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recommendations for "dumb" console servers

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windsor at warthog

Feb 15, 2012, 3:57 PM

Post #1 of 12 (1143 views)
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recommendations for "dumb" console servers

Ideally, I'd get a wad of Cisco AS-2511-RJs, but I'd rather buy new-manufacture equipment.

Anyone got a lead on the modern equivalent?

I've poked around Lantronix, Digi, and Cyclades (Avocent), but all of their offerings are embedded with linux so that they can receive ssh.

Thanks.

Rob++
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cpz at tuunq

Feb 15, 2012, 5:01 PM

Post #2 of 12 (1107 views)
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Re: recommendations for "dumb" console servers [In reply to]

On 2/15/2012 3:57 PM, Rob Windsor wrote:
> I've poked around Lantronix, Digi, and Cyclades (Avocent), but all of
> their offerings are embedded with linux so that they can receive ssh.

Is that a problem?

z!

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windsor at warthog

Feb 15, 2012, 5:08 PM

Post #3 of 12 (1102 views)
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Re: recommendations for "dumb" console servers [In reply to]

Carl Zwanzig wrote:
> On 2/15/2012 3:57 PM, Rob Windsor wrote:
> > I've poked around Lantronix, Digi, and Cyclades (Avocent), but all
> > of
> > their offerings are embedded with linux so that they can receive
> > ssh.
>
> Is that a problem?

It immediately doubles the price tag, so yeah.

Rob++
--
pubkey: http://www.talgas.com/misc/rob_windsor-pubkey.txt
Internet: windsor [at] warthog
Life: Rob [at] Carrollton

"They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance."
-- Major General John Sedgwick
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cross+conserver at distal

Feb 15, 2012, 5:23 PM

Post #4 of 12 (1108 views)
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Re: recommendations for "dumb" console servers [In reply to]

On Feb 15, 2012, at 18:57 , Rob Windsor wrote:
> Ideally, I'd get a wad of Cisco AS-2511-RJs, but I'd rather buy new-manufacture equipment.

Nah, get some 3640's off of ebay with a few NM-32A's. I have a 3620 in my home rack, and built a large installation with 3640's (before the 3660's were made) many years ago. :-)

Okay, if you *really* require new manufacture equipment, it won't help, but much better for space than the 2511's.

- Chris

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cfowler at outpostsentinel

Feb 15, 2012, 5:24 PM

Post #5 of 12 (1105 views)
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Re: recommendations for "dumb" console servers [In reply to]

On Wed, 2012-02-15 at 19:08 -0600, Rob Windsor wrote:

>
> It immediately doubles the price tag, so yeah.

How did you come to that conclusion? Just go on eBay and buy old stuff.

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cross+conserver at distal

Feb 15, 2012, 5:50 PM

Post #6 of 12 (1102 views)
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Re: recommendations for "dumb" console servers [In reply to]

On Feb 15, 2012, at 20:24 , Chris Fowler wrote:
> On Wed, 2012-02-15 at 19:08 -0600, Rob Windsor wrote:
>>
>> It immediately doubles the price tag, so yeah.
>
> How did you come to that conclusion? Just go on eBay and buy old stuff.

Some people want/need to buy "new" equipment. In this economy, it's nice to be able to buy things off of eBay, and I do that for myself personally, but a lot of companies have requirements that things are bought through channels, and from businesses, etc etc. His conclusion is likely based simply on looking at new equipment from suppliers. And an understandable likelihood. Not very many people are making "dumb" or "simple" anything these days.

- Chris

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hakansom at ohsu

Feb 15, 2012, 5:55 PM

Post #7 of 12 (1106 views)
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Re: recommendations for "dumb" console servers [In reply to]

windsor [at] warthog said:
> Ideally, I'd get a wad of Cisco AS-2511-RJs, but I'd rather buy
> new-manufacture equipment.
>
> Anyone got a lead on the modern equivalent?
>
> I've poked around Lantronix, Digi, and Cyclades (Avocent), but all of their
> offerings are embedded with linux so that they can receive ssh.

We've been using the Perle JetStream 8500 (48-port version). While
that's discontinued, there is a similar product under their "IOLAN"
product line. Some have the "smart console server" functionality,
but some do not, e.g.:

http://www.perle.com/products/IOLAN-STS-Terminal-Server.shtml

These can optionally be used with driver software on your "conserver"
machine which talk to genuine Unix tty's, which in turn are mapped
via reverse-telnet to ports on the terminal server. That's how we
use it here.

Regards,

Marion

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cfowler at outpostsentinel

Feb 15, 2012, 6:15 PM

Post #8 of 12 (1105 views)
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Re: recommendations for "dumb" console servers [In reply to]

On Wed, 2012-02-15 at 19:08 -0600, Rob Windsor wrote:
> Carl Zwanzig wrote:
> > On 2/15/2012 3:57 PM, Rob Windsor wrote:
> > > I've poked around Lantronix, Digi, and Cyclades (Avocent), but all
> > > of
> > > their offerings are embedded with linux so that they can receive
> > > ssh.
> >
> > Is that a problem?
>
> It immediately doubles the price tag, so yeah.

How many ports do you need? I may have something in my attic.

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windsor at warthog

Feb 15, 2012, 7:11 PM

Post #9 of 12 (1114 views)
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Re: recommendations for "dumb" console servers [In reply to]

Chris Ross wrote:

> On Feb 15, 2012, at 20:24 , Chris Fowler wrote:
>> On Wed, 2012-02-15 at 19:08 -0600, Rob Windsor wrote:

>>> It immediately doubles the price tag, so yeah.

