Re: terminal server recommendation

[Scott Gifford <sgifford () tir com>]

Charles Sprickman <spork () inch com> writes:

> On Tue, 1 May 2001, Martin, Christian wrote:
>
> > The Xylogics/Bay/Nortel Remote Annex 4000 can support up tp 72 console
> > ports, and has a great menu interface with great EIA-232 functionality.
>
> Eh?  Unless they've added command completion and history, I have to
> disagree there...  

You don't need command completion and history for a menu interface:

    1. Connect to cisco router
    2. Connect to mail server
    3. Connect to Web server
    Pick one> 

is similar to what we used, and was pretty much all we found
necessary.

They have a neat feature, too, where you can configure whatever you
connect to serial port 1 to be reachable via telnet to port 5001, port
2 to 5002, etc.  Great for scripts.

> Add to that that they don't self-boot and that you can't save your
> config off the box.

If these are at all similar to other similar Bay Networks terminal
server products (and I'm pretty sure they are), they'll self-boot if
you put flash into them, and you can save your configuration with the
"na" utility.

> And you will *not* just set the thing
> up in a half hour.
>
> > Ports don't hang, they reset on time, etc.  They use amphenol connectors
> > across 25 pair which makes for easy punchdowns and cross-connects.
>
> The amphenols have a nasty habit of not seating properly, especially when
> the box is in a cabinet and some cables have to go upwards rather than
> down...  And when they're half-in, or not perfectly level you one day find
> you can reach four of your six devices...
>
> And there's no ssh.

Those are all good points, though.  :)

[...]

> Perhaps it's because I'm still forced to use them since we have them left
> over from when they were dialup PPP servers or something, but I like them
> less than stinky cheese.  I do get a bit nostalgic because it was the
> first thing I ever "su'd" on, and it does have a BSD code base.  But I
> certainly would recommend anything else over an Annex.

You'll miss them when they're gone.  I still miss logging into them...
:)

-----ScottG.