AP5610 not playing nice with servers

[Anonymous user]

Has anyone seen anything similar? Here is an overview of our environment along with the issues we are seeing.

APC KVM AP5610

Connectivity to the servers change for no known reason. Control of a server may be possible for weeks and then suddenly it will be gone.

We run a mixed server environment. Netware 6.5 sp7, Windows 2003 server, Suse Linux 10 sp2, as well as Netware servers running virtually on SLES 10 hosts.

The netware servers all have large print and sometimes the color appears as pink and black.
The linux servers and windows servers vary with mouse and keyboard control. Sometimes both are available and sometimes only one or the other.

On one of our AP5610's it seems to help to disconnect the cable from the kvm switch and power it off and then reconnect the cable and power it back on. That has restored the ability to control some servers - particularly the linux host servers with the netware virtual servers.

Sometimes restarting a server will restore the ability to control it via the kvm - the windows and linux servers in particular.

Selecting some servers from the server list can completely lock up the kvm switch.

[BillP]

does the web viewer load at all? can you try to reset the unit to defaults? that would require a local console session to do that.

the firmware version is located in the web interface under configuration i believe. it should be listed where the MAC address is and be something like 1.0.90.06 or something similar.

[Anonymous user]

Hi, thanks for your help!

what version of firmware is on the AP5610?
I am not sure how to get this info.

also, what are the status of the server modules when communication is lost when you view the available servers? you can have green, red X or yellow.
The communication loss has only been noticed from the console. I have never seen the server module status show anything other than green. Except for one which is connected to a server that is currently turned off.

do you have KVMs cascaded/tiered? if so, what level is this happening on.
The KVMs are not cascaded.

can you give an example of the models of server modules you are using and if you know what LEDs are present, if any, on the server module at the time that this happens?
The server modules we are using are the AP5631

are you using an APC Rack LCD keyboard, monitor, and mouse to access the KVM or a regular keyboard monitor and mouse?
We are using the APC rack stuff.

do these symptoms happen through the web interface java viewer or the local OSD (on screen display) or both?
Local OSD

also, i assume you havent seen (or havent had a chance to see) if anything happens when the servers are directly connected to a keyboard monitor and mouse since they are always connected to the KVM switch.
All the servers function normally when connected directly to individual monitors, keyboards, and mice

these questions/answers should help us get started! thanks.

[BillP]

you arent using any type of patch panel or anything are you? all 8 pairs of wires are required for the cat5. i assume you arent because it works fine most of the time.

you mentioned you only see this through the local OSD. when it exhibits an issue, are you able to log in and test the web viewer to see if it has crapped out as well?

[Anonymous user]

No, no patch panels. The web viewer doesn't work.

[Anonymous user]

Sure. Under session control, Lock to KVM Session and Read-Only access are checked. Allow reserved sessions is not.
Under encryption, the only thing checked is 128.DES, 3DES, and AES are not checked.

[Anonymous user]

Version Info.

Application:
01.00.09.06
Boot:
01.00.00.04
OSCAR:
00.00.16.00
UART:
01.00.01.01
Video:
01.00.00.13
Hardware:
00.15.00.00

Thanks again. No, the web viewer doesn't work at all. I can see the servers connected, but when I click on one, it downloads the java viewer, then says connecting to server xxx. It counts seconds, and will just continue counting until I click cancel.

[BillP]

do you have virtual media enabled? can you tell me the settings you have selected?

under Configure in the web interface, check under Appliance->Virtual Media and tell me which check boxes you have enabled in that screen? i have seen something similar with funky settings in this area.

[BillP · Accepted solution]

hi

what version of firmware is on the AP5610?

also, what are the status of the server modules when communication is lost when you view the available servers? you can have green, red X or yellow.

do you have KVMs cascaded/tiered? if so, what level is this happening on.

can you give an example of the models of server modules you are using and if you know what LEDs are present, if any, on the server module at the time that this happens?

are you using an APC Rack LCD keyboard, monitor, and mouse to access the KVM or a regular keyboard monitor and mouse?

do these symptoms happen through the web interface java viewer or the local OSD (on screen display) or both?

also, i assume you havent seen (or havent had a chance to see) if anything happens when the servers are directly connected to a keyboard monitor and mouse since they are always connected to the KVM switch.

these questions/answers should help us get started! thanks.