Review: Opengear 8-port Console Server

After writing a column two months ago about how wonderfully convenient it is to use console servers to manage otherwise "headless" servers -- and from as much distance as you care to put between yourself and the servers to be managed, I couldn't resist an opportunity to evaluate a line of console servers that cost less than half what the others that I've priced are selling for. And, given that I'm working in a lab that is already equipped with a number of console servers, I felt compelled to question, in addition to the things you'd expect me to evaluate -- such as how easily a unit is to configure and how reliable it is -- how much additional work would be involved in managing two competing brands of console servers in the same lab. After all, I have said numerous times that it's easier to manage three hundred systems that are all basically the same than half a dozen which are different. So, I had to consider whether the added burden of managing two sets of devices that provide the same basic service would outweigh the cost savings.

The Opengear CM4008

The 8-port console server from Opengear that I tested is a model CM4008. Unlike its rack-mountable big brothers (the 16- and 48-port units), this console server is very small -- only slightly larger than a NETGEAR 4-port hub -- and sits on small rubber feet.

The most complicated thing about conducting my evaluation turned out to be, not configuring the console server, but the cabling. Yet even this was not much of an issue. Basically, I had to be sure to use the two adaptors that were included in the box (rather than just any of the similar looking adaptors that I might find in the lab) to hook up my laptop to the box for its initial setup. For another, I eventually had to acquire some special serial cables (not all serial cables are alike) to connect the serial (i.e., console) ports on my servers. More on this in a moment.

The initial setup

Before I did anything else, I connected the cat 5 cable and the two RJ45-to-9-pin adaptors included in the Opengear package between the Opengear "local" port and the serial port on my laptop. Then, using Hyperterminal, I adjusted my com parameters to match those mentioned in the Opengear Quick Start Guide (8-N-1 and xon/xoff at 115200 baud) and logged right in to the CM4008 as root.

Once logged in, I then set an IP address, netmask, broadcast address and default router that would work with my local network. I did this using the ifconfig command; the Opengear CM4008, like the Cyclades console servers, uses an embedded Linux OS called Busybox. While Busybox may not include every one of your favorite Unix commands, it is reassuring to approach a brand new piece of networking equipment and find a familiar user environment. So, while logged in, I also had to check out ps -ef, netstat, grep, awk and several other basic Unix commands.

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