AMX MAX Servers User Manual download pdf

POWER SOLUTIONS March 2004

Implementing

Avocent AMX KVM Switches

in the Dell Enterprise Solutions Engineering Group Lab

The Dell

™

Enterprise Solutions Engineering Group recently consolidated its labs to enable

engineers on different functional teams to share desktops, servers, and storage systems.

Dell keyboard, video, mouse (KVM) switches and the Avocent

AMX

™

family of KVM

switching products facilitate resource sharing and remote access to the hardware.

he Dell

™

Enterprise Solutions Engineering Group

recently consolidated several smaller labs into one

larger lab facility. The motivation for the move was to

allow more efficient sharing of hardware resources across

several functional teams—each responsible for the devel-

opment of certain Dell products including operating sys-

tems, database environments, high-availability clusters,

and high-performance computing clusters.

To achieve this goal, Dell required flexible keyboard,

video, mouse (KVM) switching products that would facil-

itate local or remote access and allow for future growth.

Although each team in the Dell Enterprise Solutions

Engineering Group had unique development goals, the

teams shared some common lab requirements:

•

Many-to-one and any-to-any hardware access

•

Remote access to systems on an isolated network

•

Sound-isolated work environment and secure data

center space for servers and storage racks

•

Less-bulky cables

•

Direct physical access to systems for multiple

engineers (in addition to remote administration

over the lab network)

Before consolidating, the Enterprise Solutions Engi-

neering Group labs were using different types of KVM

products from several vendors. All existing KVM switches

used analog signaling; most used heavy, bulky cabling that

was limited to distances of 20 feet (6 meters) or less from

the switch to the server, because analog signals can

degrade quickly over long distances. Keyboard, monitor,

and mouse connections also were limited in distance

because they were required to plug directly into each

KVM switch. These factors restricted access and prevented

simultaneous systems sharing.

Understanding KVM configuration issues

KVM switches connect multiple systems to a common

console that consists of a keyboard, monitor, and mouse.

Traditionally, KVM devices have been used for local con-

nectivity in a server rack or within a network operation

center or data center. Today, KVM switch capability can

be extended across the globe through remote connections

using technology such as the Avocent KVM over IP pro-

tocol. This protocol enables administrators to accom-

plish systems management, troubleshooting, and restart

tasks even while a system completes its power-on self-

test. KVM switches provide an availability advantage

over software-based remote administration products,

which require the operating system to be running—and

which may drop the connection from the client to the

server if the client crashes.

SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT

BY MIKE KOSACEK AND AVOCENT CORPORATION

1 2 3 4

Summary of Contents

Page 1 - Avocent AMX KVM Switches

POWER SOLUTIONS March 200468ImplementingAvocent AMX KVM Switchesin the Dell Enterprise Solutions Engineering Group Lab The Dell™Enterprise Solutions E

Page 2 - POWER SOLUTIONS

Overcoming KVM cabling limitations Workstations, desktops, and servers use analog signaling for theirKVM inputs and outputs. To exceed the 20-foot dis

Page 3 - March 2004

Desktop for Administration mode), and Virtual Network Computing(VNC)—as well as products such as Dell Embedded Remote Access(ERA) and Dell remote acce

Page 4

Installing AMWorks software on Dell servers for backup and administrationAn AMWorks software license is included with each AMX5000. ThisJava™-based sy

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AMX MAX Servers User Manual

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