>>    I have a few IPC and Classics running NBSD,
>>here -- all running headless, etc.

>>    Recently built a new kernel with "options BLINK"
>>(a cheap way for me to tell when a "shutdown -p"
>>is complete on the IPC's).  It works as expected
>>on the IPC's.
>
>Dude, use a serial console.  Despite their age and low power those
>systems are real hardware.  Connect the serial ports of them all to
>another PC with null modem cables and you've got access to the system
>console without "dragging out a monitor".  You can buy these nifty DB9


BLINK is an easier solution, IMHO.  No cabling required, etc.
I typically ssh to a particular host and "shutdown -p".  Or,
do it from an xdm session on that host.  Eventually, I lose
the network connection to that host as it shuts down.  Then,
wait a few moments to verify the light has stopped blinking
(on or off) before killing power.

Of course, on the Classics it works like a champ -- pulling
it's own power when done.  But the IPC's don't have that
ability.

>and DB25 to RJ45 adapters at most electronics, cable supply, and some
>computer stores.  They are typically made so that you can wire them
>yourself.  I myself have a whole slew of them wired so that when they
>are connected to serial ports I can use a standard 10BaseT patch cable
>between them to provide a null modem connection.  They all feed into my
>terminal server and I haven't dragged out an extra monitor in months.
>This works well for my sparcs as well as my alphas.


I'll be tying a serial port from each box to the serial port
on an X terminal to give me a "serial console" when needed.
So far, that hasn't been necessary -- I can do everything
under X (if I think about it carefully) *except* single
user mode, etc.  I just need to sort out the "dropped carrier"
issues on the SPARCs so they don't reboot every time I
power the associated X terminal down...  :-/

--don