Providing a common management console for managing the operation of a server computer

1. A method for providing a common management console for managing the pre- and post-operating system operation of server computers, the method comprising:

receiving, at a management appliance, first and second requests from one or more remote management consoles to manage first and second server computers, respectively;

establishing a network connection between the management appliance and the first and second server computers, respectively;

receiving first and second remote console data from the first and second server computers via the network connections, respectively, wherein the first and second remote console data are formatted according to first and second remote console protocols, respectively, wherein the first and second remote console protocols are different from each other;

converting, at the management appliance, the received first and second remote console data to first and second converted remote console data, respectively, in a common format in accordance with a common protocol capable of expressing the first and second remote console protocols;

transmitting the first and second converted remote console data in the common format to the remote management console for display;

receiving, at the management appliance, third remote console data in accordance with the serial over local area network text protocol from a third server computer; and

converting the third remote console data to third converted remote console data in the common format.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first remote console protocol is the remote desktop protocol (RDP).

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second remote console protocol is the virtual network computing protocol (VNC).

4. An apparatus for providing a common management console for managing the pre- and post-operating system operation of server computers, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a network port; and

a non-volatile memory storing program code, when executed by the processor, causing the apparatus to

establish network connections to first and second server computers via the network port,

receive first and second remote console data from the first and second server computers via the network connections, respectively, wherein the first and second remote console data are formatted according to first and second remote console protocols, respectively, wherein the first and second remote console protocols are different from each other,

convert the received first and second remote console data to first and second converted remote console data, respectively, in a common format in accordance with a common protocol capable of expressing the first and second remote console protocols,

transmit the first and second converted remote console data in the common format to a remote management console for display;

receive, at the management appliance, third remote console data in accordance with the serial over local area network text protocol from a third server computer; and

convert the third remote console data to third converted remote console data in the common format.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first remote console protocol is the remote desktop protocol (RDP).

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second remote console protocol is the virtual network computing protocol (VNC).

7. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the remote management console comprises a computer system operative to execute a remote management software application, and wherein the remote management software application is operative to receive the converted remote console data formatted according to the common protocol, to decode the converted remote console data, and to display the remote console data in a single graphical user interface window.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the program code, when executed by the processor, further causes the apparatus to discover server computers including the first, second, and third server computers and capable of being managed through the apparatus, and to provide information identifying the discovered server computers to the remote management console.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the third server computer comprises a baseboard management controller operative to format the third remote console data using the serial over local area network text protocol and to transmit the third remote console data to the apparatus.

10. A system for providing a common management console for managing the pre- and post-operating system operation of server computers, the system comprising:

a management appliance comprising a processor, a network port, and a non-volatile memory storing program code, when executed by the processor, causing the appliance to

establish network connections to first and second server computers via the network port,

receive first and second remote console data from the first and second server computers via the network connections, respectively, wherein the first and second remote console data are formatted according to first and second remote console protocols, respectively, wherein the first and second remote console protocols are different from each other,

convert the received first and second remote console data to first and second converted remote console data, respectively, in a common format in accordance with a common protocol capable of expressing the first and second remote console protocols, and

transmit the first and second converted remote console data in the common format to one or more remote management consoles for display; and

a remote console application configured to

receive the first and second converted remote console data from the management appliance,

decode the first and second converted remote console data,

display the decoded remote console data in a single graphical user interface window;

receive, at the management appliance, third remote console data in accordance with the serial over local area network text protocol from a third server computer; and

convert the third remote console data to third converted remote console data in the common format.