Specifications

©
2002, David K. Z. Harris
5
Pg. 5
© 2002
David K. Z. Harris
Why we’re here today
Ø I’m here to inform you…
² So, I need to keep you awake!
Ø I’ve looked at a lot of options
² I like some better than others.
Ø If you don’t pick Conserver,
please pick something!
Ø What’s in it for you?
² This will save you time!
I’m presuming that you are already using some type of remote access to your
serial consoles, or that you have already done some investigation on your own,
and you’re coming to this tutorial to learn more, or to try to solve a particular
problem. I’m here to tell you about the information I have discovered over
time, tell you what I’ve learned about various vendors and their hardware, and
pass along some tips that may make it easier for you in the future to expand or
upgrade your site(s).
If you don’t use a logging server with your terminal server or console server
hardware, then you should seriously consider adding one. I’ll explain why, and
help you evaluate your choices.
You can also use a serial console to report security events. There are some
messages that are only available from serial consoles. On a Cisco router, when
someone makes a configuration change via a telnet session, a notification
message is sent to the console port.
Logging to a serial console, you can send output to a printer or another host
without telling a cracker where the output is going! And if you send the output
to a logging server, you can use other tools to sort through the data (looking
for trends, triggering alarms, or performing forensics).
When properly configured, you can remove the video monitor (saving space).
Even if you choose to keep the monitor around, you can save power and
reduce heat in the room by turning the monitor off, and using the serial console
for most operations.