Need KVM advice

[Mr Splat]

Hi guys,

I'm currently setting a couple of servers up in my garage to mess about with while I study.

I don't want to have to run down stairs to a freezing garage each time I have to make a modification to one of these servers, so a KVM seems to be a good secure option.

Could anyone give me any pointers to a cheap solution for my problem? At most I'm going to have 3 servers running. I've found many types of KVM's and I'm not entirely sure which would be appropriate for what I'm wanting to do.

I'm prepared to run a cat5e cable down from my workspace into the garage plus I'm not sure about the likes of VNC as these servers are all going to exist in a DMZ and therefore I wish to avoid any possibilities that I may expose my personal computers/devices or anyone else's that are connected to the internal LAN to a possible backdoor through my firewall?

Any help given would be much appreciated.

 

[das_stig]

Windows Remote Desktop, no need to kvm's, access them via IP or hostname.
Never run a server in DMZ, only open up ports that the server needs to service, just because its in the DMZ, doens;t make your network immune from being compromised.
Why 3 servers, can you not do with one powerful box and just use virtual machines ?

 

[Mr Splat]

The servers are going into a DMZ because I'm going to be accessing them remotely from the outside world. One of the server's is acting as a 3 legged firewall and tgerefore wont actually be in the dmz, it isn't particularly beefy. The 2nd is indeed going to be beefy with virtual machines running on it, probably the likes of a media server, a web server, a game server and even an ftp server.

The 3rd isn't necessarily going to be there. I'm just saying 3 because that's the maximum number of server boxes I wish to support.

Obviously in that setup RDP'ing isn't an option.

 

[Mr Splat]

Don't want to bump this thread too much. If anyone could provide me with any help please don't hesitate. Any info in regards to my KVM problem would be greatly appreciated.

 

[jeff-j]

How long is the distance from where the servers would be to where your workspace would be. Also if you will be placing the servers in DMZ the port will already be open for RDP on the WAN side so why not use that. Another program you might want to look into is team viewer, the program uses a 9 digit code to connect to any computer remotely and then a random password to grant access. Just a thought.

 

[Mr Splat]

How long is the distance from where the servers would be to where your workspace would be. Also if you will be placing the servers in DMZ the port will already be open for RDP on the WAN side so why not use that. Another program you might want to look into is team viewer, the program uses a 9 digit code to connect to any computer remotely and then a random password to grant access. Just a thought.

RDP'ing the servers in the DMZ would be all well and good, the problem is I'm going to have a 3-legged firewall in front of my LAN and DMZ and would prefer not to open that up to external RDP's. The servers would be close to 100 metres away from my work space once I ran a cable down the outer wall of the house I'm in. I am aware of teamviewer, but my paranoid self is only a little worried that if someone attacks my teamviewer account they'll be able to access not only both the servers and firewall but also my own PC/devices in the LAN that are apart of my teamviewer account.. If I wished to use the whole 9-digit password side of it I would need a monitor and probably a mouse hooked up to the servers/firewall and check their new passwords each time I needed to make an adjustment. That isn't good considering my servers are going to be in a box which is bolted to the ceiling.

 

[jeff-j]

I did some search for KVM over IP and did find a few that would allow for KVM control over an ethernet cord, but they are not cheap I found the average to be about $200. Here is a PDF I found on one. http://www.lantronix.com/it-management/kvm-over-ip/spider.html

Also if you google KVM over IP you will find a lot. The problem you will run into if you use a standard KVM is that the VGA singel will start to degrade over a certian distance.

One I use at work is http://www.microcenter.com/product/335170/4-Port_USB_KVM_Switch_Kit
I believe you can use a keyboard to switch between connections, then all you have to do is run a VGA and USB cable up to you work space.