Re: Suggestions for remote admin of linux machines

From: Bill Unruh (unruh_at_string.physics.ubc.ca)
Date: 05/18/04 

Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 18:06:24 +0000 (UTC)

George Patton <george_m_patton@yahoo.com> writes:

]I need to move some servers to an unattended location and haven't been
]pleased with the methods for remote administration that have come to
]mind so far:

I am confused. These machines have network connections you seem to say
below. So just do it, by command line and scripts, via the network. No
need for X, or pcanywhere or .... What kind of admin tasks?
The only problem is that the machines may need on site if they crash
(power failure, etc). YOu still cannot push the big red switch from a
remote location.

]Solution #1: XDMCP, pcanywhere, vnc, etc. Problem: An X-Server imposes
]too much overhead given the limited capabilities of the machines
]involved. (No, I don't want to replace the machines with the latest and
]greatest hardware :-)).

]Solution #2: Serial console via cable and modem. Problem: We have a
]network interface but no spare phone line at the remote location.

So, use the network!

]Solution #3: KVM over IP. Problem: I've priced out KVM switches with a

No idea what KVM is.
It depends on how much remote admin you want to do. IF you really want
to control the systems remotely as they boot up, then the network idea
above will not work. But neither would the modem idea since there has to
be something running on the machine to get at the modem. Xserver means
that the machine is already up and running.

]network interface and they appear to be too expensive ($1500+).
]Unaffordable in the case at hand. For less money I could install a
]multiport serial card on a machine running x-windows and use this to
]control the machines via serial consoles. Still a bit pricey however
]because of limited sources for multiport serial cards.

]All of these solutions are less than appealing. Can someone recommend a
]better method? Or perhaps point me to an affordable source for KVM
]switches with network interfaces?

Tell us what you want to be able to do via this "remote administration".

Relevant Pages

  • Re: setting up a remote location (another netbios domain, maybe)...
    ... Jorge Silva wrote: ... > inside network neighborhood, ... IMHO 6 machines are few machines to justify a DC at remote location, ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.active_directory)
  • Re: [SLE] SUSE = Ubuntu?
    ... and 3) work on my distributed network package--- mostly compilation, tweak, ... The headless machines are assigned my three tasks... ... Each task is run on a remote machine, passing its X output back to the ... SSH starts a background process with X11 ...
    (SuSE)
  • Re: Suggestions for remote admin of linux machines
    ... ]pleased with the methods for remote administration that have come to ... So just do it, by command line and scripts, via the network. ... The only problem is that the machines may need on site if they crash ... ]Solution #3: KVM over IP. ...
    (comp.os.linux.misc)
  • Re: Remote Assistance User Acceptance exclusion
    ... way to Remote assistance. ... that doesn't really answer the question in a network infrastructure ... >> more practical for me to manage these machines remotely then to have to go ... >>> SBS Rocks! ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.sbs)
  • Re: vpn - can see all remote computers except 1
    ... Posting on MS newsgroup will benefit all readers and you may get more help. ... I can ping all machines on their network via IP address. ... I can find all machines from windows explorer> My Netwrok Places> Search ... I can ping this machine by IP, I can connect to it via remote desktop, I ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.networking)