[BBLISA] UNIX Console access in enterprise data center?

[Carl Alexander]

> I have a question for everyone who works in or has experience in an
> enterprise data center:  How do you access your UNIX sever consoles?

I ssh to a machine running conserver that's connected (via a 
physically isolated ethernet) to a bunch of good old fashioned
terminal servers, which are in turn connected to our machines'
serial consoles.  We power our machines through remotely
controllable power strips (which we also control through their
serial consoles).  And for customers we wrap it all in a 
restricted shell that lets them get to their machines' consoles,
alter power state, and nothing else.

> Here are the two options being considered in our data center:
> 
> 1)  Network-based lights out management via Sun RSC, ALOM for our
> newer Sun servers that support it.  IP-based KVM access or serial
> concentrator for the servers that do not support RSC or ALOM.
> 2)  IP-based KVM access on all UNIX servers.  The KVM would support 1
> local standing at a rack and up to 3 remote users over TCP/IP.

I'm curious, why would you want a KVM for Unix servers?

---Alex