Very Computer

> I work in a medium sized shop supporting Solaris and Tru64 on SPARC
> and Alpha.  We have 3 sites, in 2 cities and only 2 people to support
> about 60+ systems, so keeping things simple and common are the only
> way we can keep our sanity.

> There is a lot of discussion about going to Linux especially as Alpha
> approaches end of life (but boy, are there some deals on used hardware
> now !)

> We currently use an old DEC software product called Console Manager
> that allows us to connect the serial ports from multiple servers
> through some terminal server back to one system where we can control
> everything.  It is simple, it is cheap and it works, so don't suggest
> changing to anything different.

> I know most new Intel "servers" can map their BIOS output to COM1 and
> after Linux is loaded re-directing its output to COM1 is not a big
> deal.

> Here is my question.  Can anyone recommend a VGA "simulator" board
> with a serial connection that maps VGA screen sequences to VT100 so
> we can continue to use our current setup with older and/or
> "non-server" Intel hardware ?

> TIA

> jp

> I work in a medium sized shop supporting Solaris and Tru64 on SPARC and
> Alpha.  We have 3 sites, in 2 cities and only 2 people to support about
> 60+ systems, so keeping things simple and common are the only way we can
> keep our sanity.

> There is a lot of discussion about going to Linux especially as Alpha
> approaches end of life (but boy, are there some deals on used hardware
> now !)

> We currently use an old DEC software product called Console Manager that
> allows us to connect the serial ports from multiple servers through some
> terminal server back to one system where we can control everything.  It
> is simple, it is cheap and it works, so don't suggest changing to
> anything different.

> I know most new Intel "servers" can map their BIOS output to COM1 and
> after Linux is loaded re-directing its output to COM1 is not a big deal.

> Here is my question.  Can anyone recommend a VGA "simulator" board with
> a serial connection that maps VGA screen sequences to VT100 so we can
> continue to use our current setup with older and/or "non-server" Intel
> hardware ?

> TIA

> jp

> I work in a medium sized shop supporting Solaris and Tru64 on SPARC and
> Alpha.  We have 3 sites, in 2 cities and only 2 people to support about
> 60+ systems, so keeping things simple and common are the only way we can
> keep our sanity.

> There is a lot of discussion about going to Linux especially as Alpha
> approaches end of life (but boy, are there some deals on used hardware
> now !)

> We currently use an old DEC software product called Console Manager that
> allows us to connect the serial ports from multiple servers through some
> terminal server back to one system where we can control everything.  It
> is simple, it is cheap and it works, so don't suggest changing to
> anything different.

> I know most new Intel "servers" can map their BIOS output to COM1 and
> after Linux is loaded re-directing its output to COM1 is not a big deal.

> Here is my question.  Can anyone recommend a VGA "simulator" board with
> a serial connection that maps VGA screen sequences to VT100 so we can
> continue to use our current setup with older and/or "non-server" Intel
> hardware ?

> TIA

> jp

> I work in a medium sized shop supporting Solaris and Tru64 on SPARC and
> Alpha.  We have 3 sites, in 2 cities and only 2 people to support about
> 60+ systems, so keeping things simple and common are the only way we can
> keep our sanity.

> There is a lot of discussion about going to Linux especially as Alpha
> approaches end of life (but boy, are there some deals on used hardware
> now !)

> We currently use an old DEC software product called Console Manager that
> allows us to connect the serial ports from multiple servers through some
> terminal server back to one system where we can control everything.  It
> is simple, it is cheap and it works, so don't suggest changing to
> anything different.

> I know most new Intel "servers" can map their BIOS output to COM1 and
> after Linux is loaded re-directing its output to COM1 is not a big deal.

> Here is my question.  Can anyone recommend a VGA "simulator" board with
> a serial connection that maps VGA screen sequences to VT100 so we can
> continue to use our current setup with older and/or "non-server" Intel
> hardware ?

> I know most new Intel "servers" can map their BIOS output to COM1 and
> after Linux is loaded re-directing its output to COM1 is not a big deal.

> Here is my question.  Can anyone recommend a VGA "simulator" board with
> a serial connection that maps VGA screen sequences to VT100 so we can
> continue to use our current setup with older and/or "non-server" Intel
> hardware ?