RE: Console replacement strategy

I concur with Evan. We went to an HMC and will never go back. Ours uses a
Dell flip out console with two eight port KVM's attached to it.

Why would you spend the money on a system i but then go cheap on the console??
Just build the cost of the HMC into the cost of the system i. Anything else is
foolish. The HMC is what IBM wants you to have. If there's a problem with it,
you've got world class IBM support to help you with it.

Bryan Burns
Low on the food chain...

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Lam Stephen
Sent: Friday, July 13, 2007 2:42 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Console replacement strategy


Hi Pete,

As for HMC is another piece of Hardware and OS which you need to pay for it
excluding IBM MA. People like still perfer the old twinax which can easily
replace with cheap price.

Regards,
Stephen


On 7/13/07, Evan Harris <spanner@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Hi Pete

Once you get used to a HMC you will never want to give away the
functionality it offers. I'd also be willing to say it was as bullet proof
as twinax - which I wouldn't say about either LAN or Direct attach
console.

I have one customer that installed it using an existing KVM they had.
While
I find it awkward and a pain to use this way it works fine (though it
would
not be my preference).

The only thing it doesn't do is change tapes and CD's.

If you are seriously investigating this on your customers behalf, get a
decent look at one and get a reasonable trial. The extra money is well
spent.

Regards
Evan Harris

-----Original Message-----
From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:midrange-l-
bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Pete Helgren
Sent: Friday, 13 July 2007 5:59 a.m.
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Console replacement strategy

I have a customer that had a 5250 twinax console which about a year ago
we replaced. They wanted something that was "more modern". After doing
some research I settled on a unit by Visara which we installed at the
customer. At this point, a year later, we are again looking at
something to replace the console (the Visara unit - don't ask). I have
followed various threads over the past year about thin consoles and,
more recently, an HMC. I'd like some feedback on what the best approach
would be to make this a closely bullet-proof as the good 'ol twinax
terminal was.

The requirements are: This will be on a KVM. The console must be VERY
simple to use: diagnostics, rebooting (if needed), starting the 5250
session (if needed) need to be so simple a child could do it. The
keyboard layout should be such that it make it easy for them to
transition between PC sessions and 5250 console. I am leaning toward
handling a remote access requirement by getting an IP based KVM that I
can use to get to them over the Internet with since there is an IXA and
an IXS on this 520 that I would like to access as well.

Any opinions on what the best overall solution would be?

Pete

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