Yes--we've run into the problem with the 4 and 8-way COS switches too. Always connect to an unused port before hanging up.... Dan ------- Forwarded Message To: Jeff Wabik <jwabik@msc.edu> cc: nearnet-ops Subject: Re: Remote Gear Support .. In-reply-to: Your message of Wed, 02 Sep 92 12:28:01 -0500. <9209021728.AA02344@sniper.msc.edu> Date: Wed, 02 Sep 92 14:15:19 -0400 From: "Dan Long" <long@bbn.com> From: Jeff Wabik <jwabik@msc.edu> Subject: Remote Gear Support .. Date: Wed, 2 Sep 92 12:28:01 CDT I've been poking around (thru the Black Box catalog, for example) for equipment to help us support our remote network gear located near the NSS to which we attach. I've had little success at finding the right pieces. I'm wondering if any of you have implemented any of these (listed below) solutions, and if so, where you found the equipment to do it; then subsequent sucess/failure information. We've done all this stuff with (almost) stock Black Box gear. I'll fax you a copy of a diagram of a setup we actually implemented when we had a T1 line going to Princeton and wanted to be able to power cycle the gear, access various console ports, and switch a T1 line from one DSU/CSU to another. It all worked fine. Not in any particular order, here are the functions I'd like to be able to perform remotely.. This is a "grandiose wish list", as it were. * Software switchable dial-up access to serial ports on all gear (several ports): To Device 1 +-------------> |+------------> || To Device 2 Phone line +-------+ +---------+++ . -----------------| Modem |---| Magic Box | . +-------+ +-----------+ . || To Device (n-1) |+------------> +-------------> To Device (n) In this scenario, I dial into the modem to the "magic box", and give it some character code or sequence to attach me to the specified port. I can escape back to the magic-box and request subsequent connections without having to redial. [Black box has one of these for 4 ports, but I hear its not too good. Any experiences?] We do this with their 4-way or 8-way switch. There's also a (nicer) box from Newbridge called the 1008 Mainstreet Data Controller ($1100) (703-834-3600). * Power Cycle any of "n" pieces of remote hardware via RS232 interface and ASCII selection. Ideally, this box attaches to one of the ports of the serial switch above, and asks me which piece of the "n" attached pieces of hardware should be cycled. [Black box has one of these for a single piece of equipment. It requires a dedicated phone line, and uses telco tones to trigger a cycle.] We use the black box LOR-II and we just change a wire on the relay to make it be Normally-Closed instead of Normally-Open. Works great. Power goes off as long as you stay connected to the appropriate serial port on the switch. Be aware of the LOR's load limitations, however. Another option (which I haven't tested is: Heathkit/Radio Shack sell the BSR wireless controlers which has an RS-232C interface. These devices communicate over the AC power lines and can operate relays wich can switch an inductive load of up to 20 Amps - which is sufficent for the devices we would use. The problem with this technology is that if the power lines have a lot of noise, the units may not respond to commands. The benifit is they are small, cheap, and work well. * T1 line switch: Incoming T1 +--------+ +-----------+ | |-----------------| CSU/DSU 1 |----> To router 1 -----------------| Switch | +-----------+ | |-----------------| CSU/DSU 2 |----> To router 2 +--------+ +-----------+ ^ | V RS232 Input Ideally, this box also attaches to one of the ports on the n-by serial switch above, and has some sort of menu or ASCII code line selection mechanism. Being a software guy, I thought about wiring this up using a switch for RS232 from Black Box.. Hardware people informed me that this wasn't a good idea. This may not be a good idea (may even be illegal) but we needed to do it and it worked like a champ (saved our asses at least once). We used a Black Box tone-activated-talking switch and wired the 4-wire T1 line up to it. It operates based on touch-tone input (not RS232). Since we only wanted one phone line, then we put the equivalent of an ASD-4 (they used to have a 2-port version called a Call Distribution Switch) in front to select either the TATS or the modem/8-way box. And we put security codes on the TATS and modem (a security modem from black box) so random people couldn't toy with our gear. Again, these are the thoughts on my mind... and an "ideal wish list". I'd appreciate hearing about any implementations or similar tools that you have experience with. Works for us. Your mileage may vary. Good luck. Regards, Dan ------- End of Forwarded Message