KVM over IP?

ZuG · 5 Sep 2006 at 09:44

Hi,
I travel around the country a lot and need access to many servers which have no KVM attached. To do this I normally take a monitor and keyboard with me but it's proving a real pain and quite cumbersome. I am after an IP based solution so all I need to take is my Laptop and a device which can do KVM through my ethernet connection. Does anybody have or know of any devices that can do this? I have searching for a while on the internet but can't find anything suitable as they are usually 16+ ports where as I only require 1.
thanks

oddjob62 · 5 Sep 2006 at 09:57

Not possible to use something like Dameware to remote control the box?

Andre · 5 Sep 2006 at 10:02

Does it need to allow access to pre-windows, or would in-windows access be okay?

If just in-windows, then try remote desktop (if they are *nix boxes, then look at different flavours of vnc)

Just found AVOCENT SWITCHVIEW IP REMOTE ACCESS KVM UNIT - seems to be a single port, as you use an existing KVM to provide multiple ports

None of these solutions are cheap though (this one £199.99 + the dreaded)

ZuG · 5 Sep 2006 at 10:36

Yea I need BIOS level access. I should have mentioned that. Thanks for the Avocent tip I will look into that.

kippermitten · 5 Sep 2006 at 10:59

You really need a lights out card mate. The dell DRAC ones and new HP ones are particularly good in my experience and allow ssl over http from a browser so probably what you need.

The smallest Ip kvm is an adderview 4 port with remote IP user that I have found, about 600 squids incl VAT.
"Avocent DSR1024 KVM over IP Switch - KVM switch - 1 local user - 1 IP user"
600 squids tho.

EDIT:

OOOOOOOOooooo

Found this:

Adder AdderLink IP - Remote control device - EN, Fast EN - 1 U
Single port but allows multiple sessions and uses VNC. 680inc tho :eek:

ZuG · 5 Sep 2006 at 11:04

that is a bit out of my price range. The one mentioned earlier in the thread looks good though. If I had a lights out card it would mean installing one in every server we have. I am not sure how much they are but probably a few hundred quid a pop so thats out of the question really. I need something that I can take with me, preferably in my laptop case and use when needed on site without having to take a monitor and keyboard with me.

kippermitten · 5 Sep 2006 at 11:07

Yeah I know, costly stuff.
The avocent Andre found seems to be the only one I can find as well.
Surely be simple to make an inline adaptor to take ps2/vga from a server and convert to IP onto the intarweb without a big gnarly switch.

Wyvern971 · 5 Sep 2006 at 12:59

Try looking at Lindy stuff, seem to remember somrthing like that in one of their catalogues a while ago.

Very pricey though