Re: Comments on Thin Consoles

On 10/25/06, Jim Franz <franz400@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Two questions:
1. Looking for comments from actual users of Thin Consoles
now available. Good & Bad.
Old pc is not an option.
Small shop (no tech onsite) deciding if wanting to keep the
100% always available twinax console. (owner actually said
"I want something more modern looking....")

We use a Visara <http://www.visara.com> ICON device (datasheet
here<http://www.visara.com/maindocs/DSheet/dsiCON_8_12_06.pdf>).
It attaches via twinax, and is recognized as the system console. It is about
the same size as a DSL router; you provide the monitor. It has some software
so that you can connect to it over the network and so can use the console
from anywhere (i.e.home).  It took longer to get the order placed than it
did to setup and configure.  It was a bit pricey, but it has worked like a
charm for 6 months or so.  They do a "pay me later" eval period.

It actually reminds me of a 15 year old solution -- a PC with a twinax card
as the console, with PC Anywhere installed so we could dial into it.  I
didn't do the "old PC" thing because this seemed like a good application of
the "spend money to save time" dictum, plus they have support and it does
look more modern.

Take care.