Thanks for the clarification. Most of our stand-alone systems with DRACs are earlier generation Dells. We primarily use Blade systems now.
We started using Tripplite IP KVMs in our racks with legacy equipment. They're probably not as nice or feature rich as some of the Avocent models, but if I remember correctly, they were signficantly cheaper. We're now replacing all of our KVMs with the IP models through attrition. You can never have too many options for out-of-band management! - Sean On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 10:25 AM, Osborne, Richard <[email protected]>wrote: > Agreed; the ability to mount media is very handy to setup servers > remotely and the KVM doesn’t get you that. > > > > You don’t need a separate network port for the DRAC nowadays. You can > assign it a different IP address but use one port for it and the live NIC. > Of course, if that link goes bad you’re out of luck. > > > > The DRAC remote console is quite a bit snapper than the Dell (Avocent) KVM > one. > > > > I have not seen any issues with reliability on either flavor of DRAC. > > > > Buy both unless your budget is really tight! > > > > *From:* Sean Martin [mailto:[email protected]] > *Sent:* Tuesday, August 17, 2010 12:53 PM > *To:* NT System Admin Issues > *Subject:* Re: Dell - IDRAC6 Enterprise vs IDRAC6 Express > > > > We primarily use out-of-band features within the Dell Blade Chassis, which > is great, but we also have a few stand-alone servers with iDRACs. They are > definitely handy to have, especially with the ability to mount virtual > media. I have experienced a handful of issues with servers not booting, > hardware errors, etc. (over many years) that was a result of a bad DRAC, but > not enough to sway me from using them. > > > > If mounting virtual media is not a requirement, I would look again at the > cost comparison between IP KVMs and individual DRACs for each server. I > don't know what the exact costs are for DRACs, but I dont think a 16 port IP > KVM would cost much more than 16 DRACs. You also need to factor in a > dedicated switch port for the DRAC vs. a single port an IP KVM. > > > > Centralized management may be another consideration. I think some of the IP > KVM offerings allow multiple switches to be daisy chained that can be > managed through a single interface. > > > > - Sean > > On Tue, Aug 17, 2010 at 9:39 AM, Fred Sawyer <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Is anyone using either the IDRAC6 Enterprise or Express. From what I am > reading the Express card offers a basic web-interface that can be used to > remotely reboot that machine. Where the Enterprise version offers remote > ability to mount media as well as direct console access. > > I am trying to figure out how reliable the Enterprise card is for remotely > supporting a server. From a cost analysis the IDRAC Enterprise options is > more affordable then a TCP/IP KVM such as a Raritan. > > All feedback is greatly appreciated! > > Cheers, > > Fred > > .. > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > > > > > > > > > > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~
