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

On Apr 23, 2013, at 5:36 PM, shawn wilson <ag4ve.us@gmail.com> wrote:

...

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 -- ---~~.~~--- Mike // SilverTip257 //