One switch to rule them all...

When you have a crunching farm there are different ways to access your hardware.
One way is to give each box a keyboard, a mouse and a monitor, but the computer room becomes a jungle pretty quick this way.
Programs like Teamview and BOINC Tasks rely on IP, but I prefer ye good olde fashioned KVM-Switch.
There's one advantage to them, they're dumped by people who want their switching done on IP basis.
There's also a disadvantage to them, the real cheap ones -mine- are PS/2 and VGA based, but there are adapters for that problem.

So let's say I have a Raspberry Pi (Yes), a Banana Pi (not yet), a BeagleBone Black (idem) and a Hummingboard, how can I interface them using one keyboard, mouse and monitor?
As long as they are all on the network probably by means of Putty and SSH, but can I access them more directly as well, using the least possible hardware?
I might want to start with supplying the power to them by means of a powered USB-Hub, so they do not claim four powerpoints for their meagre power needs.
Using four short LAN cables will bring them to their own network hub or switch, which is connected to the main switch.
I could also plug in four wireless USB stcks, but that would waste USB resources and the LAN port wouldn't be used that way.
I can use one USB port per sysem to plug in a USB to 2x PS/2 adapter, so I can connect them to the KVM switch.
The HDMI ports get plugged with a HDMI to VGA adapter, so the KVM cables can connect there too.

I'll post photographs of the 'pile of Pi' as soon as it's ready....(may include yet more, Orange Pi, Banana Pi M2, etc)

KVM switches are easy to use and (with the right adapters sometimes) will plug in to anything you have.
It will only become a problem when you scale up beyond the number of input ports your KVM has, like for example if your KVM has 5 inputs and you have 10 machines to control, you might have to be switching cables constantly.
It would be neat if there was a KVM that would be like a USB hub, providing power, keyboard, mouse, and video all through one USB port to each machine. All you would need to do is plug 1 ethernet and 1 USB to every machine and be done with it. :)

I have more than 10 machines! - but I can't run them all the time....(besides, some are 80386-era machines).

Connecting Raspberry PI's and likewise boards has as advantage that

• They do not make extra noise,
• They do not need much power,
• They do not need much space,
• They perform better than a Pentium II or K6-III.