Re: Putting together a server/network...

[rsd <ross@dmochowski.com>]

Dave Taira wrote:
> I've used putty, and I've used ttssh (a teraterm extension:
> http://www.zip.com.au/~roca/ttssh.html). Currently, I'm using cygwin
> bash + openssh (http://www.cygwin.com). So far, it's working quite well.

Mindterm (www.appgate.com/mindterm) is a Java SSH2 ssh client, with 
an excellent GUI for things like setting up SSH tunnels, SCP transfers,
etc.
One of the greatest benefits is that the jar file can be embedded in a
webpage for use.
Which beats having to install it on every desktop-node of your network.
And given the paucity of ssh clients for the Mac architecture (non-OS X
of course),
it is the easiest way to standardize a piece of client software across
your entire
enterprise.
I work for a university, so I really like the fact its free for personal
& academic use.
Its in the ports tree, though I would suggest visiting the Appgate site
for the .pdf (l)user manuals and source code.

And as far as whether telnet is bad or good, etc. I would put forth the
idea
that NO amount of technology can make you secure.
Security is almost entirely a matter of policy, and policy enforcement.
Using telnet on test machines on an internal switched LAN might seem
acceptable, but:
1) it is one more protocol to manage, when you NEED to use secure SSH on
important machines
    and less, rather than more, is prudent security practive. K.I.S.S.
2) It gives more information for traffic analysis for a side-channel
attack
   (it would give a passive network monitor a better idea of which
machines are more   	important than others)
3) other than backwards compatibility, why not be up to date?