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KVM Switches See Strong Demand in IP Environment
Large companies and small businesses turning keyboard, video, monitor switches to simplify management of computer and server clusters.
September 3, 2004
2 Min Read
Sales of KVM switches have become one of the hottest spots in the increasingly IP-oriented enterprise market, with large companies and small businesses turning to them as a cost-effective way to simplify management of computer and server clusters.
These switches allow users to access a single computer from multiple workstations, multiple computers from a single workstation, or any computer from any workstation. Responding to this market demand, several vendors recently stepped with new products, which allow control of computers without the need for a separate keyboard, monitor and mouse for each machine.
Israeli firm Replicom announced integrated KVM appliances offering local and IP-based control over 8 to 16 servers. The company says the new offerings enable "full manageability" for legacy KVM switches and new KVM-over IP deployments.
Raritan Computer Inc. introduced IP-enabled KVM switches and remote IP access devices that add Internet connectivity to existing analog KVM switches. The company also is marketing a KVM-over-IP remote management PCI card.
Wright Line LLC, a Massachusetts-based manufacturer of communication consoles, electronic and server enclosures announced that it is adding Minicom Advanced Systems' KVM switches to its product line-up. "We are experiencing an increase in reliable KVM requirements and look forward to adding Minicom's products to our data center product mix," said Michael Gagnon, vice president of marketing.
Meanwhile, network managers looking for ways to identify which KVM switches they need can download a new free tool from IOGEAR. The KVM Wizard is an online application that can be accessed at http://iogear.com/Wizard/KVM/kvm_wizard.swf. The tool works with PCs, Macs and Sun Microsystems machines.
Venture Development Corporation expects the keyboard video mouse (KVM) switch market to grow to over $800 million by 2006.
"The KVM switch market is closely tied to the overall market for servers and IT," said Chris Lanfear, Director of VDC's IT Accessories Practice, "but there are other factors that we see driving this market including trends in high availability computing, the globalization of the business enterprise and many others."
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