[NTLUG:Discuss] OT: console server

[Fred James]

Stuart Johnston wrote:

>Fred James wrote:
>  
>
>>All
>>I have four UNIX boxes sitting together, that I should like to be able 
>>to telnet to a console server for (male DB9 serial ports), and I should 
>>appreciate any suggestions toward a cost effective solution - I don't 
>>need GUI, color, or any thing fancy like that.  Thank you in advance for 
>>any help you may be able to offer.
>>    
>>
>
>I don't have any actual experience doing this but from what little I know, you can either:
>
>1) Buy a console server from someone like Cyclades for ~$800
>
>2) Buy a 4-port serial card (~$100) and setup a linux system to act as the console server.
>  
>
Stuart Johnston
4-port serial card?  Are those manufacturer, OS, BIOS, or any such 
dependent?  For example, I have available for the experiment a spare HP 
Pavilion 6630 (Intel Celeron 500MHz. 64 MB SDRAM, 10.2 GB hard drive, 
CD-ROM and floppy).
Regards
Fred James