Re: central console?

[Andrew Shugg <andrew@neep.com.au>]

shivak said:
> I have set up a couple of BSD server boxes (all regular PC i386 hardware).
> I don't have the money or space to keep consoles for each of them, and I
> was wondering of the following is possible: I have an extra mac (i believe
> it is a 68k), with a monitor and a keyboard on it. If I were to run
> openBSD on it, would it be possible to have ALL messages that
> would appear to root on a system console (i.e. messages from the kernel,
> and normal syslog messages like bad su's) to appear on the mac's console
> (or preferably having each machine report to its individual virtual
> terminal) ? I don't want the messages logged on the mac (like a remote
> syslog), I just want them to appear on the screen. Has anyone set up
> anything similar? thanks

If the "couple of BSD boxes" is literally two, and the old Mac has two
spare serial ports (a spare PC would be much easier to work with
though), then with a bit of wiring chicanery you could hook up the Mac
to be the serial console of each of the BSD systems.

If you can get hold of an annex or terminal server that would be better
but I'm sure you can hack the Mac into performing the same role.

Andrew.

--
Andrew Shugg <andrew@neep.com.au>                   http://www.neep.com.au/

"Just remember, Mr Fawlty, there's always someone worse off than yourself."
"Is there?  Well I'd like to meet him.  I could do with a good laugh."