Console Server Configuration using Menu's

Fryguy — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:41:46 +0000

I know that there are quite a few how-to’s for configuring your Cisco Console server, but I figured I would throw my hat in the ring and add a twist. You see, when I connect to my console server I am presented with a MENU, and from there I can select the device that I want to connect to. Now normally you would not use this, but when you want to share your rack with others – a menu makes it easier for them to connect to the devices without knowing what is where and what it is called.
Here is the menu that I am presented with when I connect to the console server:
_************************
**     Cisco :: Terminal Server for Access to CCIE SP Lab **
************************
**[1]        Connect to R1                 [10] Connect to FR
[2]        Connect to R2                                                            [11] Connect to ATM
[3]        Connect to R3                                                            [12] Connect to BB1
[4]        Connect to R4                                                            [13] Connect to BB2
[5]        Connect to R5                  [14] Connect to BB3
[6]        Connect to R6
[7]        Connect to R7
[8]        Connect to R8
[9]        Connect to R9                  [99] Exit to CLI
_**
Selection:
In order to configure this, here is what you have to do!
1. Create a loopback address with an arbitrary IP address – Here I am using 1.1.1.1/32
interface Loopback0
ip address 1.1.1.1 255.255.255.255
2. Create host entries for each device that is connected to your console server.
To break down the first-line, 2033 is the port on the console server and _1.1.1.1 i_s the loopback IP address of the console server
_ip host R1 2033 1.1.1.1
ip host R2 2034 1.1.1.1
ip host R3 2035 1.1.1.1
ip host R4 2036 1.1.1.1
ip host R5 2037 1.1.1.1
ip host R6 2038 1.1.1.1
ip host R7 2039 1.1.1.1
ip host R8 2040 1.1.1.1
ip host R9 2041 1.1.1.1
ip host BB1 2042 1.1.1.1
ip host BB2 2043 1.1.1.1
ip host BB3 2044 1.1.1.1
ip host FR 2062 1.1.1.1
ip host ATM 2063 1.1.1.1
3. Create the menu commands – here the menu is called CONSOLE
**
menu CONSOLE command 1 resume R1 /connect telnet R1
menu CONSOLE command 2 resume R2 /connect telnet R2
menu CONSOLE command 3 resume R3 /connect telnet R3
menu CONSOLE command 4 resume R4 /connect telnet R4
menu CONSOLE command 5 resume R5 /connect telnet R5
menu CONSOLE command 6 resume R6 /connect telnet R6
menu CONSOLE command 7 resume R7 /connect telnet R7
menu CONSOLE command 8 resume R8 /connect telnet R8
menu CONSOLE command 9 resume R9 /connect telnet R9
menu CONSOLE command 10 resume FR /connect telnet FR
menu CONSOLE command 11 resume ATM /connect telnet ATM
menu CONSOLE command 12 resume BB1 /connect telnet BB1
menu CONSOLE command 13 resume BB2 /connect telnet BB2
menu CONSOLE command 14 resume BB3 /connect telnet BB3
menu CONSOLE command 99 menu-exit
4. Create the menu title and text:
_menu CONSOLE title %
************************
_**      Cisco :: Terminal Server for Access to CCIE SP Lab            **
**********************
%
menu CONSOLE text [1] Connect to R1                [10] Connect to FR
menu CONSOLE text [2] Connect to R2                [11] Connect to ATM
menu CONSOLE text [3] Connect to R3                [12] Connect to BB1
menu CONSOLE text [4] Connect to R4                [13] Connect to BB2
menu CONSOLE text [5] Connect to R5                [14] Connect to BB3
menu CONSOLE text [6] Connect to R6
menu CONSOLE text [7] Connect to R7
menu CONSOLE text [8] Connect to R8
menu CONSOLE text [9] Connect to R9                [99] Exit to CLI
menu CONSOLE clear-screen
_
5. Under your VTY 0 4 interface use the autocommand interface to run the menu console command when a user connects.
line vty 0 4
autocommand menu CONSOLE
That is it!
Note: You could easily make 99 a hidden option and just enter 99 to enter the CLI.

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Console Server Configuration using Menu's