One Reason For Having a Remote Management Module In All Servers

Among the many reasons, having an Intel Remote Management Module (RMM), Dell iDRAC Enterprise, HP iLO Advanced, and other add-in remote management module is the ability to have console KVM access to that box under virtually any condition.

Caveat: Obviously, no power or Internet means no access. :)

The above screenshot is a snip taken on our back shop’s desktop.

We are in the process of setting up a 2 node cluster on behalf of a client. Because we have Intel RMM3 modules in both nodes we are able to have both consoles running side-by-side so as to run _all_ configuration steps at the same time.

Thus, besides full remote management capabilities we have the ability to work on both systems without messing around with a physical KVM (the servers are just behind the shop desktop).

Having this ability reduces the possibility that a mistake would be made configuring the nodes as we can keep an eye on both systems simultaneously.

Once the OS configuration has been complete up to the domain join point, all of the cluster components will be loaded up in their boxes and delivered to our client site for the next phase of the cluster setup . . . all done remotely once the systems are fired up and the remote connection is tested.

Static IPs

Note that we request that all of our clients have at least one static IP address with our preference being for two (Certain ISP’s DHCP reservation for the IP are _not_ static IPs IMNSHO).

One IP is configured for their remote access. The other IP would be used for the RMM.

For this particular client we just got off the phone with Nucleus (our preferred DSL provider here in Alberta and BC) to add a third static IP address that the new standalone DC’s RMM will be plugged into.

Once we have finished the migration and the original SBS 2003 server has been decommissioned we will call Nucleus and release the IP associated with the original SBS server’s RMM2.

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book

*Our original iMac was stolen (previous blog post). We now have a new MacBook Pro courtesy of Vlad Mazek, owner of OWN.

Windows Live Writer