Network based KVM switching system

• US 6,681,250 B1
• Filed: 05/03/2000
• Issued: 01/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vertiv IT Systems, Inc. (Vertiv Holdings Co.)
• Original Assignee: Avocent Corporation (Vertiv Holdings Co.)
• Inventors: Thomas, Christopher L., Schulz, Stephan, Anderson, Robin L., Gilgen, Robert L., DesMarais, Mark, Collins, Jamie F., Pinkston, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Glenton B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KUPSTAS, TOD A
• Application Number:
  US09/563,434
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226, 709/228, 709/227, 709/229, 709/223, 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) switching protocol is disclosed in which KVM information is applied to a network of workstations. At least one data converter communicates on the workstation network and retrieves KVM information from the workstation network that is addressed to a server assigned to the converter. The converter places the KVM information in a format suitable to the assigned server and applies the converted KVM information to the appropriate standard device ports of the server. The system provides motherboard access to the servers that is characteristics of KVM switches but provides essentially unlimited scalability not known in traditional KVM switches.

Claims

1. A converter providing an alternative data path between a selected server on a packet switched network and a workstation on the same packet switched network, said server communicating with said workstation via a corresponding network interface, the converter comprising:

a motherboard access link communicating with a motherboard of the server, the motherboard access link being different from the network interface;

a network link, different from the motherboard access link, providing access to the workstation through the same packet switched network; and

a data converter to bi-directionally communicate data to and from the server and the workstation, without routing through the network interface of the server, by;

     1) retrieving incoming data from the packet switched network addressed to the converter, and applying the incoming data to the motherboard access link according to a device protocol suited for the server, and

     2) sending outgoing data from the server to the packet switched network by addressing it to the workstation according to a packet switched network protocol.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the incoming data prompts the server to communicate with another of the multiple servers on the multiple server network.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein the converter permits motherboard access by any of the plurality of workstations to the server via the standard device port.

4. A system as in claim 1, wherein the converter permits motherboard access by only pre-designated ones of the plurality of workstations.

5. A keyboard, video and/or mouse data converter linking at least one server in a first network of servers via a network interface to at least one of a plurality of KVM workstations in a second network of KVM workstations, comprising:

a keyboard interface coupled to a keyboard port of the server and providing direct motherboard access to the server through the keyboard interface and keyboard port;

a mouse interface coupled to a mouse port of the server and providing direct motherboard access to the server through the mouse interface and mouse port;

a video interface coupled to a video port of the server to interface with a video processor of the server;

said respective keyboard, mouse and video ports being different from the network interface of the server;

a workstation network interface providing network access to the second network of KVM workstations; and

a data converter to bi-directionally communicate KVM information to and from the one server and the second network, said converter communicating said KVM information to and from the second network according to a local network protocol and communicating the KVM information to and from corresponding ones of the keyboard, mouse and video interfaces according to selected keyboard, mouse and video protocols suited for the one server.

6. A system as in claim 5, wherein:

the workstation network interface has a unique device address on the second network, such that any of said KVM workstations communicate with the one server through the KVM converter by addressing KVM information to the unique device address.

7. A system as in claim 5, further including:

a video packeting facility to receive digital video data from the one server and to packet the digital video data according to the local network protocol.

8. A system as in claim 5, further including:

a scaling and resolution facility to receive digital video data from the one server via the video interface and scale a resolution of the digital video data from the one server to a resolution of a monitor associated with said KVM workstation.

9. A system as in claim 5, further including:

a scaling and resolution facility to receive digital video data from the one server via the video interface and scale a resolution of the digital video data from the one server to a resolution of a monitor associated with said KVM workstation; and

a video packeting facility to receive the digital video data from the scaling and resolution facility, to packet the digital video data according to the local network protocol, and deliver the packeting digital video data to the workstation network interface.

10. A system as in claim 5, wherein:

the data converter further receives the KVM information from the second network according to the local network protocol and separates the KVM information into keyboard signals destined for the keyboard interface according to a selected keyboard protocol suited for the one server and mouse signals destined for the mouse interface according to a selected mouse protocol suited for the one server.

11. A system as in claim 5, wherein:

the data converter receives the KVM information from the second data network including a cold-boot command sequence and provides said cold-boot command sequence directly to the motherboard of said server via at least one of the keyboard and mouse interfaces.

12. A method of linking at least one server in a first network of servers via a network interface to one of a plurality of keyboard, video and/or mouse information workstations in a second network of KVM workstations, comprising the steps of:

coupling through a keyboard interface to a keyboard port of the server to provide direct motherboard access to the server through the keyboard interface and keyboard port;

coupling through a mouse interface to a mouse port of the server to provide direct motherboard access to the server through the mouse interface and mouse port;

coupling through a video interface to a video port of the server to interface with a video processor of the server, said respective keyboard, mouse and video ports being different from the network interface of the one server;

providing network access to the second network of KVM workstations though a workstation network interface; and

bi-directionally communicating KVM information to and from the one server and the second network though a data converter, said converter communicating said KVM information to and from the second network according to a local network protocol and communicating the KVM information to and from corresponding ones of the keyboard, mouse and video interfaces according to keyboard, mouse and video protocols suited for the one server.

14. A method as in claim 12, further including:

at the converter, receiving digital video data from the one server and packeting the digital video data according to the local network protocol.

17. A method as in claim 12, further including:

receiving digital video data from the one server via the video interface and coordinating a resolution of the digital video data from the one server to a resolution of a monitor associated with said KVM workstation; and

receiving the digital video data after said coordinating, packeting the digital video data according to the local network protocol, and delivering the packeting digital video data to the workstation network interface.

18. A method as in claim 17, wherein the coordinating step further includes:

scaling the digital video data.

19. A method as in claim 12, further including:

receiving the KVM information from the second network according to the local network protocol and separating the KVM information into keyboard signals destined for the keyboard interface according to a keyboard protocol suited for the one server and mouse signals destined for the mouse interface according to a mouse protocol suited for the one server.

20. A method as in claim 12, further including:

receiving the KVM information from the second network including a cold-boot command sequence and providing said cold-boot command sequence directly to the motherboard of said server via at least one of the keyboard and mouse interfaces.

13. A method as in 12, further including:

assigning the workstation network interface a unique device address on the second network, said KVM workstations communicating with the one server through the KVM converter by addressing KVM information to the unique device address.

15. A method as in claim 13, further including:

at the converter, receiving digital video data from the one server via the video interface and coordinating a resolution of the digital video data from the one server to a resolution of a monitor associated with said KVM workstation.

16. A method as in claim 15, wherein the coordinating step further includes:

scaling the digital video data.