KVM over IP suggestions?

Alexei Roudnev alex at relcom.net
Tue Aug 23 06:00:42 UTC 2005


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!


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eric A. Hall" <ehall at ehsco.com>
To: "Drew Weaver" <drew.weaver at thenap.com>
Cc: <nanog at merit.edu>
Sent: Monday, August 22, 2005 9:56 AM
Subject: Re: KVM over IP suggestions?


>
>
> On 8/22/2005 11:15 AM, Drew Weaver wrote:
> >             Howdy, I'm looking for a way to give our remote users access
> > to their servers, perhaps a KVM-IP solution.
>
> > Any suggestions would be helpful.
>
>
http://www.nwc.com/shared/article/printFullArticle.jhtml?articleID=168500010
>
> -- 
> Eric A. Hall                                        http://www.ehsco.com/
> Internet Core Protocols          http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/coreprot/




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