[Info-vax] virtual consoles

[Jan-Erik Söderholm]

>> A terminal server lets me connect several serial lines to one device
>> (the terminal server) which is on the network and so from it I can get
>> to any machine on the network.  Something like this but in reverse would
>> fit the bill: connect the console ports on all the machines to this
>> device via serial lines, and connect to the device over the network and
>> somehow select a console connection.

This is just plain telnet, no rocket sience.

Hook up the consols(s) to some terminal server (any newer
server that supports telnet will do) and telnet to to
port.

If you telnet to the standard telnet port (23) on the server
you will reach the admin interface ("console") of the
terminal server itself. The ports usualy has portnumbers
like 3001-3008, 9001-9008 or 10001 - 10008 (for an 8
port server). Check your docs for your server.

 From VMS : "$ telnet nn.nn.nn.nn /port=9001" to connect
to port1 on a terminal serber with IP address nn.nn.nn.nn.

Or use your standard VT-emulator, just change to standard
telnet port (23) to the one mathing the wanted port.

For logging and survailance one can also use some software
like "Console Manager" (freeware now if I'm not wrong), but
that isn't needed just for accessing the consoles...

What *can* be a problem is to get all terminal setting right
the whole way between your keyboard and the console port.
Such thing like each character typed beeing doubled is
common. Some fiddling with "local echo" and other settings
might be needed in the emulator.

When using telnet from VMS I usualy do :

$ telnet
telnet> set esc "^D"
escape character set to ^D
telnet> connect <adress_of_the_terminal_server> <portnr>

just to make sure that I have some easy way back...





> 
>    I have a DECserver 200/MC configured for this:
> 
> alp $ latcp show service
> 
> Service Name      Status       Identification
> ----------------  -----------
> -------------------------------------------------
> ALP               Available    COMPAQ Professional Workstation XP1000,
> VMS V7.3-
> 2  (Saint Paul)
> DY_CONSOLE        Available    DY Console
> GIMP_CONSOLE      Available    GIMP Console
> IT_CONSOLE        Available    IT Console
> MODEM             Available    Modem
> SPARE_CONSOLE     Available    Spare Console
> WIMP_CONSOLE      Available    WIMP Console
> 
> All the xxx_CONSOLE services are for ports connected to
> various system consoles  DY is an HP c3700 workstation
> (HP-UX), GIMP and WIMP are [Micro]VAXes, IT is an HP zx2000
> workstation, and SPARE is currently an IBM Power 275
> workstation.  I typically connect (SET HOST /LAT xxx_CONSOLE)
> from a DECterm when I need to do something on one of these
> usually-off systems, but if I had enough idle DECterms, I
> could leave one connected to each system.
> 
>    I assume that with a newer (Telnet-capable) terminal
> server, one could connect using Telnet instead of LAT.
> 
>    On the terminal server (condensed):
> 
> Local> show service it_console characteristics
> 
> Service: IT_CONSOLE
> Identification: IT Console
> Ports: 6
> Rating: 255
> Enabled Characteristics:
> Connections, Queuing
> 
> 
> Local> show port 6
> 
> Port 6:                            Server: SP2
> Character Size:            8       Input Speed:        9600
> Flow Control:            XON       Output Speed:       9600
> Parity:                 None       Modem Control:  Disabled
> 
> Access:               Remote       Local Switch:       None
> Backwards Switch:       None       Name:             PORT_6
> Break:                 Local       Session Limit:         4
> Forwards Switch:        None       Type:               Soft
> 
> Preferred Service: ALP
> 
> Authorized Groups:   0
> (Current)  Groups:   0
> 
> Enabled Characteristics:
> 
> Input Flow Control,  Loss Notification,  Message Codes,
> Output Flow Control,  Queuing,  Verification
> 
> 
>    I don't know if that's all optimal, but it seems to do what
> I want done.