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Looking for a remote access KVM that:

  • Has an expandable design. So a head which you remote into, and can then add shelves that support X machines. This is optional, but looking for support of about 32 servers at the moment.
  • Rack Mountable
  • Uses some sort of standard protocol to access such as VNC (doesn't require special software). A web interface might be okay as well.
  • Anything else I might want?

This is to access servers.

iPaulo
  • 427
Kyle Brandt
  • 85,693

2 Answers2

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I'm surprised no one has answered yet, it seems like everyone that uses KVMs has strong opinions...

I'm most familiar with Raritan, and they have equipment that will do what you want, but you might have to mix and match to put together all the stuff you want. One downside for us was that they didn't have any local reps where we are and it wasn't satisfying talking to them on the phone to figure out what products would work for us.

(Avocent, OTOH, had salesman who'd come in and look at what we wanted to do and come back and tell us what they had that would meet our needs.)

Raritan has two main lines, analog kvms and kvm over IP. We're using the analog line, and have daisy-chained switches together to get the ports we need using their older products (the MasterConsoles). If we were starting again, I'd go with the Paragon line (analog) or Dominion (ip) because they're more modular.

Ward
  • 13,010
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I am using the Avocent DSR series shelves and their KVM Remote access server platform. Its not a cheap solution but provides tons of scalability. With one remote access server I can scale to thousands of ports (over multiple sites) and I can also integrate other devices. I have some of the SNMP manageable power strips from APC and they tie right into the DSR software so I can remotely power cycle a machine if I need to.

Avocent also sells a Console port switch that Im using for my routers and switches; All in all this gear has saved me having to drive hundreds of miles to fix a server or router that was having issues.

Nick Zepp
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