What serial-to-Ethernet terminal service hardware do you use to provide remote access to switches & routers when SSH isn't available?

rschroeder

I've used some simple serial-to-Ethernet terminal server mini-appliances to provide console access to network appliances, but only on a very limited basis.

We've talked about building an Out-Of-Band network for our equipment in our data centers, and we've talked about providing in-band terminal service appliances.

I'm asking you:  If you use a terminal server to provide direct console connection to your switches & routers:

1. What brand and model of terminal server do you use?
2. How many console cables and simultaneous connections does it provide?
3. What security concerns do you have with it?
4. How resilient is it?  Examples include dual power supplies, port-channel capabilities, support for HA configurations, etc.
5. What price range does your biggest terminal service solution fall into?
6. Do you have a terminal service solution that you use for data / network rooms?
   1. If so, tell us more about it, please?
   2. How many edge devices can it support?
   3. I realize distance is a factor for serial connections.  How many network rooms can it aggregate?

RichardLetts

1. Avocent. ACS 6000 Advanced Console Server | Serial Consoles | Avocent

2. 8 and 16 ports (there are larger units, but we do not need that many ports)

3. not much

4. varies by model -- its good to be able to mix and match the hardware for the location.

5. varies by model (~$3.5K)

6. See above.

In our datacenters the number of network gear that we have serial access to is quite small; we don't go down to the top-of-rack switches.

From personal experience  at 9600Bps you can go further than twisted pair ethernet (we do not go anywhere near that with avocents)

We have a central out-dial server as we only have 1 analogue line within a hundred feet of me. It has the Red phone of last resort on it (if someone calls me on the red phone we have BIG issues)