[193832] in North American Network Operators' Group
Re: Cellular enabled console server
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (David Bass)
Sun Feb 26 10:48:32 2017
X-Original-To: nanog@nanog.org
From: David Bass <davidbass570@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <7fdb40abf86b4f2d9b3954f9d7d81eed@lodpp.net>
Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2017 10:48:24 -0500
To: nanog_maillinglist <nanog@lodpp.net>
Cc: NANOG <nanog@nanog.org>
Errors-To: nanog-bounces@nanog.org
I tried to build one in the past, but didn't have much success. Anyone succ=
essfully built some and willing to give details?
> On Feb 26, 2017, at 9:07 AM, nanog_maillinglist <nanog@lodpp.net> wrote:
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> Hi.
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> I use lots of opengears boxes - mainly the Console Manager range 41xx then=
71xx for "big location" with more than 8 consoles needed
> 550x when it's less than 8.
> We use them only as out-of-band access when either we have inband pbm or w=
hen a intervention is risky - so no fancy feature is needed here ( hense the=
CM71xx range.. )
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> I tried from them a cellular one ( 5504 I guess back in the days ) but the=
cellular cover wasn't great in the particular DC i've tested it.
> + it was hard to get a cellular with static IP ....
> So I stayed with small/cheap 10mb access for that box.
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> short feedback:
> + It just works - no hardware issues so far ( in years ) - software stable=
.
> + ZTP also works okay for provisionning with XML config ( I do it with Ans=
ible/Jinja2 )
> + Support ready to help - even though we are not a huge buyer, they provid=
e us the feature we needed right quick ( beeing able to touch the serial con=
fig as a "user" instead of admin
> + cisco pinout by default - no overcharge if you want the classic serial r=
s232 pinout
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> - =46rom my test, provisionning is limited to a basic config - I couln't m=
ake it work buy generating the whole setup in the .opg images.
> So I generated basic XML config file to make the box pings then i use ansi=
ble in RAW SSH for post-deploy.
> - No python on the box so for every-day update/config I need to use ansibl=
e in raw SSH mode - which is a bit dumb in 2016/17 :)
> - Still no that cheap for a rasp like base box
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> Cheers,
> Nico
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: NANOG [mailto:nanog-bounces+nanog=3Dlodpp.net@nanog.org] On Behalf O=
f Ben Bartsch
> Sent: Friday, February 24, 2017 5:09 PM
> To: NANOG <nanog@nanog.org>
> Subject: Cellular enabled console server
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> NANOG - Are any of you running a console server to access your network equ=
ipment via a serial connection at a remote site? If so, what are you using a=
nd how much do you like it? I have a project where I need to stand up over 1=
00 remote sites and would like a backdoor to the console just to be able to s=
ee what's going on with the equipment to hopefully avoid a truck roll for so=
mething simple like a hung device. I need 4 console ports and 1 RJ45 ethern=
et jack. My quick Google search landed me at BlackBox LES1204A-3G-R2, but I=
've never actually used such a device. This would be for use in the USA.
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> Thank you in advance.
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> -ben
