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Laptops, Headless Servers and KVMs?
Administration of headless machines can be a pain, and working on multiple machines can also be a bit of a bother. KVM boxes solve some of the problem, but sometimes finding a keyboard and a monitor to lug around to these machines is most of the problem. Is there a portable solution that might solve both of these problems? Wouldn't it be nice to carry around a specialized laptop that could act as both a portable display and input device? Does something like this currently exist?
KJH1138 asks: "I am looking for a hardware/software combination that would allow me to use my laptop as the KVM for a headless server before, during, and after OS configuration. What I have in mind would be a server KVM/USB to laptop serial/USB connection, with software on the laptop to provide KVM control of the headless device, with or without an OS. A PC Anywhere or Linux equivalent wouldn't work since they would require the headless system to already have an installed OS. I would prefer a Linux-based solution on the laptop, but would settle for a Windows option. I simply don't want the clutter of a keyboard and monitor."
PGillingwater has a similar desire: "Like many regular readers, sometimes I need to visit a customer site to diagnose equipment, like firewalls or routers. More systems these days use VGA output and keyboard input, which means having to scrounge a display and keyboard, then looking for a spare power socket in the machine room, which is not always easy! I am wondering if anyone has seen a laptop which also allows VGA input and keyboard output. This would be a cool idea. Use it as a normal laptop most of the time, then hijack the video and keyboard to connect to other systems when you need it."
PGillingwater has a similar desire: "Like many regular readers, sometimes I need to visit a customer site to diagnose equipment, like firewalls or routers. More systems these days use VGA output and keyboard input, which means having to scrounge a display and keyboard, then looking for a spare power socket in the machine room, which is not always easy! I am wondering if anyone has seen a laptop which also allows VGA input and keyboard output. This would be a cool idea. Use it as a normal laptop most of the time, then hijack the video and keyboard to connect to other systems when you need it."
use avocent or any decent "kvm-over-ip" implementation....
These cards and related products from peppercon and raritan would do the job.
http://www.peppercon.com/eric2.html
Is something like this what you are looking for?
It is rack mounted, but it would be easier than to carry a monitor, keyboard, and KVM seperately.
42
Google: IP KVM
rdesktop is an excellent RDP client for Linux. More info here:
http://rdesktop.sourceforge.net/
Personally I'd go with VNC, which is ok as long as your OS is running ok. It exists for just about every platform as both client/server.
I use it all the time.
If VNC isn't able to run, most likely there's a more serious issue. In that case, get the cart with the Monitor, Keyboard and wheel it over to the rack. That's not every day (provided you don't run windows).
I personally go months without a monitor. Just VNC into the box when needed.
Timbuktu is another option. Slightly smoother and faster. Though not available free.
KVM over IP ? - I think some one has already mentioned this previously, however, they mentioned the plugin card variety. You can also purchase a stand alone box, similar to a regular KVM, however, it routes the Keyboard, Video and Mouse via IP to any machine that is network capable. The client is supplied either as a windows binary or as a Java applet (when you browse to the maintenance webpage. You can, in theory use a wireless PDA or laptop with a java enabled web browser to connect directly and control these devices.
Try the Avocent SwitchView IP.
http://kvms.com/nav/item.asp?item=8252
It's a tiny little box that runs BSD. It goes between the monitor, keyboard and mouse and has an ethernet port. Sorry, no USB. You access it with a web browser.
You can get them from Amazon for about $700.00.
Chair
With
Wheels
k, bye bye
Use a kernel build with a serial console on the install disk.
Ah, but the question talked about a lot of low end type servers at client locations, so using remote management ports may not be an option. Heck, some of my less critical servers don't have full remote management if the network interface is offline.
Being able to use a laptop as in place of a "crash cart" would save many admins many headaches.
It would also need to support connecting as a USB keyboard for my use though.
Sounds like a perfect application for a specialized PC Card or external USB 2.0 device, capture and digitize the VGA, and emulate a keyboard. I guess the closest product currently availible would be to use some of the IP KVM equipment.
While not cheap, a few of the entry level 1 port IP KVM swiches listed here would probably do the trick, but they still require power.
IP based Console Server (via serial connection) to all Unix hosts.
IP based KVM's with flatpanel monitor/keyboard trays in each rack to all hosts.
Remote desktop for all the windows hosts
SSH on all the Unix hosts
Switches, routers, etc are all accessed via ssh. (some with a small single port "console server", if they don't natively support ssh).
Basically the goal should be not to find the *best* way, but as many ways as you can, so when one avenue breaks down, you have other points of getting in. And all of them need to be secure. If it's web based it needs to be ssl. Use ipsec. ssh. etc...
Also, the reason we have the KVM on the linux boxes serving up a green screen console to each rack is in case the console server goes down when the lan does. It saved us once when water hit the rack with both the network switches and the console server in it.
Serial consoles are great, but not for PCs. In a big DC, you will not have the root password to every server. You will be logging in via some special authentication mechanism like SecurID and then doing sudo su (or just ssh public keys). So getting a login prompt is not going to be helpful; you'll have to reboot the server. On real Unix hardware, you can usually do this by sending a hardware break and typing "reboot" (or similar). This will work even if the OS is crashed or thrashing or whatever. On a PC, no dice, because it's purely the software which handles the serial connection. So you have to hit the reset button, which will probably solve whatever issue was going on anyway (while simultaneously destroying any in-memory logs of what the cause might have been).