>> How did you come to that conclusion? Just go on eBay and buy old
>> stuff.

> Some people want/need to buy "new" equipment. In this economy,
> it's nice to be able to buy things off of eBay, and I do that for
> myself personally, but a lot of companies have requirements that
> things are bought through channels, and from businesses, etc etc.
> His conclusion is likely based simply on looking at new equipment
> from suppliers. And an understandable likelihood. Not very many
> people are making "dumb" or "simple" anything these days.

dingdingding.

I already have two (or more, depending on how far I dig) terminal servers at home for personal use, one of which is a Cisco 2511RJ. ;) (this is also an answer to Chris Fowler's comment later in this thread)

This is for work. We're not buying out-of-production gear. (I love my job)

Primarily, we need serial access to network gear at remote sites for times when they "go off the reservation". We had a pair of ShoreTel SG90s in Ontario, Calif that were giving us grief last week, for example.

Several folks have recommended Opengear (OpenGear? opengear?) off-list, so that's where I'm leaning.

Rob++
--
pubkey: http://www.talgas.com/misc/rob_windsor-pubkey.txt
Internet: windsor [at] warthog
Life: Rob [at] Carrollton

"They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance."
-- Major General John Sedgwick
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windsor at warthog

Feb 15, 2012, 7:14 PM

Post #10 of 12 (1110 views)
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Re: recommendations for "dumb" console servers [In reply to]

Yeah, I'm familiar with their IOLAN line. I had one of those back in 2000 (before Perle acquired Chase).

I think I successfully pawned that beast off onto an employer up in Massachusetts about five years ago.

Rob++

----- Original Message -----
> From: "Marion Hakanson" <hakansom [at] ohsu>
> To: "Rob Windsor" <windsor [at] warthog>
> Cc: users [at] conserver
> Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 7:55:34 PM
> Subject: Re: recommendations for "dumb" console servers
>
> windsor [at] warthog said:
> > Ideally, I'd get a wad of Cisco AS-2511-RJs, but I'd rather buy
> > new-manufacture equipment.
> >
> > Anyone got a lead on the modern equivalent?
> >
> > I've poked around Lantronix, Digi, and Cyclades (Avocent), but all
> > of their
> > offerings are embedded with linux so that they can receive ssh.
>
> We've been using the Perle JetStream 8500 (48-port version). While
> that's discontinued, there is a similar product under their "IOLAN"
> product line. Some have the "smart console server" functionality,
> but some do not, e.g.:
>
> http://www.perle.com/products/IOLAN-STS-Terminal-Server.shtml
>
> These can optionally be used with driver software on your "conserver"
> machine which talk to genuine Unix tty's, which in turn are mapped
> via reverse-telnet to ports on the terminal server. That's how we
> use it here.
>
> Regards,
>
> Marion
>
>
>

--
pubkey: http://www.talgas.com/misc/rob_windsor-pubkey.txt
Internet: windsor [at] warthog
Life: Rob [at] Carrollton

"They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance."
-- Major General John Sedgwick
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lsc at prgmr

Feb 15, 2012, 7:54 PM

Post #11 of 12 (1109 views)
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Re: recommendations for "dumb" console servers [In reply to]

On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 09:11:06PM -0600, Rob Windsor wrote:
> Several folks have recommended Opengear (OpenGear? opengear?) off-list, so that's where I'm leaning.

+1 opengear. I bought a 48 port cm4000 a while back and for a long time,
I had it on the open Internet at a datacenter without a proper administrative
network. I am not recommending that, of course, but I was careless and
I didn't get burnt. I like it when good, up-to-date equipment can cover
for me like that. (It's now behind my firewall on the very private
network with the old Cyclades TS-3000 stuff I've got, and accessed through
conserver.)

I think I paid $1700 or so using the opengear recommended vendor without
trying to negotiate. Looks like it's closer to two kilobucks now, but
still, a reasonable per-port cost if it's for work.

I mean, it is still an embedded Linux box with a bunch of serial ports, but
if your only objection to that was price, the Opengear is cheaper than the
just the support contract you need to get access to firmware for anything
made by cisco.
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bvoip-rob at pabut

Feb 16, 2012, 5:10 AM

Post #12 of 12 (1106 views)
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Re: recommendations for "dumb" console servers [In reply to]

MRV has been good to me .... inexpensive (Fortune 500 inexpensive .... not
hobby or startup inexpensive) very flexible ... works well with conserver
....

http://www.mrv.com/product/MRV-IR-LX4000TB/

On Wed, Feb 15, 2012 at 11:57 PM, Rob Windsor <windsor [at] warthog> wrote:

> Ideally, I'd get a wad of Cisco AS-2511-RJs, but I'd rather buy
> new-manufacture equipment.
>
> Anyone got a lead on the modern equivalent?
>
> I've poked around Lantronix, Digi, and Cyclades (Avocent), but all of
> their offerings are embedded with linux so that they can receive ssh.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Rob++
> --
> pubkey: http://www.talgas.com/misc/rob_windsor-pubkey.txt
> Internet: windsor [at] warthog
> Life: Rob [at] Carrollton
>
> "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance."
> -- Major General John Sedgwick
> _______________________________________________
> users mailing list
> users [at] conserver
> https://www.conserver.com/mailman/listinfo/users
>

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