Very Computer

by **Michae** » Mon, 28 Jun 2004 16:33:16

Fellow SysAdmins!

As I go to various datacenters to troubleshoot issues, I often find that it
would be incredibly handy if my laptop could also be used as a KVM solution.

e.g.
I'm on my laptop doing whatever and could plug the video/keyboard of the
server into my laptop and switch over to that view.

Is there a device or laptop solution that would allow me to do this?

Michael

by **Davide Bianch** » Mon, 28 Jun 2004 16:38:25

> I'm on my laptop doing whatever and could plug the video/keyboard of the
> server into my laptop and switch over to that view.

You do know that you can configure every server to be managed trought
a serial console, don't you? Then what you need is a serial cable
(and a laptop with a serial port of course).

Davide

--
| Due to circumstances beyond your control, you are master of your fate
| and captain of your soul.
|
|

by **Michae** » Mon, 28 Jun 2004 16:42:57

> > I'm on my laptop doing whatever and could plug the video/keyboard of the
> > server into my laptop and switch over to that view.

> You do know that you can configure every server to be managed trought
> a serial console, don't you? Then what you need is a serial cable
> (and a laptop with a serial port of course).

Yeah, but I'm more concerned with annoying situations where a server is
rebooted and is* at an "F1" key. If the server is up, I can just get
on the local network and SSH in (in most cases). It always seems to happen
when I'm at one of those datacenters where there is no KVM solution...on
these monitor/keyboard carts that you push around...

Michael

by **Michael Heimin** » Mon, 28 Jun 2004 17:33:43

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>> > I'm on my laptop doing whatever and could plug the video/keyboard of the
>> > server into my laptop and switch over to that view.

Even if that would be nice, can't imagine that this would work
out, the extra keyboard/video connectors most laptops have, are
output not input.

Quote:>> You do know that you can configure every server to be managed trought
>> a serial console, don't you? Then what you need is a serial cable
>> (and a laptop with a serial port of course).
> Yeah, but I'm more concerned with annoying situations where a server is
> rebooted and is* at an "F1" key. If the server is up, I can just get
> on the local network and SSH in (in most cases). It always seems to happen
> when I'm at one of those datacenters where there is no KVM solution...on
> these monitor/keyboard carts that you push around...

Many x86 server have a serial BIOS redirection, or at least
some management LAN port allowing to connect through telnet/ssh
or/and some www browser. All you need is a cross-over LAN or/and
serial cross-over cable.

--
Michael Heiming (GPG-Key ID: 0xEDD27B94)

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by **Michae** » Tue, 29 Jun 2004 05:00:18

[snip]

> >> > I'm on my laptop doing whatever and could plug the video/keyboard of
the
> >> > server into my laptop and switch over to that view.

> Even if that would be nice, can't imagine that this would work
> out, the extra keyboard/video connectors most laptops have, are
> output not input.

A lot of laptops have S-Video in. I was hoping to leverage that. But the
keyboard....damn....

Quote:> >> You do know that you can configure every server to be managed trought
> >> a serial console, don't you? Then what you need is a serial cable
> >> (and a laptop with a serial port of course).

> > Yeah, but I'm more concerned with annoying situations where a server is
> > rebooted and is* at an "F1" key. If the server is up, I can just
get
> > on the local network and SSH in (in most cases). It always seems to
happen
> > when I'm at one of those datacenters where there is no KVM solution...on
> > these monitor/keyboard carts that you push around...

> Many x86 server have a serial BIOS redirection, or at least
> some management LAN port allowing to connect through telnet/ssh
> or/and some www browser. All you need is a cross-over LAN or/and
> serial cross-over cable.

Yeah, many do. Most of these don't. Some of the Compaq servers they have
have a product called iLO which works well.

Oh well, I was hoping that someone had solved this problem already...
Thanks for the replies.

Michael

by **Michael Heimin** » Tue, 29 Jun 2004 05:21:51

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[..]

Quote:>> Many x86 server have a serial BIOS redirection, or at least
>> some management LAN port allowing to connect through telnet/ssh
>> or/and some www browser. All you need is a cross-over LAN or/and
>> serial cross-over cable.
> Yeah, many do. Most of these don't. Some of the Compaq servers they have
> have a product called iLO which works well.

IMHO the best are those of HP Netserver, but HP doesn't make them
anymore, instead those proliant, where it took them some time to
put those iLo boards in, they are still not matching the
Netserver remote serial add-ons, but it looks like they are on
the right track.

--
Michael Heiming (GPG-Key ID: 0xEDD27B94)

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