Frequently Asked Questions > Private Server

The Get Console Private Server allows a user to host their own extended version of the Get Console backend software within their own network. This allows iOS devices running the Get Console app to tunnel their serial, telnet or SSH console connections into a server that the user owns, controls and secures rather than the Get-Console.com public servers. In addition to the greater security provided by an all private network solution, the Get Console Private Server (GCPS) offers the following additional benefits:

• Flexible Remote Access Client: The GCPS allows the remote access PC user to access the iOS device console session via any telnet client, such as SecureCRT or putty rather than the basic web-based client available on the Get Console website.
• Faster Remote Access Performance: As the GCPS is hosted within the clients own network, it will offer a lower latency connection to remote access PC users which in turn results in better end to end terminal speed than the Get Console public service.
• SSL Certificate Option: Secure access with a yourcompany.com SSL certificate rather than the get-console.com SSL certificate
• Detailed Appliance Logging: Record who connected to what and when useful for audit reports and troubleshooting
• Local Web Access Client: The GCPS also provides a dedicated web based console to access the remote iOS device serial session, which includes many common commands shortcuts and local session logging.
• Email based integration with Enterprise troubleticketing  / service desk systems: This allows field engineers to see and update service requests directly from the Get Console application while on site.
• Storage of Corporate device configurations and templates for easy download and use in the field: Ensures configuration consistency between devices when being installed for the first time, or rolled back to a corporate standard state.

Read more and download Private Server from here

The Get Console Private Server (GCPS) is supplied as a Virtual Appliance, either as a VMX or in the OVF format. The Open Virtualization Format is an open standard for packaging and distributing virtual appliances for installing on many different virtualization hypervisors. The GCPS has been extensively tested with VMWare (vSphere 4.0, 4.1, 5.0+, VMWare Player, VMWare Server 2.0, VMWare Workstation 6.5), but should also work with other Virtualization software such as Xen, VirtualBox and RedHat. We distribute the Virtual Appliance as a single .OVA file, which is a compressed OVF directory. Instructions for installing on VMWare are included.

The Private Server is configured with the following virtual resources, which should be met or exceeded by the physical host machine: 1 CPU (Single Core) 1 Gb Ram 5 Gb HDD 1 Network Card. The latest hardware requirements can be found via the Private Server manual which can be downloaded from the bottom of this page

The Private Server option is supported in version 1.4 and later of the Get Console iOS application. For Troubleticket and Service Desk integration, version 1.7 of Get Console is required.

The Private Server works in much the same way as the public Get Console server works. Once a Private Server details have been configured in the iOS app settings, and the Private Server option is selected in the Remote Server options, all session sharing connections will go exclusively to the Private Server. The transport wrapper is either in HTTP or HTTPS (if the Secure Connection option is selected) using the same proprietary compressed and accelerated packetization of serial data used in the public service. This encapsulation method generally performs significantly better than SSH, as it more easily traverses firewalls, proxies and also has an intelligent algorithm for improving performance over laggy 3G networks.

Once the session sharing connection is made to the Private Server, the server generates a session code. The remote PC/Mac user can then telnet to the Private Server IP address, and when prompted, enter the session code to be transparently connected to the iOS devices console session.

Note that the Secure Connection option is only available if a valid SSL certificate has been installed for the Private Server via the Web Console. The certificate must be issued from a Certificate Authority trusted by the Apple iOS device – this includes most major CAs. Full instructions on obtaining and installing an SSL certificate are provided in the Private Server Manual.

There are some differences in the features available in the Private Server as opposed to the free publicly available servers.

• Private Server offers better end user performance due to lower latency and a tweaked transport protocol running between iOS devices and the server. The public servers are located in US, UK and NZ so the performance will generally be slower for screen / session sharing depending on the network location of the remote user and iOS device.
• Private Server allows corporate PC/Mac clients to remotely control field iOS terminal screen via either the integrated web console or directly via Telnet session. The public server only allows for web console access.
• Private Server allows email integration with Corporate troubleticket (Service Desk) systems to assign tickets to field users and allow them to update these tickets directly within the Get Console iPad terminal app (v1.7 onwards).
• Private Server is supported by Get Console staff directly via email and telephone.

The Get Console Private Server is free to download, however each unique iOS (Apple iPad or iPhone) device wishing to connect requires a Client Access License (CAL) that must be purchased in advance from the Get-Console.com shop. Licenses are priced from under $14 each depending on the number required.

The CAL is enforced when the user tries to connect to the Private Server for the first time. On first connection, the iOS device will initially make a check with our license server to see if that particular Private Server has free licenses available, and if so will store the iOS device UDID against that Private Server and decrement the number of free licenses available.

The Private Server owner can delete unwanted UDIDs consuming CALs by contacting us at support@get-console.com (a self service web portal for this purpose will become available later in the year).

The software is offered as a yearly CAL or perpetual CAL. See the shop for more details

There are 2 support models for the Private Server.

1) Community support via our forum is free, as is access to our FAQ. The manual that is included with the Private Server is also comprehensive and covers most usage cases. We participate in the support forums but offer no SLA to respond to questions. Minor revisions and bug fixes for the virtual appliance are free to download. Major revisions (for example v2.0) will require new CALs purchased to use.

2) Telephone and Email support is available for an additional charge. Under this model we offer a telephone helpdesk (business hours) as well as email support. We will respond to email enquiries within 4 hours (during business hours). In addition all minor and major releases of the virtual appliance are free for valid CALs. Pricing for the optional Telephone and Email support is available in the shop

If you have other questions please contact Simon Hope at simon@get-console.com If you would like to be notified about updates to the Private Server or Get Console in general, then signup at www.get-console.com and tick the newsletter option, or follow us on twitter (getconsole)