Laptops, Headless Servers and KVMs?

Administration of headless machines can be a pain, and working on multiple machines can also be a bit of a bother. KVM boxes solve some of the problem, but sometimes finding a keyboard and a monitor to lug around to these machines is most of the problem. Is there a portable solution that might solve both of these problems? Wouldn't it be nice to carry around a specialized laptop that could act as both a portable display and input device? Does something like this currently exist?

KJH1138 asks: "I am looking for a hardware/software combination that would allow me to use my laptop as the KVM for a headless server before, during, and after OS configuration. What I have in mind would be a server KVM/USB to laptop serial/USB connection, with software on the laptop to provide KVM control of the headless device, with or without an OS. A PC Anywhere or Linux equivalent wouldn't work since they would require the headless system to already have an installed OS. I would prefer a Linux-based solution on the laptop, but would settle for a Windows option. I simply don't want the clutter of a keyboard and monitor."

PGillingwater has a similar desire: "Like many regular readers, sometimes I need to visit a customer site to diagnose equipment, like firewalls or routers. More systems these days use VGA output and keyboard input, which means having to scrounge a display and keyboard, then looking for a spare power socket in the machine room, which is not always easy! I am wondering if anyone has seen a laptop which also allows VGA input and keyboard output. This would be a cool idea. Use it as a normal laptop most of the time, then hijack the video and keyboard to connect to other systems when you need it."

Wow

[cca93014]

1337 bytes in body

Er, w00t?

Wimp

[Odo]

> Is there a portable solution that might solve both of these problems?

Yes. Real techs just stick their tongue in the video port and jiggle a paperclip in the keyboard port. Only amateurs need dedicated hardware.

Re:What we do... (grub, REVISED)

[Anonymous Coward]

Speak for yourselves, but "we" use foreign slave labor at a fraction of the cost. And "we" beat "them" with whips every time "they" fail to get first post.

Re:What we do...

[Anonymous Coward]

Unrelenting fucktard.

May you, your shithole of a trailer and your even more ignorant cousin/sisterwife get sucked into an F5 tornado, along with that walking mange of a coondog and that pile of wrecked steel and cinderblocks you call a driveway, you nunshitting popefelcher.

Please stop logging in here, lackwit. The chiggers that fall out of your mullet are absolutely disgusting. Your dog smells. You smell worse than a tour-ripe hippy rolling - stoned - in a steamy March meadow full of fresh cowpies. You have no idea how much we've been spending on deadly toxic fumigants to delouse the place after you finally leave.

Re:Wimp

[Anonymous Coward]

Don't laugh. I was working in Saudi Arabia back in the 80's on a job with electricians from a third world country and on more than one occasion, if a voltmeter wasn't available, I have seen a technician wet his fingers in his mouth and put them into a wall socket to determine if it was live or not.

Not only that but they could tell you if it was 110 or 220 volts.

.

AAARGGGHHH

[RMH101]

Q: "How can I remotely admin my enterprise servers more easily in the field?"
A: "Buy a Mac!"P? Only on slashdot. Jesus.