Debian Plug Yank
 

Alright here's the deal, I'm building a webserver for my house and I'd like to use Debain. My problem is that I access this server by way of a KVM switch. Everytime I change machines it's equilivent to yanking the plug and sticking it back in. When this happens Debian locks up and freezes on me. I'd like to know a way to set up the machine so switching plugs causes no problems at all.

Couldn't you just ssh into the server? If you use graphical utilities of any sort, ssh has X forwarding capabilities built in.

Anyways, in regards to the KVM switch, I have heard KVM switches and Linux don't get along.

I used to sell electronics, and I remember seeing a KVM switch which guaranteed support for Windows, OS 9 and OS X, Linux, Solaris, OpenServer and Unixware. I was quite amazed. Too bad I can't remember what the name of it is. I was trying to Google for the product so I could buy one.

This one has a built in shortcut to skip past all the messy software issues. It worked fine with Ubuntu, but I'd rather use straight Debian.


I'm sure there's just some package or script to edit that fixes it.

Have you considered trying CentOS? I use it and find it to be much more polished than Debian, and it also is based entirely on RHEL. So that means security updates will come for 7 years per version. It may work for you and it is an enterprise certified operating system (well, sort of. RHEL is, so CentOS can handle the same loads and all, it just itself isn't certified). It is also free.

Maybe give it a shot and see if it works, if you are comfortable using a Red Hat system.

EDIT : Don't let the lack of security updates on their website scare you. The updates have been coming promptly after Red Hat releases them. They just don't seem to update the website often. I just use Red Hat's security website to read about the patches.

I am kind of locked into debian right now. I just need a fix for this particular problem.

What KVM are you using?
I have an IOGEAR GCS1734 for my desktop array, currently 2 SimplyMEPIS boxen; & a SmartView 4-port (model # not handy) for my server "garden" (2 machines is scarcely a farm) of a SmoothWall Express firewall & a Debian Woody web server. I never the kind of problems you describe.

What's wrong w/ the ssh suggestion?
That's my normal way of administering the web server.

AKAIK, modern electronic KVM's get along w/ all OS's because they constantly simulate the I/O devices to all connected computers; thus no machine "knows" when it's not actually connected to your keyboard etc.

I have a KVM also, and use Debian, and have no such problems. I believe all modern KVM switches have port "emulation" so that both computers hardware sees the keyboard/mouse as continuously connected regardless of switching.

Well the machine would exist as more than a web server, kind of be a house linux box. And the problem stems from the fact that the KVM switch draws power from the USB. When the switch changes the power cuts out. Which makes it the same as yanking the plug.

aeuzent,
Again -- what KVM are you using?


IsaacKuo,
Better said than I did.

I'm using an Apex KVM on my Debian install and haven't had to do any special settings. However its is an HP RISC workstation and I'm using the standard ports rather than USB.

It's a Linkskey LKU-UA02