Setting up the AV2000R is easy. I connected the requisite variety of Linux, Sun Microsystems and Microsoft Windows servers with the appropriate AVRIQ and Cat 5 cables, hooked up a Plain-Jane mouse, keyboard and monitor combination to the box, and away I went. The local on-screen GUI, known as OSCAR (On-Screen Configuration and Activity Reporting interface) is intuitive, effective and stable. Configuration options through OSCAR include server naming, security options, scan times and the usual raft of KVM-specific parameters. I tested the maximum rated resolution of 1,600 x 1,280, as well as a few other typical lower resolutions, without a hitch. After visiting OSCAR and setting it up to my liking in various configurations, I test drove the AV2000R's network functionality.
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Vendor Info
AutoView 2000R, $4,495, Avocent Corp., (866) 286-2368, (256) 430-4000. www.avocent.com
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A remote user who wants to control Avocent's AV2000R appliances needs to install the free AVWorks program that ships with the unit. AVWorks is a robust management/user interface that raises the bar for the IP KVM experience through its intuitive functionality and elegant simplicity. After loading it on a Windows XP laptop and a Windows NT workstation (AVWorks is compatible with Win 98 and later, along with Linux Red Hat 7.1 and 7.2), I whipped up a few database combinations based on my limited test environment. If I had several AV2000R boxes and many more servers, I really would have had some fun. The experience of server control over the Internet can be strange, with a "local" cursor and "remote" cursor to coordinate, but the layout and feel of manipulating my boxes--including server resets--through the AVWorks front door was extremely comfortable. I enjoyed the full screen size, maximum resolutions supported and responsive cursor actions.
Solid hardware, effective network connectivity and a variety of local and remote administrative tools should make the AV2000R an attractive option for those charged with server upkeep.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
Maintaining existing network infrastructures often incurs huge technical debt before newer technologies are adopted over time.
Amid ongoing regional uncertainties, telecom infrastructure in the Middle East has expand to include terrestrial low-latency network infrastructure, which offers resilience and agility in navigating political complexities without relying solely on undersea networks.
