There is remote access and there is remote KVM access

Savvy IT managers are coming to rely on in-band remote access software apps like RDP, VNC, SSH, and Telnet for the day to day maintenance of their servers and devices. These and other software tools increase productivity, reducing downtime and are reliable, low-cost or free.

But while an in-band remote access solution may be the tool of choice for everyday use, combining remote access software with out-of-band remote KVM over IP access gives you the best of both worlds.

Beyond just running your applications, you need to be able to control critical equipment with a single click, troubleshoot OS and below the-OS BIOS-level issues, turn power off and on, and switch between various servers while working on others all from a single remote location whether or not you have the dreaded “blue screen of death” staring you in the face.

The limitation of in-band-only remote access solutions is that the OS on the target server must be healthy, up and running. If we take RDP, for example, you can’t view, let alone fix, a Windows server that has crashed.

To go beyond the limits of in-band software, hardware devices are required. Combining in-band remote access software with IP KVM switches, give you remote access and power control over your servers - also when things go wrong. And it is the ability to combine the two that makes the difference between a true remote management solution and a more simplistic remote management capability that works only in uptime situations crystal clear.

All too often, the advantages of an out-of-band remote access solution are either brushed aside or considered an add-on that can be addressed “at a later time.” Unfortunately for some IT administrators, the realization of why an out-of-band solution, such as IP KVM is a necessity, not a luxury, comes at their expense in the midst of a computing nightmare.

When you’re faced with downed systems and are in a somewhat helpless state, having a remote KVM over IP access solution that can give you the ability to access, troubleshoot or diagnose a problem and remediate that problem remotely over the Internet, can be the difference between an ordinary workday and one that leaves you anxiously scrambling for answers and wasting precious time.

When IP KVM becomes POWERful!

There are just certain things in the data center you don't want to hear – and a mission critical server that “locks-up” or fails is one of them. For when this happens, every second of down time counts - and so does the cost! A complete server shutdown is likely a total interruption of business, and the race begins to quickly return a server to operational status without having to waste precious time. Yes, you’re right…This is exactly why you have invested in manageable smart or switched PDUs for your server racks.

As the data center grows smarter, remote power control offers IT pros ways to minimize downtime and shorten remediation time. With a single click of the mouse, you now have the tool to remotely power cycle the crashed server - but it doesn’t necessarily stop here. With full integration between your KVM over IP system and your PDUs in your data center, you will now be able to execute critical power commands during a remote KVM over IP session, while “at the server”.

Today, the right IP KVM solution with an integrated PDU control option offers you some very tangible benefits that you need in order to meet the growing demand of maximum business continuity and server up-time.

First and foremost it allows you to monitor the entire boot process in real-time, from the second you sent the power command. Then it lets you cut response time dramatically by preventing the juggling between the KVM session and the power management application. Third, it can prevent hazardous mistakes of power cycling the wrong server(!), if initial setup was not done properly. Finally the ideal KVM over IP solution should also give you the freedom of choice to obtain the specific brand of PDU that you prefer, thus avoiding any type of vendor lock-in.

So next time you're looking for a powerful KVM over IP switch, remember to check out all your options beforehen!

Cloud computing: the paradise of KVM over IP

As cloud computing becomes more and more accepted and is expanding from the public domain to the private or internal IT environments, the natural question arises “so what does this move mean to KVM over IP technology?”

At first sight one can argue that the answer is “nothing” - the need of an IT admin to control his servers remotely (over IP) from the BIOS level, has been around for over ten years, since networks became the main means of communication between man and machine. In recent years software based remote access applications like RDP and VNC have pushed IP KVM to being the spare wheel of the data center truck. You forget it’s there until the flat tire or server crash – then you better have it handy and full of air and ready to go, otherwise you’re into some deep trouble… Or as we earlier described it, KVM over IP can be viewed as the IT manager’s life insurance.

Servers in a cloud environment are no different than any other server out there. The IT infrastructure is the same, they require the same “looking after” by the IT staff and thus need some kind of IP KVM  technology hooked up to them to be ready when the OS crashes and RDP/VNC are not functional.

At second sight there might be something more. This might refer more to private or internal cloud setups, in which applications provided by the servers to the entire organization go beyond the standard shared e-mail or ERP applications, and include other “local” applications like Windows office for example.

