Starting the KVM Console
This chapter includes the following sections:
- KVM Console
- Starting the KVM Console from a Server
- Starting the KVM Console from a Service Profile
- Starting the KVM Console from the KVM Launch Manager
KVM Console
The KVM console is an interface accessible from the
Cisco UCS Manager GUI
or the KVM Launch Manager that emulates a direct KVM connection. Unlike the KVM dongle, which requires you to be physically connected to the server, the KVM console allows you to connect to the server from a remote location across the network.You must ensure that either the server or the service profile associated with the server is configured with a CIMC IP address if you want to use the KVM console to access the server. The KVM console uses the CIMC IP address assigned to a server or a service profile to identify and connect with the correct server in a
Cisco UCS.Instead of using CD/DVD or floppy drives directly connected to the server, the KVM console uses virtual media, which are actual disk drives or disk image files that are mapped to virtual CD/DVD or floppy drives. You can map any of the following to virtual drives:
CD/DVD or floppy drives on your computer
Disk image files on your computer
CD/DVD or floppy drives on the network
Disk image files on the network
Recommendations for Using the KVM Console to Install a Server OS
To install an OS from a virtual CD/DVD or floppy drive, you must ensure that the virtual CD/DVD or floppy drive is set as the first boot device in the service profile.
Installing an OS using the KVM console may be slower than using the KVM dongle because the installation files must be downloaded across the network to the server. If you map a disk drive or disk image file from a network share to a virtual drive, the installation may be even slower because the installation files must be downloaded from the network to the KVM console (your computer) and then from the KVM console to the server. When using this installation method, we recommend that you have the installation media as close as possible to the system with the KVM console.
- Virtual KVM Console
Virtual KVM Console
The KVM console is an interface accessible from CIMC that emulates a direct keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) connection to the server. It allows you to connect to and control the server from a remote location, and to map physical locations to virtual drives that can by accessed by the server during this KVM session.
Important:
The KVM console requires JRE (Java Runtime Environment) version 1.5.0 or higher.
KVM
TabThis tab provides command line access to the server. The menu options available in this tab are described below.
VM
TabInstead of using CD/DVD or floppy drives physically connected to the server, the KVM console uses virtual media, which are actual disk drives or disk image files that are mapped to virtual CD/DVD or floppy drives on the server. The
Client View
table displays the floppy images, floppy drives, CD/DVD drives, and ISO images that are available to the server.
Note
In order to use virtual media, the
Enabled
check box must be checked on the
Virtual Media
tab.
Name Description Mapped
columnIf the check box in this column is checked, the associated disk drive or image file can be accessed by the server. Clear the check box to disconnect the server from the drive or image file.
Each drive or image file can exist either on the users local computer or on the network, and each falls into one of three categories:
Virtual CD/DVD
Removable Media
Floppy—This category includes USB keys or flash drives.
You can enable Virtual Media for one drive or image in each of the three categories, but you cannot virtualize multiple drives or images in the same category.
Read Only
columnIf checked, the server cannot write to the Virtual Media device even if the device has write capability.
Drive
columnDisplays the path to the device used by the server.
Exit
buttonReturns to the
KVM
tab.Create Image
buttonOpens the
Open
dialog box that lets you navigate to the local folder that you want to map on the server.After the system has created the image, it saves the IMG file on your desktop and adds it to the
Client View
table. Check the check box in the
Mapped
column to complete the mapping process.Add Image
buttonOpens the
Open
dialog box that lets you navigate to the ISO or IMG file you want to the server to access.After you select the file, the system adds it to the
Client View
table. Check the check box in the
Mapped
column to complete the mapping process.Remove Image
buttonRemoves the selected image from the
Client View
table.Details
buttonToggles the display of the
Details
area. This area contains a table showing the three device categories, their mapped status, read and write statistics, and the length of time that the device has been mapped.USB Reset
buttonResets all USB devices connected to the server.
Note
The
Details
area must be visible in order to use this button.File
Menu
Menu Item Description Capture to File
Opens the
Save
dialog box that lets you save the current screen as a JPG image.
Note
This option is only available on the
KVM
tab.Exit
Closes the KVM console.
