Howdy, I’m looking for a way to give our remote users access to their servers, perhaps a KVM-IP solution. What we need is support for multiple users (more than 2), with access control that limits what users can connect to what ports on the KVM switch, and would allow you BIOS level access and os-installation type control over the server, would also be nice if it worked with windows and linux/unix based systems.
Any suggestions would be helpful.
Thanks,
-Drew
We have a non-IP switch from Raritan and saw presentations on their
IP KVM products. Seemed pretty impressive. One problem you may want
to focus on is screen resolution since the video output must be
converted to IP packets with a lower refresh rate. We're planning
to buy a few of these switches for remote monitoring.
matthew black
california state university, long beach
I think this could make it:
http://www.lantronix.com/data-center-management/kvm-solutions/securelinx-slk.html
Regards,
Jordi
Not a switch, but if you use DELL 2850 , 1850 and other _modern_ DELL xx8x
servers, DRAC-IV cards provides very good IP-KVM functionality. (Older
DRAC-III cards, used in 1650, are just a piece of junk).
> Howdy, I'm looking for a way to give our remote users access
> to their servers, perhaps a KVM-IP solution. What we need is support for
> multiple users (more than 2), with access control that limits what users
> can connect to what ports on the KVM switch, and would allow you BIOS
> level access and os-installation type control over the server, would
> also be nice if it worked with windows and linux/unix based systems.
Where possible, I strongly prefer to work with serial console on a
hardware platform with firmware serial console support. This works
for any OS that supports a command line, including Windows Server
2003.
Dell includes serial console support in the BIOS on "servers", and
offers an enhanced remote management card which appears to work as a
KVM-IP solution for Windows and (some versions of) Linux.
I've never tried their DRAC/ERAC, only the serial console BIOS.
All of the commercial remote serial console products we've considered
so far have had serious security and/or usability flaws. This
includes Cisco, Lantronix, Raritan, Digi, etc.
We have a non-IP switch from Raritan and saw presentations on their
IP KVM products. Seemed pretty impressive. One problem you may want
to focus on is screen resolution since the video output must be
converted to IP packets with a lower refresh rate. We're planning
to buy a few of these switches for remote monitoring.
The "IP Reach" video compression is bearable for installation and
recovery. Video quality is degraded, but unless you really cannot
stand moire patterns, it'll take an hour or so staring at the display
before your headache becomes unbearable.
I have experience with Raritan's "Paragon IP Reach" products, and they
do work, but are expensive for such a low port density. Also it has
been very difficult to work with tech support to make the Paragon
product with a RADIUS server for OTP access control.
The newer "Dominion" line may be better; I've heard some complaints
about their serial console products, nothing either way about KVM.
Kevin Kadow
Drew Weaver wrote:
Howdy, I�m looking for a way to give our remote users access to their servers, perhaps a KVM-IP solution. What we need is support for multiple users (more than 2), with access control that limits what users can connect to what ports on the KVM switch, and would allow you BIOS level access and os-installation type control over the server, would also be nice if it worked with windows and linux/unix based systems.
One thing to check: does the emulation require Java or Active X? I have a Cyclades, but when I wanted the IP portion, I chose Minicom because it uses Java, whereas Cyclades uses Active X.
-jjb
Any suggestions would be helpful.<<
-Just- got this in an E-mail, fwiw.
http://www.nwc.com/showitem.jhtml?docid=1616f3
Things you must pay attention to:
(1) IP KVM should not use client software - good switches uses VNC and can
work via WEB.
The same with authentication.
(2) If you connect IP KVM to normal KVM, check if they are well compatible
in suich things as:
- monitor recognition on KVM;
- switching ports on KVM;
(3) If you use multiple servers, check that IP KVM can keep all your screen
resolutions and frequences.
I saw a case when everything worked, but IP KVM could not recognize still
screen and generated huge traffic all the time.
The same with frequencees - we have one Compaq KVM which refuse to work with
IP KVM.
(4) Pay attention to mouse syncronisation. It is tricky and bad IP KVM can
require turning mouse acceleration off. Good IP KVM should know mouse
acceleration rules in Windows and Linuxes.
(5) If you can use embedded IP KVM card such as DELL : DRAC-IV or Compaq -
RIB card, use them - IP KVM
do not provides server reboot function and rarely can provide virtual CD or
virtual floppy.
We use IP KVM (do nopt remember vendor; cheap one, price was about $600)
connected to 3 16 port KVMs (chained together), and it is good add-on to
other tools. But it do not replace normal console in all cases - mouse
sncronisation, slow refresh makes long work on it annoying. DRAC-IV card ,
on other hand, replaces consokle in 95% cases (5% rely to _DRAC-IV crashh;
DRAC-IV lost keybvoard; etc cases).
For the new project, I'd better take everything from one brand vendor (even
if they OEM this things in most cases), just to be sure that KVM's are
compatible. For cheap project, there are many cheap IP KVM's on the market,
but TEST IT IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT!
DELL's DRAC-III is waste of money.
DELL's DRAC-IV is a very good thing, and I find it replacing al consoles
around (it have embedded monitoring with e-mail and SNMP alerts; have VNC
based console servcie with perfect /not ideal, through/ mouse
syncronisation, haVE VIRTUAL cd (SLOW, BUT WORKING) AND VIRTUAL FLOPPY,
EASY-TO-USE INTERFACE (except strange password management), and so on.
Compaq's RIB cards was good but expensive and nbot very reliable.
Serial console can be fine, but do not eliminate normal console in many
cases.