Looking for specific KVM-ish hardware

[agallag]

My brother has a somewhat interesting request for a hardware device. Here's the situation. He wants to be able to control a headless server (no direct attached keyboard, monitor, mouse), with his laptop (from bootup).

What he wanted was some kind of hardware, either USB or PCCard, that would have keyboard, video, and mouse cables on the other end. This is so that his laptop could act as the direct attached input devices for that server.

Software remote control is no good, because that only works after the remote pc is booted. A normal KVM is no good, because you can't use a laptop's integrated keyboard, screen, and touchpad.

So, I told him that something like this probably doesn't exist, but if any of you have heard of something remotely close to solving this problem, it would be very helpful.

[Wombat]

He's going about it the wrong way, I think.

ssh access (for *nix) or VNC/RDP (for Windows) fit his needs perfectly, and can be configured to start up on boot.

Configure the server to Wake-On-Lan, and that's how he can turn it on.

[Greebe]

@ first read the subject as

Looking for specific KvH-ish hardware

[agallag]

Originally posted by Wombat
He's going about it the wrong way, I think.

ssh access (for *nix) or VNC/RDP (for Windows) fit his needs perfectly, and can be configured to start up on boot.

Configure the server to Wake-On-Lan, and that's how he can turn it on.

Nah, that won't do it. He needs to be able to control the machine before the OS is loaded, for stuff like actually installing the OS, changing bios settings, etc. I told him he should just carry a portable keyboard and an LCD screen or something, which he'll probably end up doing in the end. I don't think anything exists that does what he wants.

[dZeus]

what you need is a manual USB switch with usbmouse and keyboard, like this one:

http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Product_Id=138991

and a videocard with s-video tv-out on the server's end + a pc-card or usb capture card, so you can 'tune' to the s-video signal from the server.

btw you'll need an usb hub as well, since the belkin switch only has 1 USB 'device' connection.

[kjliew]

How much is your brother willing to pay for such hardware? I happen to know such solution, it's called MAGRAC from AMI. Quite expensive though, not for average users.

Another solution is called "Serial Console Redirection" from BIOS. This allows you to control the remote PC through ANSI/VT100 terminal right after system boot up and in DOS, and the only hardware you need is a null-modem cable. Once Windows/Unix/whatever OSes is up, you should be able to control the remote PC with VNC/Netmeeting-type of solution.

[agallag]

Unfortunately, he won't be able to install any extra hardware on the server, since he's just a consultant in this situation. I'm sure if he could, he'd just plug in a real keyboard, mouse, and LCD panel. I didn't get all the details of why he needs this, but he was very specific in his requirements.

I have a feeling he's out of luck.

[dZeus]

in that case you can use an external composite/s-video encoder, like this one (though this one if PAL only):

http://www.trust.com/products/product.htm?artnr=11672

[Dilitante1]

what is the brand of the server? HP has remote access cards for the Netserver series that i am aware of...other brands may have similar

[Wombat]

Originally posted by agallag
Nah, that won't do it. He needs to be able to control the machine before the OS is loaded, for stuff like actually installing the OS, changing bios settings, etc. I told him he should just carry a portable keyboard and an LCD screen or something, which he'll probably end up doing in the end. I don't think anything exists that does what he wants.

Sounds like he's SOL. The only way I can think of to get remote access to the BIOS is to use a Linux-based BIOS. Maybe some kind of PXE boot.

[agallag]

Yeah, most server vendors have cards like that, but that's not what he's looking for. If this specific type of hardware doesn't exist, he'll just have to carry an extra keyboard and screen with him.

[agallag]

Originally posted by Wombat
Sounds like he's SOL. The only way I can think of to get remote access to the BIOS is to use a Linux-based BIOS. Maybe some kind of PXE boot.

He's not looking for remote access. He wants local access, using the laptop simply as the input devices. You're right that he's SOL though

[MultimediaMan]

No he's not...

Look Here.

This can run any Machine remotely that has a PCI Slot...even BIOS and Disk Arrays can be Changed over the network...a more Advanced version called the G3 is a really a complete PC on a PCI Card.

Not Cheap, however....The G2's can be had in OEM form for about $75 on Ebay.

G3's are really a little too new for Ebay and run nearly $800.

I've used both to run machines almost a quarter of the way around the world (Three Weeks ago, from Bentonville, USA to Hamburg-Berliner Tor, Germany), and it was just like being there, but without the good beer. But the conversation with the manager was much easier to for both of us when he could see what I was doing while listening to my broken German, and I, his good, but not technically-polished, English.

[agallag]

Again, he's not looking for remote control, he just wants to locally control the server using his laptop as the input devices. Also, again, he can't install cards in the servers.

[dZeus]

what's wrong with my proposed solution? (other than requiring loads of external stuff)