On 13/10/2010 19:31, Rudi Ahlers wrote: > Hi all, > > Has anyone seen something like this before: > > I want to use a laptop as a KVM console. Basically when a technician > goes to one of our datacentres, or clients he has to look for a free > LCD, keyboard& mouse to connect to a server (no network access, > reinstall, troubleshoot failed kernel / HDD, etc). And then hopefully > there's an open power socker in that cabinet. > > So I'm thinking why not just use a laptop instead? It already has an > LCD, keyboard, mouse& power. Surely someone has, or may still, build > something that could connect to the laptop's USB port(s) and then to > the server's VGA& USB / PS2 ports, then act as a KVM? > Many servers have network console capability these days. HP's iLO (Integrated Lights Out) and Dell's DRAC functions. You can just boot up the laptop, connect a network cable to the iLO port and the Laptop, set the IP, and use a browser to get a Java application that includes a console (OS independant). Most medium to large scale datacenter deployments will have a seperate management network to which these iLO and DRAC systems are constantly connected to for OOB management.