How to effectively use KVM over IP in a Datacenter environment
KVM is an acronym for .keyboard, video and mouse. it is typically a device which redirects a systems
input to another location. The most common types of KVM.s allow a user to utilize one keyboard, video
and mouse connection that controls multiple system, usually used to reduce the need for multiple
input devices. A KVM over IP device is very similar to a standard KVM device, however instead of
redirecting the keyboard, video and mouse signal to another set of input devices locally, a KVM over
IP device utilizes a network connection to allow a user to take full control of a systems keyboard,
video and mouse ports from a remote location through a network. The advantage of this is that a
system administrator can control hardware and software systems from a remote location without having
to physically be at the servers location, this allows system administrators the ability to inspect
hardware BIOS, view hardware statistics, upgrade and install operating systems, and use recovery
techniques in the event of lost or stolen passwords.
In the event that a servers operating system has failed or needs to be significantly upgraded the
KVM over IP device will allow a system administrator to reinstall or upgrade the operating system as
if they were physically present. The system administrator has the ability to change the boot order
of the server through access to the BIOS and boot the server into the operating systems setup procedure.
The insertion of the media would have to be done by the physical staff at the datacenter, or would
have been left in the servers drive from when it was sent to the datacenter. Once the system
administrator has entered into the operating systems setup procedure they can configure and customize
the settings of the operating system for network operation. The system administrator then can change
the boot order of the server in BIOS, reboot the server and the server can actively run the new
operating system or upgraded system.
Recovery of a password sometimes can present a serious problem to the system administrator, both
from the perspective that someone may have control of the server other then the system administrator,
and working through other personnel on security issues can open new security problems as well.
The KVM over IP allows the system administrator to securely reset passwords and execute recovery
procedures in the event of a security breach. A Linux system will have a single used mode that will
allow a system administrator to inspect the system without interference of other process active and
will allow the system administrator the ability to change the root password if needed. Windows server
systems will allow you to create a recovery disk, which an administrator can leave in the drive and
modify BIOS to recognize the disk when it is needed for recovery.
A KVM over IP device also can be used with traditional KVM devices to allow a remote user access to
several servers in a rack. A traditional KVM has the ability to multiplex several servers into a
single set of keyboard, video and mouse inputs, this single set of inputs can then be plugged into
a KVM over IP device and be accessed remotely through the network. A system administrator then can
use hotkey definitions from the traditional KVM device to select which server they want to access,
giving access to any of the servers in the rack.
There exists several more advanced uses for KVM over IP devices, such as:
- mapping USB drives through the network which allows remote media to be used.
- PXE boot options which may be used in a controlled network to boot off of media which may be local
on the network.
- Remote reboot connections, on some KVM devices there is a serial port which can be configured to
remotely reboot computer system.
- System monitoring, some KVM devices can be configured to serially connect to environmental
monitoring devices and cameras to allow remote control of monitoring system.
A good KVM plan should be designed to give system administrators maximum ability to manage remote server
resources to help them respond to emergencies and security issues quickly and effectively.
