Whack-On-Lan

[Jerry Feldman]

The BLU uses a DLI Ethernet controller listed below for under $300.
http://www.softwareandstuff.com/TOL10273.html

Currently we only have 2 systems hooked up to it because this uses a=20
PS/2 Mouse, Keyboard I had to buy an adaptor for the third system, and=20
I'm waiting for JABR to install the adaptor for the 3rd system. So far=20
we have not had any issues with this.  But, I think just about any PDU=20
should handle your case. The best case would be a KVM over IP since a=20
system crash could be recoverable with a KVM and not by other remote=20
methods. Let's say you had a power failure, and the system needed to run =

fsck manually. A KVM would give you console access, and you could=20
accomplish this where a standard PDU would not. In the case of the BLU=20
stuff, it is only 35 miles from me, but is only 1 mile away from JABR's=20
commute so if we need hands on, we can call One Communications, JABR=20
could stop by on his way in our out, or I could make the trip.

On 04/22/2009 01:21 PM, Christopher Rutter wrote:
> All this talk of Wake-On-Lan has brought up a longtime question I've ha=
d
> about remote reset via lan (a.k.a. Whack-On-Lan).  The issue is I am th=
e
> administrator for an Ubuntu server that is 1,098 miles away (via car Bo=
ston
> <-> Atlanta, GA) and is locked in a closet.  On the VERY rare occation =
when
> the server crashes and I can't SSH into it I have to call the owner of =
the
> company and have him drop what he's doing and phsyically go down to the=

> office unlock the closet and reset the server (he's the only one with k=
eys,
> and I'd like to keep it that way).  So you can see how this can become =
a
> nuisance, so I rarly update the box when one of us is not on-site (some=
times
> the system hangs on reboot after an update, but that's a whole nother
> issue).
>
> I've researched this in the past and the only solution I've been able t=
o
> find is a DRAFT paper written in Dec 2005 by the School of Computing at=
 the
> University of Utah: *http://*www.cs.utah.edu/flux/papers/whol-ftn-draft=
1.pdf
>
> While I am fairly handy with a soldering iron, but I don't feel comfort=
able
> using this homebrew solution for production use.
> So I am curious to hear what other BLU members are using to remotly res=
et
> machines via ethernet.  Does a consumer grade or cheap enterprise solut=
ion
> exist?
> Do you think I should just suck it up and build one of these homebrew
> Whack-On-Lan switches?
>
> Thanks in advance for any/all comments & suggestions,
> -Chris
> _______________________________________________
> Discuss mailing list
> Discuss-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org
> http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>
>  =20


--=20
Jerry Feldman <gaf-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org>
Boston Linux and Unix
PGP key id: 537C5846
PGP Key fingerprint: 3D1B 8377 A3C0 A5F2 ECBB  CA3B 4607 4319 537C 5846