The system console, root console or simply console is the text entry and display device for system administration messages, particularly those from the BIOS or boot loader, the kernel, from the init system and from the system logger. In Computing, the BIOS (ˈbaɪoʊs In Computing, booting ( booting up) is a bootstrapping process that starts Operating systems when the user turns on a Computer system In Computer science, the kernel is the central component of most computer Operating systems (OS init (short for " Initialization " is the program on Unix and Unix-like systems that spawns all other processes syslog is a standard for forwarding log messages in an IP network. It is a physical device consisting of a keyboard and a screen.
On traditional minicomputers, the console was a serial console, an RS-232 serial link to a terminal such as a DEC VT100. A minicomputer (colloquially mini) is a class of multi-user Computers that lies in the middle range of the computing spectrum in between the largest Multi-user In Telecommunications, RS-232 (Recommended Standard 232 is a standard for serial binary data signals connecting between a DTE ( Data Terminal Equipment A computer terminal is an electronic or electromechanical hardware device that is used for entering data into and displaying data from a Computer or a Computing Digital Equipment Corporation was a pioneering American company in the Computer industry VT100 is a video terminal which was made by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC This terminal was usually kept in a secured room since it could be used for certain privileged functions such as halting the system or selecting which media to boot from. Large midrange systems, e. Midrange computers, or midrange systems, are a class of Computer systems which fall in between Mainframe computers and Microcomputers The range g. those from Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard and IBM, still use serial consoles. Sun Microsystems Inc ( is a multinational vendor of Computers computer components Computer software, and Information technology services International Business Machines Corporation abbreviated IBM and nicknamed "Big Blue", is a multinational Computer Technology In larger installations, the console ports are attached to multiplexers or network-connected multiport serial servers that let an operator connect his terminal to any of the attached servers.
On PCs and workstations, the computer's attached keyboard and monitor have the equivalent function. A personal computer ( PC) is any Computer whose original sales price size and capabilities make it useful for individuals and which is intended to be operated A workstation, such as a Unix workstation, RISC workstation or Engineering workstation, is a high-end Microcomputer In Computing, a keyboard is an Input device partially modelled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys A visual display unit, often called simply a monitor or display, is a piece of Electrical equipment which displays images generated from the Video Since the monitor cable carries video signals, it cannot be extended very far. Often, installations with many servers therefore use keyboard/video multiplexers (KVM switches) and possibly video amplifiers to centralize console access. A KVM switch (with KVM being an abbreviation for Keyboard Video or Visual Display Unit Mouse) is a hardware device that allows a user to control multiple Computers In recent years, KVM/IP devices have become available that allow a remote computer to view the video output and send keyboard input via any TCP/IP network and therefore the Internet. A KVM switch (with KVM being an abbreviation for Keyboard Video or Visual Display Unit Mouse) is a hardware device that allows a user to control multiple Computers The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks
Some PC BIOSes, especially in servers, also support serial consoles, giving access to the BIOS through a serial port so that the simpler and cheaper serial console infrastructure can be used. In Computing, the BIOS (ˈbaɪoʊs Even where BIOS support is lacking, some operating systems, e. An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination g. FreeBSD and Linux, can be configured for serial console operation either during bootup, or after startup. FreeBSD is a Unix-like free Operating system descended from AT&T UNIX via the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD branch through Linux (commonly pronounced ˈlɪnəks
It is usually possible to log in from the console. Depending on configuration, the operating system may treat a login session from the console as being more trustworthy than a login session from other sources.
Routers and Managed Switches (as well as other networking and telecoms equipment) may also have console ports in particular Cisco Systems routers and switches that use Cisco IOS are normally configured via their console ports. Cisco IOS (originally Internetwork Operating System) is the software used on the vast majority of Cisco Systems Routers and all current Cisco Network
See also
- Command line interface (CLI)
- Bootloader
- SysRq (System Request)
- Console server
- Win32 console
External links
- How-to make a null modem cable and use the serial console in OpenBSD 4.1 - A light pictorial. In Computing, booting ( booting up) is a bootstrapping process that starts Operating systems when the user turns on a Computer system System request (often abbreviated SysRq or Sys Req) is a key on keyboards for PCs that has no standard use A console server ( console access server, console management server or serial console server) is a device or service that provides access to the System Win32 console is a Plain text window for Console applications within the system of Windows API. [2007]
- Setting up a serial console on Linux - Tutorial explaining how to set up a serial console on a Linux PC
- Remote Serial Console HOWTO - how to configure Linux to attach a serial console
- How to install Debian over a serial console ? by Rainer Clasen 1999
- System Console - Windows console application that is enhance standard console capabilities. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Runs under Windows NT and higher.
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic