Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:40:32 -0400
From: Jared Mauch <jared@puck.nether.net>
To: shawn wilson <ag4ve.us@gmail.com>
Cc: North American Network Operators Group <nanog@nanog.org>
Subject: Re: KVM
Message-ID: <C6B156A1-FBA8-47E6-99D4-22FF3B06DEF5@puck.nether.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii> I'm looking at an IP-KVM. I don't need anything high res as I only
> need to see Linux consoles, BIOS, and RAID. What I am looking for:
> Non-Java client that runs on Linux (or a WebUI that will deploy a
> decent RDP or VNC session over SSL).
> Decent/configurable key mappings (ie, I've had a KVM a while ago where
> you had to pull down a menu for F-keys - not cool).
> Decently priced dongles (say ~$100?)
>
> I started looking at the Raritan devices (which can be found really
> cheap on ebay) but I only see a Java client and no mention of
> installing a client on Linux.I've used the star tech devices in the past. Most modern systems have
some sort of RDP or Java thing on the IPMI that mostly work.
If your hardware has a Baseboard Management Controller (BMC) or Integrated
Lights Out Management (iLOM) that supports IPMI v2 or later use it. IPMI
v2 allows for Serial over LAN access [0]. I use SoL with Linux on Dell
hardware (BMC) using OpenIPMI tools. You set the BMC to attach to a serial
port and have a getty listen on the port as well. On my hardware there's
one virtual and one physical serial port so I configure the SoL set up on
ttyS1 (second serial) so I don't tie up the physical serial port.
You could create similar set ups with serial consoles/terminal servers and
servers that have serial ports on them ... have a getty listen on the
serial interface.
If a terminal/console is enough and you don't need VGA/X-Windows access
then SoL or a physical serial connection would suffice.
An IP-KVM is not worthless, but why buy more hardware if you have other
options? (SoL capability especially)
- Jared
[0]
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/servers/ipmi/ipmi-specifications.html