Now, wouldn’t you say that this puts a little more responsibility on those servers NOT to be downed? Because now, every second of down-time directly influences the productivity of multiple workers across the entire organization, who suddenly cannot finish the next presentation, or report or price analysis. We are all accustomed to not receiving emails once in awhile, and while the IT guys work like crazy to get the server up again we continue with our daily tasks, sometimes we even see this as a blessing…   but when it comes to our daily work outside of emails, this is already a whole new ball game that we will do anything to avoid.

So this little extra reliance on servers in the cloud means to IT one thing – double check and make sure that the spare KVM over IP wheel of yours is intact.

KVM over IP – the IT manager’s life insurance

It’s a known saying that your customers are the best advocates of your solutions and products. When that happens, your chances of closing the deal rise dramatically. In a recent sales meeting with a prospect customer one of our sales managers, Moti, experienced just that!

The customer is fortune 1000 company in the insurance industry that is consolidating its three legacy data centers into a new “lights out” data center, looking to streamline operational costs, increase efficiency and productivity of their IT staff and of course provide better service to their on-line customers.

Moti started off the meeting presenting the many benefits of an KVM over IP switch, emphasizing in particular on the critical aspect of out-of-band access - that while day by day maintenance will be done using applications like RDP, VNC or SSH (to name just a few), when disaster hits once in a blue moon, can be even once a year, in the form of an OS crash (blue screen of death ring a bell?) THEN, the ONLY means of accessing the server’s BIOS and attempting a fix is through the KVM over IP switch…

At this point in the meeting the customer politely intervened saying something like "Moti, you don’t have to sell us on this, we are in the insurance business…we sell products that in some cases are never used (!) And in other cases are used only once…but still, the mere thought of not having an insurance for when disaster happens once in a lifetime is so horrifying that everyone buys them”

Now, take out the word “insurance” from the quote above and replace it with “KVM over IP switch” and you have an elevator pitch for convincing your CFO why you need the most reliable and secure KVM over IP solution, whether you are a fortune 100 enterprise or a doctor’s clinic.

KVM over IP Switch or HP iLO? That’s the question – Or is it??

Posted by:
Tobias Silber

8 Points To Consider When Evaluating the Best Remote
Out-Of-Band Access Solution For Your Data Center.

Lately we have been getting a lot of questions from IT managers that are consolidating their data centers on the issue of an IP KVM switch versus a service processor. While IP KVM switches and embedded service processors, such as iLO from HP, often are looked upon as competitive, the reality is however much more complex. So let’s shed some light on what needs to be taken into consideration before deciding which (or both?) solution is right for your data center.

• Local KVM Access: In the data center, certain situations can arise where you would need to have direct server access independent of potential network disruptions. - In other words, to have local access at the rack level. While iLO can be a good option for remote administration it does not provide local access at the rack. Only an IP KVM switch provides you with this important feature, allowing you to physically connect to multiple servers from one console, at the rack.

• Centralized Server Management: By definition iLO is a one port solution, providing remote access to a single server. An IP KVM switch on the other hand can be connected to a bank of 10s or 100s of servers, providing for a tighter control and more efficient work flow.

• Cost: In order to benefit from the iLO vKVM features, there is a licenses fee. While the license itself can be bought from $130, the true cost of using iLO can easily total over $400 per server when you include all the hidden costs. Compare this to the price per port of an IP KVM switch at $140-170 (including dongles/cable) – and you have easily saved a few thousand dollar per rack!

• Ethernet Ports & Cabling: iLO requires the use of additional cabling and an additional Ethernet port at each server in order to be connected to the network. These requirements are translated into more routers and switch ports, which mean more money spent (part of the hidden cost).  This is in contrast to a KVM over IP switch that consolidates a large number of servers into one ethernet (or two, for redundancy) port.

• IP addresses: Each server equipped with an iLO requires two unique IP addresses!one for the server and one for the iLO. This can dramatically increase the number of IP addresses the organization has to purchase (another hidden cost), and not all data center can meet this challenge. An IP KVM Switch on the other hand, centralized the remote management of up to 32 servers via a single IP address.

• Performance: The KVM over IP video performance is superior to the iLO performance with a better video refresh rate at reduced bandwidth.  To benefit from the best mouse synchronization you need the best video resolutioin support. iLO supports up to 1280x1024 video resolution whereas an IP KVM Switch goes up to HD resolutions. Users of iLO are also limited in their choice of browsers, as it only support IE for Windows and Firefox for Linux in comparison to IP KVM users that can use a whole range of remote clients.

