On Thu, Mar 18, 2004 at 09:07:31AM -0500, Steven M. Bellovin wrote:
In message <g3d67ag03k.fsf@sa.vix.com>, Paul Vixie writes:
I agree, lack of interactive access to a system prior to a functional OS being loaded always seemed like a potential problem area to me, particularly for something based on common PC architecture.
http://www.realweasel.com/ is your friend. (isc has about a dozen of 'em.)
Realweasel is a great idea if you can afford it -- but the PCI version lists for $350, which is as expensive as some used 1U servers on EBay.
Is there an effective alternative? All the intel "servers" these days seem to have one of those handy-dandy (note: sarcasm) ethernet ports variously called "integrated lights-out (ILO)" or "lights-out management (LOM)", etc. I am dismayed that intel-based server vendors haven't noticed the decades-old trend of having serial ports for emergency/remote access. Kelly