[NTLUG:Discuss] OT: console server

[Stuart Johnston]

Fred James wrote:
> 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).

I think they are pretty standard.  Come to think of it, since you only need 4 ports and your PC may 
already have 2, you could just get a dual board which are cheap and easy to find.  Or even 2 dual 
boards would probably work if the PC doesn't have any.

For example:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220010362033