[thelist] Linux connection to multiple Unix boxes via Digiboard?

Hassan Schroeder hassan at webtuitive.com
Thu Jan 10 10:48:11 CST 2002


Joel wrote:

> Um, it's a Digiboard, which is what I was asking about originally. :)

Yeah, like I said -- no experience with that brand or any other.

> > Say you have three Suns -- #1, #2, #3 -- in a rack. Get three RS232
> > cables and connect #1 port B to #2 port A; #2 port B to #3 port A;
> > #3 port B to #1 port A.
> 
> If I understand this correctly, if #2 goes down, I lose my connection to
> #3, right? I mean, if they're serial, no matter which one goes down, I
> lose that one AND the connection to the next one, leaving only one of
> three up. 

If #2 goes down, #3 doesn't stop running, you just lose access to
a console prompt, which you rarely need. Most maintenance can be 
done in an xterm via ssh or telnet (as djc mentioned).

>           The odds improve when we have six Suns in the room, but if
> that's the correct understanding, it's cool for a hack but I need 101%
> uptime on these boxes and they're willing to pay for it. 

Look at it this way - if you're relying on *one* Linux box with a
multi-serial card for your console connections, that box is now a 
single point of failure.

Losing a box in my scheme means losing console to the next one in
the chain, but there's no single failure that'll result in losing
console to all of 'em simultaneously.

Sometimes 'inexpensive' is *not* the antithesis of 'good' :-)

/*
    But if they *really* want to spend money to achieve 101% uptime, 
    I can suggest a few things to add to your shopping list!  :-)
*/
 
FWIW,
-- 
H*
Hassan Schroeder ----------------------------- hassan at webtuitive.com 
Webtuitive Design ===  (+1) 408-938-0567   === http://webtuitive.com

    -- creating dynamic Web sites and applications since 1994 --




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