View
Menu
Note
This menu is only available on the
KVM
tab.
Menu Item Description Refresh
Updates the console display with the server’s current video output.
Full Screen
Expands the KVM console so that it fills the entire screen.
Windowed
Returns the KVM console to Windowed mode where it can be resized.
Fit
Resizes the console window to the minimum size needed to display the video image from the server.
This option is only available if the console is in Windowed mode.
Macros Menu
Select the keyboard shortcut you want to execute on the remote system.
Note
This menu is only available on the
KVM
tab.
Tools
Menu
Note
This menu is only available on the
KVM
tab.
Menu Item Description Session Options
Opens the
Session Options
dialog box that lets you specify:
Whether all keystrokes are passed to the target system when the console is in Windowed mode. The default is no.
The termination key when in single cursor mode. The default is
F12.The mouse acceleration to use on the target system. The default is
Windows.Single Cursor
Turns on the single cursor feature, which offsets mouse alignment issues encountered on some remote operating systems. When you turn this feature on, the mouse pointer is trapped within the viewer window.
To turn the feature off, press the termination key specified in the
Session Options
dialog box.Stats
Opens the
Stats
dialog box, which displays the:
Frame rate measured in number of frames per second
Bandwidth measured in number of KBs per second
Compression measured in the percentage of compression being used
Packet rate measured in number of packets per second
Session User List Opens the
Session User List
dialog box that shows all the user IDs that have an active KVM session.Starting the KVM Console from a Server
Procedure
Step 1
In the
Navigation
pane, click the
Equipment
tab.Step 2
On the
Equipment
tab, expand .Step 3
Choose the server that you want to access through the KVM console.Step 4
In the
Work
pane, click the
General
tab.
Step 5
In the
Actions
area, click
KVM Console.
The KVM console opens in a separate window.
Tip
If the Caps Lock key on your keyboard is on when you open a KVM session, and you subsequently turn off your Caps Lock key, the KVM console may continue to act as if Caps Lock is turned on. To synchronize the KVM console and your keyboard, press
Caps Lock
once without the KVM console in focus and then press
Caps Lock
again with the KVM console in focus.
Starting the KVM Console from a
Service Profile
Procedure
Step 1
In the
Navigation
pane, click the
Servers
tab.Step 2
On the
Servers
tab, expand .Step 3
Expand the node for the organization which contains the
service profile
for which you want to launch the KVM console.
If the system does not include multi-tenancy, expand the
root
node.Step 4
Choose the
service profile
for which you need KVM access to the associated server.
Step 5
In the
Work
pane, click the
General
tab.
Step 6
In the
Actions
area, click
KVM Console.
The KVM console opens in a separate window.
Tip
If the Caps Lock key on your keyboard is on when you open a KVM session, and you subsequently turn off your Caps Lock key, the KVM console may continue to act as if Caps Lock is turned on. To synchronize the KVM console and your keyboard, press
Caps Lock
once without the KVM console in focus and then press
Caps Lock
again with the KVM console in focus.
Starting the KVM Console from the KVM Launch Manager
The KVM Launch Manager enables you to access a server through the KVM console without logging in to
Cisco UCS Manager.Before You Begin
To access the KVM console for a server through the KVM Launch Manager, you need the following:
Cisco UCS
username and password.Name of the
service profile
associated with the server for which you want KVM access.
Procedure
Step 1
In your web browser, type or select the web link for
Cisco UCS Manager GUI.
Example:
The default web link is
http://UCSManager_IP
or
https://UCSManager_IP
. In a standalone configuration,
UCSManager_IP
is the IP address for the management port on the fabric interconnect. In a cluster configuration,
UCSManager_IP
is the IP address assigned to
Cisco UCS Manager.Step 2
On the
Cisco UCS Manager
page, click
KVM Launch Manager.
Step 3
On the
UCS – KVM Launch Manager Login
page, do the following:
Enter your
Cisco UCS
username and password.
Click
OK.Step 4
In the
Service Profiles
table of the KVM Launch Manager, do the following:
Connecting to Kvm Server Login Failed
Source: https://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/unified_computing/ucs/sw/gui/config/guide/141/UCSM_GUI_Configuration_Guide_141_chapter41.html