To all ya'll console server users:
In the past week, there have been some significant changes going on with the console server, so here's a quick update, and what to expect in the ensuing couple of weeks.
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The first thing you'll notice is that the console server is no longer in the "logged in" state in the CR. Please log in and log off as your own user if you need to use the console server. It will no longer be kept "logged in" as root.
Second, we've implemented access control on the console lines. You still access your console through the same method (e.g., sudo console machinename), however, you will only be able to grab consoles for which you are authorized.
In the upcoming couple weeks, the console server will be replaced with a new machine, running an updated linux distro, etc. The public IP for "console.umbc.edu" will move from the "6" subnet to the "24", in addition, it will have a second interface to our internal managment network (130.85.25/127), which will be restricted back (it's currently more publically routed than we'd like.) We'll also have the dell remote managment command line tools installed on the machine, so remote power cycling of the Dells with DRAC remote managment that are connected to the the managment network will be available.
The console server, in addition, will not contain any direct serial connections to the machines -- console.umbc.edu will migrate to just being an aggregator for "remote" consoles, such as those connected to the cyclades TS/ACS boxes, and our "remote" console server boxes (basically, low end linux boxes with cyclades multi-serial cards installed). We currently have one of these systems installed in ECS201 for access to the core "rack", and later today a second will be installed in Public Policy, giving us 32 ports of exciting serial goodness. The cyclades serial ports currently connected to the current "console.umbc.edu" system will be connected to systems configured simliarly to the PuP & ECS201 ones. Accessing these "remote consoles" will be the same as accessing the current ones...
I hope that this will be a more flexible and maintainable configuration; basically, the things with the serial ports become more "commodities", and the server that's the "aggregator" needs no special hardware, etc., so in case of failure it'll be easy to move the system to another box if necessary.