• Ease of Operation: To install the IP KVM Switch you will only need to connect it to the servers, power up and assign to it an IP address. The time spent on configuring a single IP KVM switch in order to access 32 servers remotely is much less than the time you will need to setup 32 individual iLO servers. Think about the time difference when the need for a firmware upgrade arises!

• Security: Another big aspect of keeping IP addresses to a minimum is data security. The less public IP addresses out there, the easier it is for IT to keep the lid tightly closed and avoid the horror of security breaches, just because there are so many IP addresses to look after.

...And just to summarize: IP KVM switches provide centralized remote access to servers, regardless of brand, generation or OS running, whereas iLO is only relevant for HP servers. This however does not necessarily make them competing technologies for out-of-band access, but rather the contrary - HP iLO is a good complementary solution to the KVM over IP Switch in the data center.

Click Here to See iLO and IP KVM Managed Side-by-Side

Product Spotlight: SMART 116 IP (KVM IP Switch -1 User - 16 Ports)

This week we look at the Minicom Smart 116IP :

The Minicom Smart 116IP (KVM IP) Switch gives a system administrator secure, BIOS level access and control to a rack of up to 16 servers either remotely or locally. Smart 116IP is a rack-mountable KVM access solution that can be managed seamlessly under Minicom's Access IT centralized management system - making it the ideal solution for forward looking corporations requiring a versatile, high-performance KVM switch today, and centralized management tomorrow.
Smart 116 IP is also ideal for SMB’s operating servers that require the flexibility of both local and remote administration (local analog, LAN, WAN or Internet).

Highlights:

• Controls up to 16 servers from a single console
• Local or internet connection
• AccessIT enabled
• New ROC (RICC on Cable) technology
• Up to 30m/100ft between computer and switch
• Rack-mountable, space-saving
• Multi-layer security
• Multi-platform capable
  

Product Reference: 0SU70030A (USA Orders) 0SU70030 (All other orders)

Free online product test drive available for this product>>

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Related Material:

Minicom Technical Update: Update firmware for the Smart 116 IP
Minicom Technical Update: Product Upgrades for Smart 116 IP
White Paper: Remote Support using KVM IP Technology
Webinar On-Demand: Video - The SmartRack 116-116 IP Switch from Minicom (2:10 minutes)

Minicom Launches Power on Cable™ - a Unique Single Port Power Control Solution

Official Press Release:

Minicom Launches Power on Cable™ - a Unique Single Port Power Control Solution

IT Administrators can use Power on Cable to power on/off and reboot a remote device seamlessly during a secure KVM session

Minicom - a leading developer of IT & KVM remote access and management solutions for the server room and datacenter - today announced the launch of a new, Minicom patented single port power control solution. Power on Cable (PoC) is targeted at IT environments that require a complete remote support package of both BIOS level KVM IP access and remote power control. This can include server rooms in which mission critical equipment is handpicked, or ATM machines or unmanned communication centers distributed in far away locations.


The PoC is controlled serially via a Minicom KVM IP gateway thus preventing costly mistakes by ensuring the power commands are sent only to the required device. Its unique and robust “power cord” design meets the stringent requirements of cable management in IT environments and makes it extremely easy to slide several units together and control several devices through a single management interface. The PoC has worldwide compatibility featuring 90-260 VAC 44-66 Hz up to 10Amps, making it also ideal for mixed power environments.

“Power on Cable increases IT efficiency in heterogonous environments, where for the most part power monitoring is sufficient, but there are a handful of mission critical servers that require remote power rebooting and switching” says Benny Hayumi, product manager for Minicom. “the PoC fits nicely into the power strategy of the organization by being a complementary solution to the PDU and by adding flexibility when IT budgets are so tight. The open protocol we are providing enables easy integration with existing management and control systems”.

Power on Cable continues Minicom's unique Real Needs ™ approach of controlling costs by adding remote power switching capability as and when it is needed.


