Affordable IP KVMs?

[Gabriel Ambuehl]

Hello Bob,

Monday, July 12, 2004, 6:10:01 PM, you wrote:
> boot. (Most SuperMicro Server MB's will support headless operation, as
> will a lot of the newer 1U servers)

I was just messing with that feature on a brand new IBM machine.
Unfortunately, it keeps spewing garbage at me when I try to enter the
BIOS.

The idea itself is nice but often the implementation falls short. Sun
has a really nice one but for THEIR prices, I can just as well go buy
Cyclades. And be spared from dealing with Slowlaris.

> When combined with a remote power switch, and NIC's with boot ROM's,
> this does create a really cost effective remote solution. I have even
> re-formated and reloaded OS's this way.

That's the other point I was looking at. Is there some idiot proof way
(under "A f***, server's down" - stress, people tend to do stupid
things) of doing that?


> As far as IP KVM's go, you're much better off getting a good one. I 
> managed some servers for some folks that tried using cheap IP KVM's.
> Lost time, production and trips to the co-lo quickly made a $1200 IP KVM

Which one did you use? What problems did it have?

> If you're only working with one remote server, a modem and a headless MB
> is the only way to go. If you're box doesn't do headless, Cyclades makes
> a remote management card for about $700 (retail) that will solve the
> problem, and give you remote power cycling as well.


Now if there were dedicated hosting with an ISP actually capable of
fixing broken BSD boxes, we might simply outsource hosting but from all
I can tell, there ain't.

Best regards,
 Gabriel