Could some one please explain to me how does remote reboot work? If it is installed, how do we normally be able to access it.

It's just a strip (or rackmountable maybe?) of plugs which your server goes into...then you somehow access it across the internet and tell it when to reboot.

Yup, a very nice feature wich we are still waiting allmost 6 months for now :(

You access an "intelligent" power strip remotely and tell it to cut the power for a few seconds to your box. This has the same effect as if you unplug the box and replug it, which is not the same thing as pressing the RESET switch.

In order for this to work, your BIOS must have an option to automatically power up after power outage, which is not always the case. If the bios doesnt support it, it will most probably simply power down and not come back up.

Two types I have seen.

1. Access by telnet, with a menu driven interface for powering down/up your power socket.

2. Web page access with the same basic menu driven features.

I didn't like the telnet access because of security reasons, but the one with http access was at least over ssl.

It's it a bit more complicated that just "yanking" the power. Don't you really one one with remote terminal (and possibly stuff compiled into the kernel)?

If you just drop the power on a Linux box, you'll prob. have to fsck the disks. If you don't have a remote console, then you still need someone on-site to do the fsck.

Frank

I have seen a remote reboot circuit using the motherboard's reset switch. This is even cooler in my opinion, unlike power cycling this doesn't wear off the power supply. I can't find the URL though :bawling:

Originally posted by ffeingol
It's it a bit more complicated that just "yanking" the power. Don't you really one one with remote terminal (and possibly stuff compiled into the kernel)?

If you just drop the power on a Linux box, you'll prob. have to fsck the disks. If you don't have a remote console, then you still need someone on-site to do the fsck.

Frank

It is still a better option when your machine locked up hard. Without the remote reboot port, I had to contact the datacenter to reboot.

unlike power cycling this doesn't wear off the power supply Boy, it would take hundreds of thousands of power cyclings to wear out a power supply :) I am not sure how reset on the motherboard is any better, can you elaborate more?

try http://www.apcc.com

from what i can see it uses a telephone line, you call the phone number, supply a password on your phone and it reboots the server cleanly, it uses a serial interface to control the reboot if the server is still responding, if its totally dead you can force a power cycle.

Cant you set anything in the OS to carry out an automated disk check without user input? (like windows nt/2k/xp does if it crashes??)

almost all BIOS's (99%) support "power state on failure", usually, its "on, off, auto"

Originally posted by RackMy.com
Boy, it would take hundreds of thousands of power cyclings to wear out a power supply :) I am not sure how reset on the motherboard is any better, can you elaborate more?

Well, I suppose it is because electical component is sensitive to sudden voltage change. I've seen a few computers stopped working because of too many power cycling. My friend had to replace his motherboard because of this (he had broken power & reset switch, and too lazy to fix it :D). I'm sure the hardware used for servers are usually high quality, but who knows... :)

Wow, out off all the servers we have I have never seen that or have had to replace a power supply becuase of this! Interesting...

Originally posted by xtstrike
try http://www.apcc.com

Cant you set anything in the OS to carry out an automated disk check without user input? (like windows nt/2k/xp does if it crashes??)

almost all BIOS's (99%) support "power state on failure", usually, its "on, off, auto"


I just installed the APC9211 and so far, all my servers have come down, and not back online after a reboot

So i can get my eggs in a row before i call my NOC, if it has the power state on failure, would i set it to ON , OFF or AUTO?

Regards

You'll need to set it to ON.

great thanks, i finally found my manual for the mobos and was able to get our tech to set them all to the ON and the strip works great now on all my servers

(Mental note: before sending future servers to noc, edit BIOS :) )