For us, in our DC with about 5000 servers, the worst servers to manage are actually the real Unix hardware, but that's only because we have just the one laptop (and because the Unix servers are all disasters held together by spit and baling wire, but that's another story). Also the laptop sucks ass and keeps breaking because it's 6 years old and has been dropped several times. That's something else to keep in mind if you're looking for a laptop-based solution: People Will Drop It. Not only that, if they have to step away from the server for a second, the laptop will get left on the floor, where some unwary soul will step on it or wheel a crash cart over it. Laptops are expensive, even secondhand. A crummy 15" CRT and keyboard will set you back $100, if that, and if they're on a cart that can be wheeled around they won't get dropped (often). Just make sure to buy monitors with fully-removable video and power cords, so when someone wheels the cart off without unplugging it you won't wreck the server's video connector and pull the PDC out of the rack.
Oh it's installed by default on 2003; but it's just not turned on. It's there on the System control panel if you want to look.
But it can be turned on easily by Group Policy - this really handy thing where you can configure settings for a whole group of computers incredibly quickly in Active Directory.
It could easily be set as such (ie: turned on) for your domain if you chose - just edit the Domain Default policy in Active Directory Users and Computers. (In our case, just one OU for Servers.)
Are you people suggesting VNC/SSH/software solutions fucking retarded? RTFA.
He specifically asked for something that could work on a machine before, during, and after OS configuration.
Does VNC run before or during? No.
Does SSH? No.
Do most any software based solutions? No.
He's either looking for a portable bit of hardware that he can carry around (e.g. a laptop like device) that plugs into the machine and gives him keyboard, video, and mouse access or the oft-mentioned KVM-over-IP setup.
We've been rebuilding our infrastructure, and discovered the Dell 2650's have a built in "Dell Remote Access Console" which actually gives VNC access to whatevers on the screen. I can powercycle remotely, update BIOS settings, etc. Very cool. I still have a KVM solution in place, but use it less and less.
You are in a maze of twisted little posts, all alike.
I believe Compaq (HP) has a similar system named "Remote Insight" or somesuch.
The Spoon
Updated 6/28/2011
You could also get a VGA to Composite Video adapter. Then you'd just need a video capture box for your laptop. Both can be had for about $100 or less a piece and do the same as the VGA-USB, albeit with a little more hardware, but for cheaper.
If your laptop has Composite Video capture already, then you don't need to get a USB or PCMCIA capture card..
The best bet is a single user/single server KVM over IP unit, which is essentially a bridge between Ethernet and a Keyboard/Video/Mouse set. Here's one example. Here's another.
The Spoon
Updated 6/28/2011
We use HP IP KVM switches for our DC. It's a 16 port switch. You can get 8 port hubs with an uplink to the main switch, meaning you can attach 128 servers per switch. So, depending on your server density you could one or several rows of racks served by one switch. Careful though, because the cables can't be Ethernet "Lite" with only 2 pairs pinned out. All 4 pairs have to be pinned out.
I do remote suppport. We fix a huge number of problems without having to resort to "pulling" the server. Of course, I support AIX, HP-UX, and Sun Solaris systems, so we use a remote connection to the console (datakit, an XN-10 networking system.)
We've been able to fix boot drives, firmware upgrades, take system boards out of service, etc, all without being present. We can usually get a low cost "operator" to be on-site for the occastional repower or hard drive replacement, but we do the system admin from a remote location. It's a log quicker, since I support 1600 locations across 9 states.
Sometimes there's a need to touch the equipment, but often everything can be done remotely, even at the firmware level.
There are several options for on-site terminals. If serial connections is all that one needs, then a laptop with a null modem cable is enough. Sounds like that may not be the situation.
If the problem is gui console access to a Windows NT box, then you might do better to build a small suitcase with an LCD monitor, keyboard and mouse. A laptop battery should be able to power the LCD for an hour or so, and the cable set could be connected in the back. It wouldn't be hard to set up, and would be pretty portable.
jdbear
If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space.
Take that a step further, at least with servers:
:)
1. set the console to the serial via boot flags, so the kernel will dump its boot to serial.
2. Use a BIOS that contains the ability to pipe its POST to serial. HP/Compaq servers have this ability, and im sure others do as well.
3. Cable them all to a serial console machine. Blade enclosures do this automatically, and work quite well.
Essentially, you have a serial console with equivelent ability of being in front of the machine, at least in the unix/linux server context. The only thing you cant do is install from physical media - but you can mitigate that with inventive use of pxe.
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Epiphan makes a product called VGA2USB ($399) and then buy a usb keyboard with a touchpad on it. (ibm sells one for $100). This way you'd just have your laptop (which you would probably have out anyways) and then one keyboard/mouse combo. It's not perfect, but it'll get the job done for $500.
These guys are working on an open source hardware and GPL'd software solution comprising a PCI KVM card, console manager and KVM over IP manager. Won't be so useful for your laptop though.
We use your first option, but in addition to controllable pdu's. Cost a touch more, but if it saves me a trip a 2 in the morning because a machine hung hard, its worth it.
Mod point free since 2001
Yup. The Xserves are the first Mac I've seen in years with a DB9 serial port.
"Learning is not compulsory... neither is survival."
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