Re: KVM via Internet?

[Craig Sanders <cas@taz.net.au>]

On Mon, Jun 25, 2001 at 06:16:14AM +0800, Jason Lim wrote:
> Any other ideas? That one looked pretty good. I wish they had one that
> translated the stuff directly to asci data that could be pumped over
> an ethernet connection ;-)

connect the serial ports of two servers to each other with null-modem
cables. compile serial console support into the kernel and configure
lilo for serial console.

if you have more than two machines, it may be worthwhile setting up a
terminal server box....an old cisco or annex or whatever or a linux box
with a cheap multi-port serial card....e.g. a 1RU celeron with an 8-port
MOXA card.

this gives you remote console access from the time that the LILO prompt
appears.

if you need remote access to the BIOS then it is possible to buy
machines with a serial console BIOS, and it's also possible to upgrade
the BIOS on some motherboards.



linux boxes are cheaper than brand-name terminal servers, and can also
run ssh rather than telnet (recent versions of ciscos can also run ssh,
but i've heard that it's not terribly reliable and it requires you to
upgrade IOS to unreliable beta versions).

if a machine goes down, ssh to the terminal server machine and run
minicom to communicate with it.




btw, a linux-based terminal server can also be configured to log the
boot messages from the serial console. 


craig

-- 
craig sanders <cas@taz.net.au>

Fabricati Diem, PVNC.
 -- motto of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch