143heds_26_cc.gif|101|480\KVM Switches: Belkin

Belkin won the Channel Champions title in the KVM Switch category largely on the technical merits of its products.

“Belkin provides cost-effective, proven and robust technology solutions for the desktop users up to the most stringent enterprise administrators,” said Paul Furtado, vice president of Audcomp Computer Systems, Hamilton, Ontario. “Their technology is a great alternative to the high-cost proprietary vendor solutions available.”

In technical areas, the KVM Channel Champ came out on top of a field of five vendors with a technical satisfaction rating of 82.1. Solution providers in the survey particularly liked the management features and port count of the Belkin switches.

Belkin’s Enterprise Series KVM Switches with Micro-Cabling Technology enable two servers to be connected to each SCSI-2 port on the back of the switch. “This allows for easier cable management because you have 60 percent less cable bulk connected to the back of your switch,” said Chad Doezie, a Belkin product manager.

In channel-program satisfaction, Belkin slipped into second place, three-tenths of a point behind Avocent, which took the lead for the consistency of its channel programs, upselling opportunities and educational programs. Doezie said Belkin is taking steps to improve technical education by providing new sales training tools and personal training for channel partners.

Belkin made up for weaknesses in these areas by earning top ratings for its sales margins and total ROI for the customer. “Belkin supports us through the entire process,” said Chris Drynan, director of business development at En Pointe Technologies, El Segundo, Calif.

In the end, the competition between all five vendors was one of the tightest in the survey, indicating that none had a strong lock on the channel or a substantial lead in technology. The three top vendors were separated by only eight-tenths of a point overall, with Belkin coming in first at 73.8, followed by Raritan at 73.5 and Avocent at 73. Next came APC at 71.3 and Tripp Lite at 70.4.

Furtado said although his company does not sell Belkin exclusively, it always offers customers a Belkin option in the quotes it provides. “We give them an alternative and provide them with evaluation units if required,” he said. “It allows them to make an informed decision and test the technology head to head.”