[c-nsp] Console connections

[Charles Sprickman]

> On Jan 31, 2019, at 5:27 PM, Hunter Fuller <hf0002 at uah.edu> wrote:
> 
> We are trying a somewhat-radical new strategy. For our newest rack, we
> bought a Raspberry Pi Model 3B. It has four USB ports, and into each port
> we plugged a dual-headed USB to RS232 adapter, for a total of 8 ports.
> 
> So far, so good. The main benefits are ease of use (our team can use the
> same tools they use on their laptops) and cost (100-150 USD total for the
> setup I just mentioned).
> 
> The gotchas are that it only has one inbuilt Ethernet port and it does not
> have built-in support for redundant power. But we are using this only for
> emergencies, and we access the site once every few months anyway, so we
> were willing to make that concession.

For software on that sort of setup, this is really great: https://www.conserver.com/

For a neater solution, these folks have all kinds of neat USB -> many serial port options:

http://usbserial.com/

Can’t say enough things about ConServer. The logging is awesome, multi-user is super-handy. It beats all of the software I’ve seen in proprietary terminal server hardware.

I bet you could also pick up something like Xylogics Annex III super cheap on Ebay too (if you don’t mind telnet instead of ssh!).

Charles

> 
> --
> Hunter Fuller
> Network Engineer
> VBH Annex B-5
> +1 256 824 5331
> 
> Office of Information Technology
> The University of Alabama in Huntsville
> Systems and Infrastructure
> 
> 
> On Thu, Jan 31, 2019 at 4:03 PM R. Benjamin Kessler <Ben.Kessler at zenetra.com>
> wrote:
> 
>> We've deployed async HWICs/NIMs in Cisco routers for customers in hundreds
>> of locations.
>> Many/most were also pared with 4G cards provide an out-of-band connection
>> back to a centralized data center.
>> 
>> R. Benjamin Kessler
>> PRESIDENT / CHIEF NETWORK GEEK
>> ZENETRA CORPORATION
>> CCIE # 8762 | CISSP | PCNSE
>> P: (260)-271-4330 | M: (260)-437-5774
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: cisco-nsp <cisco-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net> On Behalf Of Robert
>> Raszuk
>> Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2019 5:00 PM
>> To: Nick Cutting <ncutting at edgetg.com>
>> Cc: Cisco NSPs <cisco-nsp at puck.nether.net>
>> Subject: Re: [c-nsp] Console connections
>> 
>> Hi Nick,
>> 
>> Indeed I was looking also at opengear but got a bit scared with limited
>> software based pinout switching capabilities ... Some models can switch
>> between X1 and X2 but is this enough ? Today we use avocent which claims to
>> be soft selectable between RS485, RS422 and RS232 pinouts.
>> 
>> 
>> https://opengear.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/216371943-Which-adapter-will-I-use-to-connect-to-various-types-of-equipment-
>> 
>> In my case in those 10 racks are complete wild zoo of various eval
>> equipment and just trying to avoid as much as possible per vendor console
>> adapters going forward.
>> 
>> Many thx,
>> R.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Thu, Jan 31, 2019 at 10:55 PM Nick Cutting <ncutting at edgetg.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> We use lots of opengear.
>>> Expensive - but awesome
>>> 
>>> I did just roll out a cisco 4431 with 3 octal cables for a client
>>> though, but opengear has way more features and supports 2 people at
>>> once on the lines etc
>>> 
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: cisco-nsp <cisco-nsp-bounces at puck.nether.net> On Behalf Of
>>> Robert Raszuk
>>> Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2019 4:28 PM
>>> To: Cisco NSPs <cisco-nsp at puck.nether.net>
>>> Subject: [c-nsp] Console connections
>>> 
>>> This message originates from outside of your organisation.
>>> 
>>> Hello,
>>> 
>>> What would you all recommend these days for min 8-12 port rack mounted
>>> terminal servers  to talk to various vendor's router and switches
>>> console ports ?
>>> 
>>> For years I used cisco 2511 but now it is history .. so what's the
>>> best cisco or not cisco successor for it ?
>>> 
>>> It would be awesome if it would also have few KVM switch ports for
>>> video&mouse to get them over IP, but this is just "nice to have" -
>>> primary I need to get 10 async terminal servers.
>>> 
>>> Any proven in action hints ?
>>> 
>>> Many thx,
>>> Robert.
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> cisco-nsp mailing list  cisco-nsp at puck.nether.net
>>> https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/cisco-nsp
>>> archive at http://puck.nether.net/pipermail/cisco-nsp/
>>> 
>>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> cisco-nsp mailing list  cisco-nsp at puck.nether.net
>> https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/cisco-nsp
>> archive at http://puck.nether.net/pipermail/cisco-nsp/
>> _______________________________________________
>> cisco-nsp mailing list  cisco-nsp at puck.nether.net
>> https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/cisco-nsp
>> archive at http://puck.nether.net/pipermail/cisco-nsp/
>> 
> _______________________________________________
> cisco-nsp mailing list  cisco-nsp at puck.nether.net
> https://puck.nether.net/mailman/listinfo/cisco-nsp
> archive at http://puck.nether.net/pipermail/cisco-nsp/