14 Dec
2009
14 Dec
'09
3:33 p.m.
On 12/13/09, Pete Turnbull <pete at dunnington.plus.com> wrote:
On 13/12/2009 18:45, Al Kossow wrote:
I am familiar with Annex terminal servers, but only from a user
standpoint. I've never owned one nor set one up (in the day these
were popular, we had large amounts of real ports on our boxes (16-56
each) and no TCP/IP). Is there an annex model with 8-16 ports I
should look for? I really don't need to keep something with 48 ports
powered up.
Thanks,
-ethan
Livingston Portmaster or Encore Annex/Microannex
were commonly used
TCP/IP milking machines.
I still use an Annex for consoles on a few of my machines (like some of
the PDP-11s). They were made by Xylogics, later bought by Bay Networks
=> Nortel and are sometimes to be found rebadged by Sun. They're very
versatile, and you can use the ports in all sorts of ways. 
14 Dec
14 Dec
4:22 p.m.
On 14/12/2009 15:33, Ethan Dicks wrote:
Look for a microAnnex. Mine has 16 ports, and a 1900-line config file :-)
--
Pete Peter Turnbull
Network Manager
University of York
On 12/13/09, Pete Turnbull <pete at
dunnington.plus.com> wrote:
I still use an
Annex for consoles on a few of my machines (like some of
the PDP-11s). They were made by Xylogics, later bought by Bay Networks
=> Nortel and are sometimes to be found rebadged by Sun. They're very
versatile, and you can use the ports in all sorts of ways.
I am familiar with Annex terminal servers, but only from a user
standpoint. I've never owned one nor set one up (in the day these
were popular, we had large amounts of real ports on our boxes (16-56
each) and no TCP/IP). Is there an annex model with 8-16 ports I
should look for? I really don't need to keep something with 48 ports
powered up. 
5:51 p.m.
On Monday 14 December 2009, Ethan Dicks wrote:
Like Pete said, a MicroAnnex will do what you want. Personally, I
prefer Xyplex 1600-series boxes, because I have a bunch of them, and
they are what we have used at work bascially forever.
Ethan, if you would like one of my 16-port Xyplex 1600s, send me a note
off-list.
Pat
--
Purdue University Research Computing --- http://www.rcac.purdue.edu/
The Computer Refuge --- http://computer-refuge.org
I still use an
Annex for consoles on a few of my machines (like
some of the PDP-11s). They were made by Xylogics, later bought by
Bay Networks => Nortel and are sometimes to be found rebadged by
Sun. They're very versatile, and you can use the ports in all
sorts of ways.
I am familiar with Annex terminal servers, but only from a user
standpoint. I've never owned one nor set one up (in the day these
were popular, we had large amounts of real ports on our boxes (16-56
each) and no TCP/IP). Is there an annex model with 8-16 ports I
should look for? I really don't need to keep something with 48 ports
powered up. 
6:18 p.m.
Patrick Finnegan wrote:
Like Pete said, a MicroAnnex will do what you want.
Personally, I
prefer Xyplex 1600-series boxes, because I have a bunch of them, and
they are what we have used at work bascially forever.
Ethan, if you would like one of my 16-port Xyplex 1600s, send me a note
off-list.
Pat
Side note: I remember reading somewhere that the old PortMaster 2e's
could be used as a "reverse terminal server" (that is, telnet into the
box and connect to a particular serial port for console access) with
some optional software. Anybody done that?
Replies can be off-list, I'm not sure how relevant this is.. other than,
it would be handy to use to provide access to some old serial-driven gear.
6:24 p.m.
On Dec 14, 2009, at 1:18 PM, feedle wrote:
I have. The software for SunOS 4 was in.pmd. It worked well.
Like Pete
said, a MicroAnnex will do what you want. Personally, I
prefer Xyplex 1600-series boxes, because I have a bunch of them,
and they are what we have used at work bascially forever.
Ethan, if you would like one of my 16-port Xyplex 1600s, send me a
note off-list.
Side note: I remember reading somewhere that the old PortMaster
2e's could be used as a "reverse terminal server" (that is, telnet
into the box and connect to a particular serial port for console
access) with some optional software. Anybody done that? Replies can be off-list, I'm not sure how
relevant this is.. other
than, it would be handy to use to provide access to some old serial-
driven gear.
...or, for that matter, NEW serial-driven gear.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
9:16 p.m.
At 12:18 PM 12/14/2009, feedle wrote:
Side note: I remember reading somewhere that the old
PortMaster 2e's could be used as a "reverse terminal server" (that is,
telnet into the box and connect to a particular serial port for console access) with some
optional software. Anybody done that?
I have a pair of Portmaster 3 if anyone wants them.
- John
15 Dec
15 Dec
3:44 a.m.
feedle wrote:
Patrick Finnegan wrote:
I don't recall any optional software to do this.... I setup PM2Es so
that telnet to a
specific port would connect me to a specific serial port. Even added
logins that
would connect.... so telnet to the pm2e, login as a particular
user/password and
hit a specific port.
There was software that you could load on SunOS (for instance) that
would make
the serial ports available as if they were 'local' to the
workstation.... but I never
remember encountering any special PM2E software that you put on the PM2E
itself.
