Hello:
Earlier I sent out the following request:
"Does anyone know of a device that works with the ALPHAservers that
will let us share 1 monitor, keyboard, and mouse between multiple
machines?"
I have received several replies, I have included them below. I have
not decided which route we will take, but I thank you for your
assistance and apologize for the delayed summary.
Cary
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From: Selden E Ball Jr <SEB_at_LNS62.LNS.CORNELL.EDU>
One question to ask yourself is why do you need any at all?
All non-graphics console functionality is provided by using
a serial console. When no local keyboard is detected, control
is automatically switched to the serial port (which is why you may
have had problems with the Black Box device).
You do need to have some kind of console device (serial or graphics)
constantly "online" so you can see the output when there is a hardware
problem. (Some failures only generate console output.) A simple switch
box can't do that.
The only functions that I'm aware of which require the 2100's graphics
console are those which use NT functionality:
configuring EISA devices and configuring RAID interfaces.
Those are done in stand-alone mode, and so infrequently
that you should be able to afford the (time) overhead of plugging in
the CRT, keyboard and mouse when you need them. You would have
to leave the graphics card plugged in though.
Several serial consoles can be combined on a single graphics workstation
(perhaps one of the 2100s). The serial console port can be connected
to a port on a terminal server (or a multiple port serial interface)
and functionality like "reverse LAT" can be used to communicate with them.
This kind of "cluster console" software is available from DEC
and is included in the CSLG.
We use DECserver 100s and VAXstations to do this because they're so cheap,
supporting up to 25 serial Alpha consoles per workstation. In our case,
only one of them is an AlphaServer 2100, but the functionality is the same.
>From nagesh_at_qcav01.ENET.dec.comWed Jan 17 08:20:42 1996
Why don't you have a look at the Digital's Polycenter
Console Manager.You can accomodate upto 200 consoles on a
single monitor.I think this is the type of tool you are looking
at.For more details on this product you can contact our local office
at your place or send a mail to me.I shall send you the SPD .
"James T. McDuffie" <jt_at_mcduffie.net>
1) it's called "xterm" -- works pretty well
2) Or build a great big multi-ganged switch.
If you want to control the boot/maintinance functions from one
location, I truly believe you'd be better off if you used the ol'
serial terminal trick -- with a simple RS-232 switch to allow switching
between the systems. Otherwise, why share a graphics head?
Kurt Carlson <SXKAC_at_orca.alaska.edu>
Device, no... software (+ terminal server), yes. Polycenter Console
Manager, current version v1.6. We've got the serial console ports from
a 7620, two 2100's, and two hsz40's connected to a terminal server. I
believe one of the TS ports is configured for reverse LAT utilized by
Console Manager running on one of our 3000's. From this configuration,
any user authorized via Console Manager on the 3000 can either view or
acquire (based on authorization) the console of any of the systems. You
can build the display so that you see multiple consoles at once (as long
as your screen is big enough). Works for both X displays (gui) and as of
v1.6 any VT terminal. We could run Console Manager from one of the
other systems, but for both security considerations and stability
considerations we decided it was best to uses one of our 3000's which is
almost never shut down.
This has come in real handy for resolving problems from home requring
console access via dialup. Also works great for doing the majority of
my job from my desk instead of having to go to the machine room in the
basement away from the manuals, the coffee pot, and my headphones.
Since it logs the console output on disk you also have the ability to
play back console activity which is fairly important for problem
tracking. Kurt Carlson, U of Alaska
Dave Sinnott <dave_at_persimmon.com>
There is a keyboard, mouse and video switch made by Rose Electronics (Austin,
TX) that works well. I have been dealing with Sia Dehghan, who has been very
helpful.
The phone number is (713) 933-7673, and the price is $795 plus some cables.
Jim Skoog <skoog_at_netcom.com>
Why not use a software switch instead? You can use telnet, rsh, or
a terminal emulator and redirect the display.
Jim Wright <jwright_at_phy.ucsf.edu>
i do this by using the serial ports as console rather than the graphics
displays. i have a xylogics annex terminal server and run all my servers
into that. then i run a regular xdm on the graphics head and run the wires
out of the machine room to provide access in the computer room for X.
then i can use the terminal server to get at the console. this has worked
out great. i can reboot from home (dial in to modem on terminal server
and then connect to console). it also has a history buffer in the terminal
server so that characters are captured and saved even if i don't have a
connection to the console open. i highly recommend it.
--
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Cary Burnette | kerm_at_ncat.edu
College of Engineering Computer Center |
McNair Hall |
North Carolina A&T State University | Phone: (910)334-7648,ext. 181
Greensboro, NC 27411 | FAX: (910)334-7662
Received on Wed Jan 17 1996 - 16:46:12 NZDT