a model 2e. (Don't get a model 3 or 4; those are different things entirely.) I have been using them for more than 10 years to do exactly what you are trying to do. You can telnet into them or, if your rack has a phone line, you can connect a modem and dial in. Once connected, you simply attach to the appropriate port and you have a console. (Of course, you still have to set up your systems to have a com console, etc.) stheg __________________________________ Yahoo! Music Unlimited Access over 1 million songs. Try it free. http://music.yahoo.com/unlimited/