[H-GEN] Exchange Woes

[Robert Brockway]

On Tue, 20 Apr 2004, Adrian Sutton wrote:

> > If you are using Unix servers there is no need for them to visit
> > physically except in the case of a serious problem.  A Unix sysadmin
> > will
> > use the command line to manage & fix the system so location becomes
> > relatively unimportant.
>
> Very true, assuming that the problem isn't that the internet connection
> has gone down (our most common problem).

I recommend a 2nd way for the consultant to get in.  A modem which can be
left disconnected and plugged in as needed, or maybe a dial back can be
configured.  The advantage of all this is that it allows almost
immeidate action on the part of the consultant - no need to drive over to
the client, they are only a modem call away.

I am a fan of serial consoles.  Most of the Unixen we deal with here
(Linux, FreeBSD, etc) allow for software serial consoles to be setup.
The only thing a software serial console doesn't give you is the BIOS.

Although I am in Canada I can login to the serial console of my Linux
server in Brisbane and drop it off the network, change runlevels, pass
parameters at a lilo prompt, etc without fear of losing connectivity.
The serial console is connected over a null-modem cable to a serial port
on a highly secured box.  The only people who have access to the highly
secured box have root access on my server anyway.

A company using many serial consoles would do well to dedicate a box as a
"console server" and locking it down as securely as possible - eg, public
key ssh access, modem dial back, etc.

Good luck with introducing Unix at the company.

Cheers,
	Rob

-- 
Robert Brockway B.Sc. email: robert at timetraveller.org, rbrockway at uqconnect.net
Linux counter project ID #16440 (http://counter.li.org)
"The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens" -Baha'u'llah