So basically what would be a BMC on a server? I saw that the SFF PC I use as a server has intel Active Management support, I am thinking to just use this if I can get it to work.
Yeah, that's the basic idea. I even use my PiKVM on boxes with a proper BMC just because it's so much :
- Higher encoded framerate
- Loading bootable ISOs directly via the IP KVM isn't a per-BMC model dance (if the BMC does it at all, without begging for you to hack the BMC license)
- Similarly, loading drivers doesn't require making a compatible image file or finding another USB
- The web interface doesn't have any legacy crap (java/.net/activex) left in the menus
- I can cold boot a server and not lose my session
- You can paste large blocks of text and it will type it out
- You can text extract large blocks of text from the framebuffer
- You can just load standard linux packages for whatever you need in a pinch (on the PiKVM at least)
- You can actually update and secure this thing vs hoping your BMC either receives real updates or someone hacks it so you can load an open source one instead.
I'd say the main downside is the ATX power control isn't something you just "plop in". You either wire it up and use the device with the same server over long periods of time or you don't use the ATX power control.
