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The OutLook KVM switch system lets you monitor up to 256 servers from a single location in a tiered environment. It supports multiple platforms natively or in tandem with other Apex products. With OSCAR you can switch between servers and configure the device type, device names, scan times, scan order and other settings.

We've tested OutLook before (see "Consolidation: System Console Switches Help Tame Your Unruly Server Racks," at www.networkcomputing.com/904/904r2.html) and found it lacking operationally. Now, though, Apex has redesigned the hardware, improved OutLook's performance and introduced a Windows-style OSCAR GUI in the latest release, OutLook 180ES. To test the new OutLook, we installed it in our Real-World Labs® at Syracuse University. The eight-port 180ES was set up as the primary switch in a mixed-tiered environment, with three Dell servers running Microsoft Windows NT on the first three ports and a fully populated eight-port OutLook as a secondary switch (see diagram below).

I tested the 1x8 (one user, eight ports) 180ES; Apex also offers 1x4, 1x16, 2x8 and 2x16 models. The OutLook 180ES offers a new cable-locking mechanism that prevents cables from working themselves loose--a major annoyance--and color-coded keyboard and mouse jacks. It can reach a maximum resolution of 1,600x1,280, and its trim design (1.75x 8x17 inches) saves space when mounted in a standard server rack.

Excellent Performance and Compatibility
The 180ES also has flash memory for easy upgrades and can be upgraded via the Web. Among the new features of the OSCAR GUI is multilingual support. But most impressive is the enhanced performance of the OutLook and its compatibility with installed companion switches.

The first sign of these improvements came during setup, when, just for the sake of it, I decided to leave the secondary switch running while I hooked up the new OutLook as the primary switch. As with other KVM switches, the OutLook 180ES should have been powered up before the servers were turned on to ensure keyboard-mouse synchronicity. I attached our three servers and powered up the OutLook. When I first saw the new GUI, I thought it was a neat new interface, but I wasn't especially impressed. It wasn't until I attached the still-running secondary OutLook switch that the benefits became apparent.

Once I had the primary OutLook running, I connected the secondary OutLook, told it that Port 8 had another eight-port switch, and everything worked fine. The port-numbering scheme was adjusted and displayed properly. Amazingly, the device names from the secondary switch were displayed as if there were no interruption at all.

This hot-swap capability with older equipment is really impressive. Imagine the ease of installing this new box with your existing equipment: You don't need to power down your entire server room; you just disconnect your current primary switch and plug in the new OutLook 180ES.

The unit's seamless functionality is a far cry from the problems we experienced in the aforementioned comparative review. Not only did the 180ES immediately detect secondary switches and configure itself to display them, it didn't have a single incident of loss of mouse or keyboard control with any of the servers connected to it or below it on the secondary switches.

I did come across a slight problem in my tests: The GUI window had some horizontal streaks running through it when displaying one particular server. This was because of a lower refresh frequency setting on that server. When the refresh frequency was raised, the lines disappeared. Obviously, this is not a big problem, but something to keep an eye out for.

An OSCAR Nod
The new OSCAR GUI is clean, easily read and intuitive to use. Icons display whether a port is in use and if a port is on a second-tier switch. There are two levels to the GUI. On the system level you can set scan modes and password protection and tell OutLook when and where to display the device name on the screen. On the port level you can tell the switch what type of device is on the port, what the name of the machine is and so forth. To change a setting for a port or machine, you simply highlight it, click the setup button, and setup options for that port appear. You make whatever changes you need, click on OK, and the new settings take effect.

The new GUI also features Windows-style buttons. They facilitate keeping track of what you're doing. Server names can be displayed in alphabetical order or by port number. Navigating the GUI can be done by mouse or the arrow keys of the keyboard.

Apex has taken a nice leap forward with the upgrades to its OutLook KVM switch. The improved reliability, stability and updated OSCAR interface make the OutLook 180ES a winner.

James R. Stromski is a member of the Network and System Services Problem Resolution Team at Syracuse University. Send your comments on this article to him at jrstroms@syr.edu.