To learn more about Power on Cable and Minicom visit http://www.minicom.com/
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Related Material:
Webcast: Real Needs™ Value Proposition (22 minutes)
White Paper: Real Needs™ Protect Your IT Investment with KVM IP Management
Online Demo: Remote IP Access Product Test Drive
Product Page: Power on Cable

Upcoming Webinar: Synnex Presents Minicom's Cost Effective Solutions for Remote Access

Friday, May 15, 2009 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT

In this Webinar, you will learn how to cost effectively upgrade your customers' data centers with Minicom’s IP KVM solutions. In today's unstable economy, many companies are slashing their IT budgets and reducing staff leaving little or no money for Data Center technology upgrades and stretching employees. With fewer resources, however, the need for remote access—and the associated increase in efficiency--is more important than ever before.

• Leverage Legacy Hardware: Learn about Minicom’s unique “Real Needs” approach which allows you to transform your customers’ legacy KVM switches into IP KVM regardless of manufacturer
• Be More Competitive: Offer a solution that provides your customers with the remote access they need for a reasonable budget
• Earn better margins when selling Minicom products
• Close sales faster, while saving your customers money

Join Synnex and Minicom to learn how you can provide your customers with crucial functionality on a budget, while earning great margins.

Friday, May 15, 2009 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT

Space is limited - register early:

*****
Related Material:
White Paper: Real Needs "Boost Your ROI by investing in KVM IP Management"
Podcast:KVM IP Value Proposition (4:48 minutes)
Online Demo: KVM IP Products Test Drive

Added Features: Server Access Management Capability

The recently launched Smart 216IP & 232IP multi-user IP KVM Switches enable one local and two remote users, access and control of up to 16 or 32 servers simultaneously.

In these IP KVM Switches there is a built-in access management system that allows you to configure the users’ connection permission. You can define that a user that logs into the system either from the local or remote will have access to some of the servers that are connected to the KVM switch.

For example, Michelle in the marketing department has limited access which has been assigned to her. She only needs to remotely access the internal presentation server in order to manage the corporate digital signage system. On the other hand, the IT staff has different server access assigned to them which allow them to manage their parking lot cameras and security fence devices which are also assigned to specific servers.

Using the Smart 216IP & 232IP graphical management interface you can define up to 16 users accounts that each of them may have access to specific KVM & Serial ports, and when the Smart 216IP/232IP are been managed by the KVM.net II system there is no limitation to the number of users you can define in the system.

Surviving 2009 With Remote KVM

Guest Post by Rami Sasson, Vice President Sales at Minicom

I came across an article, Data center efficiency critical for surviving 2009 by Matt Stansberry, Executive Editor, Data Center and Virtualization Media, TechTarget. In the article Mr. Stansberry points out that the need for more computing power in the datacenter will continue to increase despite the economic downturn and slashed budgets so companies will have to do more with what they have.

I think this also true for remote KVM. With IT staffs being cut along with all other department head count reductions the need for the IT staff efficiency is paramount. Having the ability to have full remote access to hardware is critical for admins to minimize server downtime but I hear from many companies they don't have the budgets to upgrade to expensive digital KVM switches. This is where the power of Minicom's "Real Needs" approach to KVM solutions grabs their attention. We explain to a corporate CIO they can continue to use their existing KVM switch and simply upgrade it to an IP KVM for a fraction of the cost of putting in a completely new digital KVM.

The IT staff organization must live with the reality that they have to do more with less but that does not mean throwing up their hands in desperation. What do you Really need? Minicom can provide it.

An excerpt of the article:

Data center efficiency critical for surviving 2009
by Matt Stansberry, Executive Editor, Data Center and Virtualization Media, TechTarget

Extending the life of the data center in lean times. Despite the down economy, business demand for data center services continues to increase. And the cost of building data centers has skyrocketed. During boom times, companies would build new data center facilities because they have run out of power and cooling capacity and literally can’t supply more power into the building. But in today’s economic and credit climate, this isn’t a workable solution.

"Take a look around you. What you have now is likely what you are going to have to work with going forward, at least until the economy picks up," said Chuck Goolsbee, a data center executive at Seattle-based hosting firm Digital Forest. "If facility or operations staff have grandiose plans in process, expect them to get scaled back or shelved. Even projects in progress are at risk."

According to Goolsbee, executives aren’t funding data center projects. And even if they were, outside financing in the form of debt would be almost impossible to find.
"Ironically, demand for data center services is not going to change that much," Goolsbee said. "In my 15 years in the business, data center demand has remained on a steady ramp and hardly ever wavered."

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Want to learn more about Remote KVM Access?

