How to make GPIO and LCD in a normal server?

Question

Arduino

I want to display an LCD monitor and several backlight bulbs on the front panel of the server to indicate the status.
It would seem to insert an arduino, but how is it smart to do it in a regular server? Really it will be necessary to borrow ethernet? Or can I plug an arduino into USB and somehow communicate with it from Linux via USB?

Answer 1

And there is something like this: www.tamsinc.com/gpio , www.mccdaq.com/pci-data-acquisition/PCI-DIO24-Seri...