We use 60+ Compaq KVM's at our business. Occasionally, one will go bad. The sad part is that is reboots all servers connected to it in the process, bringing down production servers and causing lots of needless tickets to be generated. Is there a way to tell the KVM to NOT reboot any servers if it goes belly up?
This doesn't sound like a KVM function. When you say a KVM will go bad, what does that mean? Does the KVM fail and need to be returned? Does it need to be power cycled? What other symptoms appear? When the servers reboot, do they have keyboard and mouse function at the swtich console?
The KVM's don't have the ability to tell a server to reboot so it sounds more like a power failure which would cause the KVM and servers to power off and restart when power comes back on.
When the KVM goes belly up, some servers are still working while others are not. The mouse and keyboard lock up. Resets are done from the KVM both ways. - power off/on and the reset button with no luck. The KVMs are turned over to our parts guy and a new one ordered. Isn't there some firmware upgrades that can keep the KVM from doing anything to the servers? I still believe that the KVM is the culprit in the server reboots. I've downloaded the KVM manual and they do speak of unattended reboots caused by power outages of the KVM. Also they speak of responses from the KVM to the computer to ensure that the switch is ready...so I know the KVM communicates with the server in some form or another.
I haven't been able to find reference in the KVM User Guide to unattended reboots due to power failure. Can you point me in the right direction for the documentation?
I think the best route to take would be through support. That way there will be a case with documentation that the engineers can take a look at. They'll want to know the layout/configuration of your racks with the servers and switches, the OS's on the servers, firmware versions on the KVM Switch, etc.
I'm not sure how a KVM could trigger a server reboot, though I'm not saying it's impossible either.
Have you considered the possibility that some type of power fluctuation is causing the KVM to stop responding and also rebooting the attached servers? This may be buildingwide or affecting a single circuit or UPS in your building.
In other words, I'm thinking the KVM issue is an effect of a problem and not the cause of it.
