Much to the surprise of many people, it turns out that the lowly KVM switch is one of the hottest segments of the hardware market.
For those who have forgotten or simply never knew, the "KVM" in "KVM switch" stands for keyboard, video and mouse. This device is increasingly popular because it makes it easier for an IT person to manage multiple systems using the same keyboard, display and mouse.
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| MICHAEL VIZARD Can be reached at (516) 562-7477 or via e-mail at mvizard@cmp.com. |
This happens on two levels. First, KVM switches are finding a role as the poor man's server consolidation strategy. For organizations that cannot currently fund a wholesale move to blade servers, the KVM switch is a nifty, inexpensive way to enable fewer IT people to manage a larger number of servers. As you can imagine, as the economy went south and downsized IT staff were asked to manage more servers, the KVM switch became very popular.
But even as the market shifts to adopt blade servers, the KVM switch remains popular, because now companies are faced with managing an even larger number of servers in a more condensed space. The need to manage all those tightly condensed servers using the same keyboard, display and mouse makes the KVM switch indispensable.
Even in the SOHO market, a new generation of wireless KVM switches is taking off as homes and small offices look to connect multiple displays distributed around the office and the home and attached to a local server or PC.
Naturally, all this interest in KVM switches has set off an intense round of competition for channel mind share among the likes of American Megatrends, APC, Aten, Avocent, Belkin, CompuCable, Dataprobe, Icron, IOgear, Lightwave, Linksys, Minicom, Network Technologies, Raritan, Rose Electronics and Tripp Lite.
For the moment, the veritable flood of orders in this market appears to be lifting all boats. But long term, it's the company with the richest set of channel programs that will ultimately dominate this space.
What's your KVM quotient? I can be reached at (516) 562-7477 or via e-mail at mvizard@cmp.com.
