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Greetings and salutations,

At work I have seen that it it possible to set up a single keyboard, mouse and
monitor so they can be switched between multiple rack-mounted servers. This is
done by using a device to which everything is connected.

What is this device called? Are there models available cheap enough for use at
home?

I currently have two PCs but have acquired a third older box that has a
reasonably big hard drive. I want to set this box up as a backup device to the
two other PC. I don't have a monitor for it - hence the need outlined above so
that I can look into acquiring the needed hardware.

TIA,
Crash

On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 08:43:16 +1300, Crash wrote:

> Greetings and salutations,
>
> At work I have seen that it it possible to set up a single keyboard, mouse and
> monitor so they can be switched between multiple rack-mounted servers. This is
> done by using a device to which everything is connected.
>
> What is this device called? Are there models available cheap enough for use at
> home?
>
> I currently have two PCs but have acquired a third older box that has a
> reasonably big hard drive. I want to set this box up as a backup device to the
> two other PC. I don't have a monitor for it - hence the need outlined above so
> that I can look into acquiring the needed hardware.
>
> TIA,
> Crash

KVM Box
http://www.ascent.co.nz/HardwareCate...x?catname=KVMs

--
There *__is* no such thing as a civil engineer.

Shane wrote:
> On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 08:43:16 +1300, Crash wrote:
>>
>>At work I have seen that it it possible to set up a single keyboard, mouse and
>>monitor so they can be switched between multiple rack-mounted servers. This is
>>done by using a device to which everything is connected.
>>
>>What is this device called? Are there models available cheap enough for use at
>>home?
[snip]
>
>
> KVM Box
> http://www.ascent.co.nz/HardwareCate...x?catname=KVMs
>
Many thanks.

Crash.

Crash wrote:
> Shane wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 08:43:16 +1300, Crash wrote:
>>
>>> At work I have seen that it it possible to set up a single keyboard,
>>> mouse and monitor so they can be switched between multiple
>>> rack-mounted servers. This is done by using a device to which
>>> everything is connected.
>>>
>>> What is this device called? Are there models available cheap enough
>>> for use at home?
>
> [snip]
>
>> KVM Box
>> http://www.ascent.co.nz/HardwareCate...x?catname=KVMs
>
If you don't want to buy hardware, you could use VNC to access the
headless box. Just run the server part on the box and client part on
another box.

Cheers,

Cliff

Enkidu wrote:
> Crash wrote:
>
>> Shane wrote:
>>
>>> On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 08:43:16 +1300, Crash wrote:
>>>
>>>> At work I have seen that it it possible to set up a single keyboard,
>>>> mouse and monitor so they can be switched between multiple
>>>> rack-mounted servers. This is done by using a device to which
>>>> everything is connected.
>>>>
>>>> What is this device called? Are there models available cheap enough
>>>> for use at home?
>>
>>
>> [snip]
>>
>>> KVM Box
>>> http://www.ascent.co.nz/HardwareCate...x?catname=KVMs
>>
>>
> If you don't want to buy hardware, you could use VNC to access the
> headless box. Just run the server part on the box and client part on
> another box.

Thanks. I had not thought of that because vnc can only be used if the server is
up and running on the network. However not being up on the network is rarity so
I could physically connect keyboard, monitor and mouse in these circumstances.

I take it you are suggesting VNC from www.realvnc.com? I will try the free version.

Crash.

Crash <> wrote in
news:JXomf.7019$:

> Enkidu wrote:
>> Crash wrote:
>>
>>> Shane wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 08:43:16 +1300, Crash wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> At work I have seen that it it possible to set up a single
>>>>> keyboard, mouse and monitor so they can be switched between
>>>>> multiple rack-mounted servers. This is done by using a
>>>>> device to which everything is connected.
>>>>>
>>>>> What is this device called? Are there models available
>>>>> cheap enough for use at home?
>>>
>>>
>>> [snip]
>>>
>>>> KVM Box
>>>> http://www.ascent.co.nz/HardwareCate...x?catname=KVMs
>>>
>>>
>> If you don't want to buy hardware, you could use VNC to access
>> the headless box. Just run the server part on the box and
>> client part on another box.
>
> Thanks. I had not thought of that because vnc can only be used
> if the server is up and running on the network. However not
> being up on the network is rarity so I could physically connect
> keyboard, monitor and mouse in these circumstances.
>
> I take it you are suggesting VNC from www.realvnc.com? I will
> try the free version.

UltraVNC may be slightly better.
http://ultravnc.sourceforge.net/

Mark C wrote:
> Crash <> wrote in
> news:JXomf.7019$:
>
>
>>Enkidu wrote:
>>
>>>Crash wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Shane wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>On Sat, 10 Dec 2005 08:43:16 +1300, Crash wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>At work I have seen that it it possible to set up a single
>>>>>>keyboard, mouse and monitor so they can be switched between
>>>>>>multiple rack-mounted servers. This is done by using a
>>>>>>device to which everything is connected.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>What is this device called? Are there models available
>>>>>>cheap enough for use at home?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>[snip]
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>KVM Box
>>>>>http://www.ascent.co.nz/HardwareCate...x?catname=KVMs
>>>>
>>>>
>>>If you don't want to buy hardware, you could use VNC to access
>>>the headless box. Just run the server part on the box and
>>>client part on another box.
>>
>>Thanks. I had not thought of that because vnc can only be used
>>if the server is up and running on the network. However not
>>being up on the network is rarity so I could physically connect
>>keyboard, monitor and mouse in these circumstances.
>>
>>I take it you are suggesting VNC from www.realvnc.com? I will
>>try the free version.
>
>
> UltraVNC may be slightly better.
> http://ultravnc.sourceforge.net/

If its running windows (not xp home edition) You will probably find the
built-in 'remote desktop' even better again.