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Given that running a data center presumably requires BIOS level access to each server, which protocols (hardware & software) are most commonly used?

I understand that KVM switches are fairly standard, but does this mean that each server requires VGA/inputs cabling to the switch, or is this accomplished over ethernet connections?

Are servers managed in batches corresponding to the number of ports on the KVM switches, or are individual KVM switches "virtualized" into some form of datacenter-wide administration?

nitrl
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Most server-based hardware, or server motherboards now a days have some sort of on-board network based KVM systems that allows remote administration of a machine, most of the time it's called IPMI. It allows you, with the correct license, the ability to pull the console (screen) and send keyboard and mouse entries directly to the server, and also mount local ISO or drives as local media on the server. Most even allow you to control power, such as turn a machine on, off or hard resetting it.

All of the servers that I run have one form of IPMI or another, on our HP's we have iLO, Dells have DRAC and IBM's have something else, but basically all the same. We no longer use KVM switches in our data center and racks, as using the IPMI interfaces means we can reuse existing network switches etc and reduce cabling.

And on machines, such as desktops that we must run, and we try to keep it at a minimum, we also too have IPMI PCIe cards installed that provide the same functionality.

Gone are the days where you needed a dedicated KVM switch or KVM-over-IP switch. With IPMI, I can manage any servers or rebuild any servers from anywhere in the world without the need or assistance of anyone physically at the server. So that's how we do it at our data center and business.

D Takeshi
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  • Ah, so this would be (one) of the reasons for the cost disparity between desktop and server motherboards- server motherboards will have IPMI (e.g. Intel's AMT or AMD's DASH) baked in. – nitrl Sep 08 '13 at 17:37
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The solution depends on the size of the datacenter and the hardware of the servers.

I manage a small datacenter. We use KVM switches with one vga connection per server. They are stackable, 10 servers per switch, allowing a total of about 100 servers.

There are also KVM switches that pass the signal over ethernet to the terminal.

Many servers provide built-in ethernet based remote management. HP offers iLO ( integrated Lights Out ) which is proprietary and quite expensive. On IBM servers there is a system that allows taking control from any browser.

Lorenz Meyer
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