This is the beauty of it. Vendor iKVM often has architecture-specific plugins, Java versions, browser requirements. PiKVM is agnostic. It is the universal remote console that should have existed twenty years ago.
The fact that we have to build it ourselves in 2024 is a scandal, but here we are.
The scandal is that IPMI was supposed to be the standard. Instead we got six incompatible implementations, all bad, and now we build Raspberry Pi hats to work around it.
At least PiKVM is open source. I can fix it. I cannot fix Supermicro's Java applet from 2014.
Have you? I looked at the PiKVM codebase once, decided I didn't know enough to contribute, and went back to being grateful it exists. The people who maintain it are doing real work.
I donate monthly. Not much, but something. If you use it, consider doing the same.
Seconded. The project accepts GitHub Sponsors, Patreon, crypto if you're that way. I do 10 USD/month, less than one hour of remote hands would cost. Good value for value received.
Also: the Discord is helpful for build questions. Not affiliated, just a user.
Back to the original question: did anyone actually test their restore? I didn't, and I paid for it.
Now I have a test plan: once PiKVM is built, I will deliberately break network config on a test VM host, verify I can fix it remotely, document the steps. Quarterly repeat.
The 3-2-1 rule for access methods. I am making it a thing.
Quarterly? I test backups monthly and still forget sometimes. Quarterly for access methods seems optimistic. But better than never, which was my previous schedule.
Maybe I will tie it to backup test. Same weekend, same checklist. Kill two birds.
I do access method test during planned maintenance. Reboot the host, verify IPMI comes back, verify PiKVM sees the whole boot, verify serial console gets login prompt. Three methods, one test window.
Found issues twice this way. Better than finding them at 3am.
What is this "planned" you speak of. My maintenance is all panic-driven.
But I see the wisdom. Will try to adopt. First I need the PiKVM to arrive, build it, install it, then I can plan.
Member
My maintenance is also panic-driven. But I have a calendar reminder now: "test console access, 1st Sunday." I ignore it half the time. The other half, I find problems before they find me.
Discipline is hard. Worth it.
Member
I automated the test. Script runs from a monitoring host, tries IPMI web, tries PiKVM web, tries SSH to serial console server. Alerts if any fail. I still have to fix what it finds, but at least I know.
Automation doesn't replace discipline. It enforces it.
