Re: Small tip proposal for headless systems boot resiliency

[Dave McGuire <mcguire%neurotica.com@localhost>]

On 12/30/2013 06:46 PM, Mathieu Lubrano wrote:
> The headless systems, or boxes that may be far away are a pain to get
> back online if stuck during the boot sequence... (embedded/headless
> do not have IP-KVM or remote control).
> 
> 
> * The point is : with a headless system you want it back online,
> really. Even if it needs maintenance, you need a ssh or whatever to
> get your hands dirty. So don't stop the boot sequence. If it's
> damaged beyond basic/rescue usability, it makes no difference
> anyway.

  This is, to put it simply, very dangerous.

  In fact it DOES make a difference, potentially a very large one.  If
I've, say, put a NetBSD system in an industrial control environment
(which is not an unlikely thing to do, and not even an unlikely thing
for ME to do), and it's damaged so it's "partially" functional, I'd
rather have it STOP COMPLETELY than, say, become confused and drive a
gantry crane in the wrong direction.

  If something like this is done, it should be a configurable option.

                -Dave

-- 
Dave McGuire, AK4HZ
New Kensington, PA