Best serial console server construction method?

[Terry Lambert]

Wilko Bulte wrote:
> On Mon, May 26, 2003 at 08:24:04AM +0200, Dirk-Willem van Gulik wrote:
> > You may want to check ebay (or its local ilk) for a serial terminal
> > server. They are usually available there and in the 25-75 dollar range for
> > a <16 port version.
> 
> Yup, that should work. Say an old DECserver 700 or so. Works with
> 'conserver' (in ports) just dandy. We run something like that at work
> (albeit from Tru64)

Be careful buying old DEC Servers, if you don't have a VMS
or Tru64 box around; when they boot, they ask for their
MOP_MOM.  8-).  Basically, their firmware gets downloaded
via MOP, and they need something to talk to them to be able
to boot (MOP = Maintenance Operations Protocol).

Cute little 68K boxes, those DECServers.

I actually have some terminal servers that have ROMs in them,
but they won't do you any good, now that XNS has been tossed
in the Attic (they only talk XNS).

-- Terry