[TriLUG] Cyclades terminal server

[Stephen P. Schaefer via TriLUG]

In my experience, the initial public/private key negotiation takes about
15 secconds, but after that, it's faster than I can type/think (YMMV :-}).

Writes to internal storage are more EEPROM than SDRAM, and also rather slow.

The web GUI, especially after they were bought by Avocent, underwent
significant changes.  Web GUI users are distinct from OS users: if you
create a web GUI user, that is not sufficient for being able to do "ssh
user:7001 at cyclades01".  To configure extra users, I get a shell prompt
as root on the box, and edit /etc/passwd, but there may be other
mechanisms.  I've always used "ssh -i private_key root:7001 at cyclades01"
(the 1 in 7001 specifies the port); there may be permission problems to
overcome if using a non-root user.

If you create a ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file, it will be honored (slowly,
with all the usual ssh file owner/mode caveats), but it won't be saved
as part of the configuration and will disappear at the next reboot,
unless the name of the file is included in the /etc/config_files file.

I've still got a few of these in "production" use, although they're
gradually being superseded by the virtual serial port in HP iLO.

    - Stephen

On 1/21/19 9:39 PM, Greg Mueller via TriLUG wrote:
> Also, one of thing I thought I would mention is that these boxes had a
> 50Mhz CPU and no encryption offloading, so when using ssh the thing would
> slow to a crawl.  I don't recall if that affected attached devices with
> 9600 baud consoles, but certainly configuring the appliance over ssh was
> hellish.  (and so I let some expect scripts handle that for me).
> 
> On Mon, Jan 21, 2019 at 9:33 PM Greg Mueller <greg.p.mueller at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> 
>> I configured a lot of these back in the day and because I never delete
>> anything I have the manuals for these.
>>
>> I found this:
>>
>> Open an SSH session to one of the ACS console server’s ports
>>           # ssh john:7001 at acs48-2.cyclades.com
>>
>> Let me know if that works for you and if you need the PDF files.
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Jan 21, 2019 at 11:50 AM dylan lusk via TriLUG <trilug at trilug.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Does anyone remember, has anyone configured, a cyclades terminal server
>>> from the early 2000s (article describing embedded device and linux version
>>> running on it... https://www.linuxjournal.com/article/4621)?
>>>
>>> Most terminal / console servers will allow an ssh session to directly
>>> attach to a serial terminal (ttyS0 - S7) by calling its port number in the
>>> ssh call (e.g. ssh user at host -p 7001 # where 7001 is the port assigned to
>>> ttyS0).
>>>
>>> I have tried several configurations, but have been unsuccessful connecting
>>> this way.
>>>
>>> It does allow ssh by a newly created user, and the console port is
>>> correctly configured, such that I am able to use ts_menu, select ttyS0,
>>> and
>>> login to the attached network device. So... barring sshd, correctly
>>> configured console/RJ45 cabling, and serial port settings, am I missing
>>> something in the form of console server vs. terminal server OR
>>> socket_server vs. socket_ssh?
>>>
>>> A proper answer may be rewarded with surplus hardware, if interested
>>> (variety of surplus could include RAM, M2 WiFi cards, mini-tower case,
>>> power-supplies, or other).
>>>
>>> Pre-thanks,
>>>
>>> dylan
>>> --
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>>
>>