Specifications

©
2002, David K. Z. Harris
51
Pg. 51
© 2002
David K. Z. Harris
PC BIOS limited access
Ø Usually limited to
² P.O.S.T. output until GUI starts
² A few BOIS settings (via EISA add-in)
² Rebooting the server
Ø Some can capture crash dumps
² Compaq lets you replay them!
² Real-time! ANSI and color!
Ø Some allow multiple accounts
Owners of newer Compaq servers have the ability to control basic server
functions (power cycling, soft resets, some BIOS support) via a serial console
port.
Normally, server owners would connect a modem to each of their server serial
ports, with a dedicated modem for each.
Using terminal servers, you reduce the recurring costs of all the phone lines.
(Even if you are using analog lines in your phone switch, those lines are not
cheap resources.) You can then rely on the strength of your remote access
authentication mechanisms to protect access to your server ports, rather than
relying on password challenges from the modems.
Modems cannot adequately audit successful (or failed) access attempts, and
they don’t support remote authentication servers or security token devices.
If you need more security or auditing, your RAS solution can give you more
security than modems on console ports.
NOTE: Most PC’s communicating via BIOS support require DCD being active
before the PC will listen to traffic, even if DSR is active! The developers
thought you would only be connecting them to a modem for access...