paul@ucla-cs.UUCP (05/07/87)
We have about 8 Unix systems in our small machine room, including Sun-3/180s and Vaxes. The console printer on each machine takes a substantial floor space. We are going to expand our systems to about the double capacity in the near future and apparently we can no longer afford to hook one console to each machine. What we are considering is a sort of console machine that will accept inputs from say, 8 ports, and prints it on the attached printer. It will also connect to one particular port on demand so that the operator can select which hosts to talk to on the console. The problem is complicated by the fact that for Sun systems, when the console port is disconnected, the machine crashes. We know that it is possible to configure it using some sort of Unix box, but it is not cost effective and what if the console machine crashes. We much prefer a smart switch on an intelligent terminal. However, we are not able to find such a device in the market yet. Does anyone out there have similar situations and have a solution? Any suggestions/hints will be greatly appreciated. Thanks. paul @math.ucla.edu
tomlin@hc.DSPO.GOV (Bob Tomlinson) (05/08/87)
in article <5917@shemp.UCLA.EDU>, paul@CS.UCLA.EDU says: > > We have about 8 Unix systems in our small machine room, including Sun-3/180s > and Vaxes. The console printer on each machine takes a substantial floor > space. ... > What we are considering is a sort of console > machine that will accept inputs from say, 8 ports, and prints it on the > attached printer. It will also connect to one particular port on demand > so that the operator can select which hosts to talk to on the console. > The problem is complicated by the fact that for Sun systems, when the > console port is disconnected, the machine crashes. The people who put out the "Black Box Catalogue" have just such a device. When I was involved with a computer center I suggested they buy one for the same reasons you mention. I believe the thing wasn't even much money. It's a little box that sits between your (console) terminal and all the computers and when input comes in through a port it prefixes the line of input with a (programable) message so you know what your machine the message is coming from and you dial which machine you want to type to. It maintains all the signals so you shouldn't have problems sending break to the Suns when you change machines you want to talk to. I don't get Black Box Catalogue, but if you can't find a hardware type that has one, I can go ask a hardware type here to get the phone number. bob tomlin@hc.dspo.gov -- Bob Tomlinson -- tomlin@hc.dspo.gov -- (505) 667-8495 Los Alamos National Laboratory -- MEE-10/Data Systems