-- Curt
Like Pete said, a MicroAnnex will do what you
want. Personally, I
prefer Xyplex 1600-series boxes, because I have a bunch of them, and
they are what we have used at work bascially forever.
Ethan, if you would like one of my 16-port Xyplex 1600s, send me a
note off-list.
Pat
Side note: I remember reading somewhere that the old PortMaster 2e's
could be used as a "reverse terminal server" (that is, telnet into the
box and connect to a particular serial port for console access) with
some optional software. Anybody done that?
Replies can be off-list, I'm not sure how relevant this is.. other
than, it would be handy to use to provide access to some old
serial-driven gear.
4:33 a.m.
On Dec 14, 2009, at 10:44 PM, Curtis H. Wilbar Jr. wrote:
This is correct...in.pmd was to make PM2E ports appear as /dev
nodes on SunOS machines. There was no additional software to install
on the terminal server itself. I don't think there were any
additional or optional packages that got installed on the PM2E, just
the normal firmware load, and that supported "reverse mode" out of
the box.
The Portmasters were nice little boxes. I deployed dozens upon
dozens of them in the early 1990s to create huge dialin modem pools.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Port Charlotte, FL
Side note: I
remember reading somewhere that the old PortMaster
2e's could be used as a "reverse terminal server" (that is, telnet
into the box and connect to a particular serial port for console
access) with some optional software. Anybody done that?
Replies can be off-list, I'm not sure how relevant this is.. other
than, it would be handy to use to provide access to some old
serial-driven gear.
I don't recall any optional software to do this.... I setup PM2Es
so that telnet to a
specific port would connect me to a specific serial port. Even
added logins that
would connect.... so telnet to the pm2e, login as a particular user/
password and
hit a specific port.
There was software that you could load on SunOS (for instance) that
would make
the serial ports available as if they were 'local' to the
workstation.... but I never
remember encountering any special PM2E software that you put on the
PM2E
itself. 
8:17 a.m.
Hi
Well there has been a considerable amount of interest on this one.
I need to clarify one or two things.
1. Being a collector of DEC equipment I was trying to do it with an all DEC
line up.
2. I only have two DEC Servers both 200/MC. I can down load the program to
them from my VAX with no problems.
3. It appears that later models of DEC Server do support Telnet.
(Which ones and has anybody in the UK got a spare one?)
4. I have already done it but I used a windows internet modem simulator.
I have loads of VAX's I wonder if it's possible to do Telnet in, serial
RS232 with modem emulation (Assert DCD when connected) out on a VAX.
5. There is a non-DEC plan B. (Two Multi-modems back to back on their leased
line ports.)
Regards
Rod Smallwood
ANSI X12 - EANCOM - TRADACOMS
EDI Consulting Ltd
Phone 0118 971 4436
Email rodsmallwood at btconnect.com
-----Original Message-----
From: cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org [mailto:cctech-bounces at classiccmp.org]
On Behalf Of feedle
Sent: 14 December 2009 18:18
To: General at looneymail-a2.g.dreamhost.com;
Discussion at looneymail-a2.g.dreamhost.com :On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts
Subject: Re: Terminal servers (was Re: DEC Server 200/MC)
Patrick Finnegan wrote:
Like Pete said, a MicroAnnex will do what you want.
Personally, I
prefer Xyplex 1600-series boxes, because I have a bunch of them, and
they are what we have used at work bascially forever.
Ethan, if you would like one of my 16-port Xyplex 1600s, send me a note
off-list.
Pat
Side note: I remember reading somewhere that the old PortMaster 2e's
could be used as a "reverse terminal server" (that is, telnet into the
box and connect to a particular serial port for console access) with
some optional software. Anybody done that?
Replies can be off-list, I'm not sure how relevant this is.. other than,
it would be handy to use to provide access to some old serial-driven gear.
31 Dec
31 Dec
11:12 a.m.
2009/12/15 Rod Smallwood <rodsmallwood at btconnect.com>:
Hi
?Well there has been a considerable amount of interest on this one.
I need to clarify one or two things.
1. Being a collector of DEC equipment I was trying to do it with an all DEC
line up.
2. I only have two DEC Servers both 200/MC. I can down load the program to
them from my VAX with no problems.
3. It appears that later models of DEC Server do support Telnet.
? (Which ones and has anybody in the UK got a spare one?)
4. I have already done it but I used a windows internet modem simulator.
? ?I have loads of VAX's I wonder if it's possible to do Telnet in, serial
RS232 with modem emulation (Assert DCD when connected) out on a VAX.
5. There is a non-DEC plan B. (Two Multi-modems back to back on their leased
line ports.)
Regards
Rod Smallwood
? ? ?ANSI X12 - EANCOM - TRADACOMS
EDI Consulting Ltd
Phone ?0118 971 4436
Email ? rodsmallwood at btconnect.com
I don't have one, but check out here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DECserver to see which ones will do the
trick.
Dan
5487
days inactive
5504
days old
9 comments
9 participants
participants (9)
-
ethan.dicks＠gmail.com -
feedle＠feedle.net -
jfoust＠threedee.com -
mcguire＠neurotica.com -
pat＠computer-refuge.org -
pete＠dunnington.plus.com -
rescue＠hawkmountain.net -
rodsmallwood＠btconnect.com -
williams.dan＠gmail.com