I'm currently working with an offsite data center and have set up a backup system to access it remotely. We've been using an old desktop PC in the rack for times when our VMware vSphere/ESXi cluster may go down; this allows us to troubleshoot and bring things back up securely. However, I'm considering whether there's a more efficient way to handle this without relying on physical devices. We do have HPE ProLiant servers, and while we can use iLO, it doesn't give a full view of the network. I'm also looking at options like getting a KVM-over-IP setup or even switching out the old PC for something like a Raspberry Pi or Intel NUC. What do you think? Any advice or alternative solutions would be appreciated!
2 Answers
Why not look into getting a small HPE DL20? It’s pretty much a ProLiant but with a desktop processor. You can add a multi-port serial card for connecting to your network devices, making it a solid solution for your remote access needs.
A NUC could be a great choice for your setup! They're compact and versatile. If you grab one with a Thunderbolt port, you can connect it to 10g ethernet or fiber for faster data handling. Plus, in a disaster recovery situation, it can run some critical VMs to help get everything back online swiftly. Also, consider keeping a physical Domain Controller on-site. It ensures that if the cluster ever goes down, you still have your Active Directory and DNS in place, which can significantly speed up recovery times.
You could also find used units; they might save you some cash!