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I have a server which will be sitting in a location without any smart hands (or any 'hands' at all) which is accessible but not easily. While I don't anticipate needing to power it off or on, or to access the console, it would be essential in case a problem arises.

It is 'commodity hardware', a small modest custom-built machine (call it 'A') so a standard motherboard with USB etc. The machine would be sitting behind a residential gateway, likely in its 'DMZ'. I figured that the following would be sufficent:

  • Find a small, minimal, low power machine (call it 'B') and install something minimal and stable on it like OpenBSD. Forward some high random port to SSH on this machine so that it's always accessible even if A is down.
  • Somehow connect B to A's console, so that when logged into B, A's console is accessible.
  • Somehow connect B to A's power on / off switch- no idea what this would entail or if it's possible. Then B could power on A and force it to power off too.
  • Hook them both up to a UPS.

Any other insights? Where should I start with the console and power access?

EDIT: Sorry I completely forgot to mention the operating system of A. It is FreeBSD

A__A__0
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  • Perhaps one of these. http://www.aten.com/global/en/products/kvm/kvm-over-ip-switches/ip8000/#.WG-_9RsrKUk - https://www.lantronix.com/products/lantronix-spider/ – joeqwerty Jan 06 '17 at 16:04
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    Smells like reinventing the wheel. A proper server (even a _cheap_ one) should have IPMI included. Your biggest problem here is hosting the server in a home. – Michael Hampton Jan 06 '17 at 16:57
  • Thanks the "spider" looks perfect. Sorry by "commodity hardware" I meant retail stuff for a PC. Motherboard has no PCI slots remaining nor IPMI though I had not heard of that yet. Actually, it is not in a home. – A__A__0 Jan 11 '17 at 18:39

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