That's not a bad suggestion. Another possibility is IPMI cards, if your server has an IPMI slot. Erin Salmon Managing Director Unleash Computers Ltd www.unleash.co.nz Unleash Networks Ltd www.unleash.net.nz Mobile: 021 877 913 Landline: 03 365 1273 -----Original Message----- From: Craig Whitmore [mailto:lennon(a)orcon.net.nz] Sent: 29 November 2005 5:11 p.m. To: Simon; NZNOG(a)list.waikato.ac.nz Subject: Re: [nznog] Remote server booting

Im wondering if anyone has used or is using a good solution to remote boot (from complete power down) servers and equiptment?

This i have done in the past by having the bios on the server set to reboot after power fail and that takes care of the rest along with good load UPS's and backup power. But what if you acually had to shut down a server for some reason out-there (backup power fails)?

You could try Wake-On-Lan. Most Ethernet Cards these days have the Capability to do this. Send the Ethernet Card a "Special Packet" which will turn the computer On. Thanks Craig _______________________________________________ NZNOG mailing list NZNOG(a)list.waikato.ac.nz http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/nznog

...

Erin Salmon Managing Director Unleash Computers Ltd www.unleash.co.nz Unleash Networks Ltd www.unleash.net.nz Mobile: 021 877 913 Landline: 03 365 1273

What a Hallageresque signature you have. Trying to buffer overflow pine or something?

Now now Richard, it's not kind to speak ill of the dea......bani.....not present.... Simon T Oldham "Teaching Users about IT Security is like trying to teach a pig to talk, it wastes your time and it annoys the pig" (But doesn't stop Beer being consumes in vast quantities)

...

Im wondering if anyone has used or is using a good solution to remote boot (from complete power down) servers and equiptment?

Theres a box called a smitch, which you can remotely turn on or off using a SMS message. They're quite pricy at around $300 NZ, but you could put one in a place thats otherwise hard to get to... someone's roof-space for example. http://www.cellpower.co.nz/Smitch%20switch.htm <-- out of stock http://www.smitch.co.nz/ <-- goes to domainz They do need a basic lesson in "how to market a product" though :/

-----Original Message----- From: Juha Saarinen [mailto:juha(a)saarinen.org]

[snip snip]

How about a software solution like VMWare?

Ummm... Because even VMWare isn't resistant to having the power turned off? Or maybe I missed something?

Richard Patterson wrote:

You did.

If everthing is run inside virtual servers, you can "power cycle" them off the baremetal box.

Of course it entirely depends on exactly what Simon's needs are, if it is more for actual power outtages and the like, then yes you're right.

I'm quite interested in using virtualisation like this, but as Richard says, it's not a panacea for all situations. -- Juha

Smitches are really quite good for emergency hard power cycles. They are a secure pager connected to a power outlet switching box, you dial in to the smitch unit using a unique number for the unit, you then enter your passcode for the unit, then turn it on or off. It takes about 30 seconds for the unit to respond and kill power to the device. As I said, this is a hard power cut / cycle and should only ever be done when you have no other options. :) If you are using a device with a UPS then obviously you need to place the smitch between the UPS and the device. Hope this helps. Mark Karena. -----Original Message----- From: zcat [mailto:zcat(a)maxnet.co.nz] Sent: Wednesday, 30 November 2005 10:48 a.m. To: nznog(a)list.waikato.ac.nz Subject: Re: [nznog] Remote server booting

Theres a box called a smitch, which you can remotely turn on or off using a SMS message. They're quite pricy at around $300 NZ, but you could put one in a place thats otherwise hard to get to... someone's roof-space for example.

I once saw someone modify a minicall pager to hit the reset line, many many years ago. You're setting yourself up for a very nasty DoS if anyone ever finds out the number though! _______________________________________________ NZNOG mailing list NZNOG(a)list.waikato.ac.nz http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/nznog

criggie(a)criggie.dyndns.org wrote:

Theres a box called a smitch, which you can remotely turn on or off using a SMS message.

http://www.cellpower.co.nz/Smitch%20switch.htm <-- out of stock http://www.smitch.co.nz/ <-- goes to domainz

They do need a basic lesson in "how to market a product" though :/

I just emailed cellpower about the product, Kevin's reply:

Hi James We no longer carry this range of product, and I beleive that the manufacturers have discontinued some of the range There website has gone but you can try to call them on 0800smitch

Regards Kevin Hunter

Cheers, James.

Hmmm, so basically an IP-KVM ? Does it have a network port or does it share the systems; do you assign an IP to it and it gives a web based console? I'm wondering if i can put this into a system, attach it to a KVM on site and control up to 8 pc's; though it doesnt appear to have a video output. Seems pretty interesting, I may get one to play with. Regards Barry ----- Original Message ----- From: "Daniel Lawson" To: "Joe Abley" ; Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 2:33 PM Subject: Re: [nznog] Remote server booting

...

...

Im wondering if anyone has used or is using a good solution to remote boot (from complete power down) servers and equiptment?

If you'd also like a proper serial console (and your server's bios doesn't already provide you with one) you could do worse than . It's probably hugely expensive if all you want is a remote power cycle capability though.

I recently picked up a second hand Compaq RILOE card on trademe for about $70 (there's still a few there). Provides local console redirection via http, keyboard/mouse intercept, remote power control (with a custom powercable that fits in between the physical power button and the psu), etc. These models are a bit old now, but the modern equivalents (such as the realweasel) look good, and I'd consider them well worth the money.

-- Daniel Lawson WAND Group, Computer Science Department University of Waikato email: daniel(a)wand.net.nz phone: +64 7 838 4136

_______________________________________________ NZNOG mailing list NZNOG(a)list.waikato.ac.nz http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/nznog

Not sure it's entirely relevant considering all the built in alternatives being bandied about, but we've got one of these sitting out back in our lab doing absolutely nothing. I'm sure we'd part with it considering it's been unused for approx 1-2 years http://www.baytech.net/products/showprod.php?prod=RPC3A-10NO Paul -----Original Message----- From: Simon Byrnand [mailto:simon(a)igrin.co.nz] Sent: Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:04 To: nznog(a)list.waikato.ac.nz Subject: Re: [nznog] Remote server booting At 15:57 30/11/2005, Nathan Ward wrote:

...

Im wondering if anyone has used or is using a good solution to remote boot (from complete power down) servers and equiptment?

This i have done in the past by having the bios on the server set to reboot after power fail and that takes care of the rest along with good load UPS's and backup power. But what if you acually had to shut down a server for some reason out-there (backup power fails)?

Most of the replies to this ignored his last sentence. Many (most?) of the BIOSes/motherboards I have seen can either be in "Power off" or "Last state" when power is reconnected. Few have a "Power on" option.

All the recent (last 5+ years) ASUS motherboards I've seen and used have a BIOS option that can be set to off after power loss, on after power loss, or last state. I wouldn't have thought it was a particularly rare option... certainly any machine being used as a server should have the option to turn on after power loss or it's not much use as a server... otherwise a controlled UPS initiated power shut down wont result in the servers coming back up afterwards. Regards, Simon _______________________________________________ NZNOG mailing list NZNOG(a)list.waikato.ac.nz http://list.waikato.ac.nz/mailman/listinfo/nznog