On Sun, May 11, 2008 at 8:34 AM, Rich Braun <
richb@...> wrote:
> Regarding KVM solutions, how about *none*?
>
> I inherited a network of about 150 Linux boxes that have a mix of no console
> port, a Raritan Dominion port, or an Avocent port. Most of the boxes came
> from Dell and contain a card called the "Dell Remote Assistant Card" (DRAC)
> but none of those had ever been plugged in; I only vaguely knew what those
> were for.
>
> What I hate about the Raritan: unless you pay for a super-duper-high price
> for multi-user support (on top of an already-expensive box), only one person
> can use a given chassis. Unless you buy their management server, each box is
> separate so you have to remember which of N Raritan boxes your target machine
> is connected to. And most vexing of all, the device has a nasty piece of
> key-bounce logic that inserts unwanted keystrokes into your input stream if
> you type faster than 25wpm.
>
> What I hate about the Avocent: we have a stripped-down version so I'm sure
> their higher end ones are better, but as with the Raritan they are separate
> non-centrally-managed units and the ones we have don't provide remote access
> so you have to walk into the computer room to use it.
>
> What I like about the DRAC: each one is its own separate thing with its own
> separate IP address so you can develop your own DNS/DHCP-based central
> management environment and make everything work the way you want. If you've
> been around since the old DEC days, think of the front-end processor that
> you'd find on the larger systems: it was usually a PDP-11 that you'd use to
> boot up and otherwise control a VAX or PDP10. Same idea: this is a front-end
> processor that stays powered up all the time and provides you with far more
> capability than a KVM switch. Need to power down half your servers to save
> electricity during the off-peak period? Write a script and you can do that.
> Need to push the reset button because you inevitably have to run some silly
> Windows box that periodically gets hosed in a location 30 or 3000 miles from
> you? No problem.
>
> HP has a similar (but better-coded) product called the ILO (Intelligent Lights
> Out). These big-name brands cost $300 per server. There are white-box
> equivalents on the market for a whole lot less.
>
> By the time you buy a remote KVM switch with its cabling, and run all the
> requisite cables, you're looking at more money and labor for the KVM solution
> than the console front-end solution.
>
> I look forward to the day I finally have the time to finish yanking out our
> Raritans so you can find me posting them on eBay.
>
> -rich
Since we had the chance to build the network from the ground up back
in 1998, we used Raritan from the get-go. We found that the price per
port was cheaper when you buy a KVM over IP solution rather than
buying the ILO or DRAC, which also needed more switchports on your
network. So if you have 150 servers, that means you need 150 more
switchports just to support your remote access network. One advantage
to the ILO and DRAC is it also controls the hardware power, so if the
machine is powered off by accident you can get into the ILO or DRAC as
long as you used an external power brick plugged into the card. But
that also add 150 more power ports to go that route. If you go
without the external ILO/DRAC power, then if the server has lost
power, you cannot get into the card. At my last company they used all
HP with the ILO boards and I remember one time where the circuit that
the main computer was on shut off, but the circuit that the ILO
powerbrick was plugged into was still one.
Also, we found that the 4 user version wasn't all that more expensive
when you are buying the 64 port version's instead of the 16 or 32
port. Buy more and the price per port goes down. Your beef shouldn't
be with each specific piece of equipment that you have, it should be
that you inherited a network that is not homogeneous in any way, so
not matter what you do it's large, complicated and pricey because
you've already invested in 4 different technologies. Also, with the
company I work for we've found using a KVM like Raritan, and APC PDU's
across all our datacenters is better for us because we acquire many
internet startups. Along with these acquisitions we acquire all sorts
of hardware. But using an external KVM/PDU setup, we don't care what
hardware we acquire because for our management needs it supports
everything.
--
-matt
--
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.
_______________________________________________
Discuss mailing list
Discuss@...
http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
blu.org wiki