Join Minicom for a FREE Webinar Remote Management - 101

Date: March 24, 2009

Time: 2:00 PM EST (Duration 1 hour)

Whether you have 10 servers or 500, learn the basic tools needed to remotely access and manage servers, PCs and devices. You’ll learn the difference between RDP, VNC, ILO and KVM. You’ll understand each tool’s value and about the products that enable you to effectively utilize all of them in an efficient and intuitive manner. If you are an IT salesperson or consultant looking to get a better understanding of the most commonly used tools and terminology that your customers utilize or an IT professional looking for a solution to a disjointed remote management strategy, this webinar is for you.

If you cannot make the live webinar, all of our podcasts and archived webinars are available at the Minicom Media Club.

Podcast: Why should your organization use KVM IP?

LISTEN NOW

Total Time: 4:48 minutes

Speaker: David Zucker, Director of KVM Business Development at Minicom

Talking points:

• The numerous benefits of KVM IP access and management have made them the new must have technologies for IT managers.
• By allowing fast access from a remote location to distributed IT companies can reduce downtime, slash travel costs, lower cooling costs and increase security.
• With remote out-of-band access, connectivity is guaranteed even if the network fails.

LISTEN NOW

Learn more, download one of the latest Minicom White Papers FREE!

Podcast: "Cost Effective Solutions for Remote Server KVM Access"

LISTEN NOW

Time: 3:15 minutes

Speaker: David Zucker, Director of KVM Business Development, Minicom

Talking points:

• Why we suggest not throwing out perfectly good KVM switches and serial devices just because you need to upgrade to an IP environment.
  
• How you save time, money, and training headaches by concentrating on your Real Needs.
  
• What our competitors do not want you to know about extending the lives of your products.

LISTEN NOW

For more free podcasts, visit the Minicom Media Club

CRN Review: Pick A Minicom PX For Remote KVM

Recently, the Minicom PX - a single port, palm-sized device that gives you remote KVM access, directly to your computer or server was reviewed by CRN.

The review from CRN website:

A KVM switch is a must when connecting many servers in the data center. But what of smaller environments that don't need a 16-port switch?

Test Center looked at the Smart 116 IP KVM switch from Minicom Advanced systems in a separate review. For a shop with only one server that need remote BIOS-level control, the price tag can be a little high. Minicom offers the PX " a KVM device similar to the SecureLinx Spider from Lantronix for this scenario. The PX costs $545.

The PX is larger than the Spider. It's slightly bigger than the "palm-sized" that Minicom claims, measuring 3.25 inches by 4 inches by 1.25 inches and weighing slightly less than a pound (15.5 ounces). The metallic box has a RJ45 port on one side and a 26-pin connector port on the other side. The KVM cable (26 inches long) plugs into the connector port and has two wires with VGA and USB connectors on the other end. A regular CAT5 cable connects the PX's RJ45 port to a PoE switch on the network. If the network doesn't have a PoE switch, there's a 4-pin port next to the RJ45 port for the optional power adapter (included). Minicom also supplies several types of plug-ends that can be swapped onto the power cable, depending on the outlet.

Setup is very simple " even more so than for the Smart 116 IP. After connecting the PX to the target server (or desktop, in this test) and network, the PX automatically grabs an IP address from the DHCP server. The PX also comes with a default
IP address in case the network doesn't have a DHCP server, and a static IP can also be assigned using the Web-browser-based configuration tool. Brackets are provided in case the PX needs to be mounted on a rack. The PX can connect to any Linux, Mac, Sun Solaris, Novell (NSDQ:NOVL), or Windows (98 and later) machine. To access the server, the PX requires Internet Explorer 6 or higher running on Windows 2000 or
later. The host computer's resolution should not exceed 1600x1200 at 85 Hertz.

Administrators can install a SSL certificate to secure the PX using the configuration tool. To access the target server, the Web browser uses HTTPS to point to the server IP address. The remote session in the browser is fairly responsive. The Active X-based viewer is easier to use and navigate with than a Java applet would have been. The toolbar also has options to adjust bandwidth, compression, and color options. Keyboard shortcuts and sequences can be programmed to send to the target server.

The convenience of BIOS-level control means administrators can pop a CD on the local machine and copy files directly to the target server. This simplifies management, configuration, and regular maintenance, especially for solution providers offering customers remote support services. The PX provides a way for small businesses to have a way to access the server in case of emergency without making that extra trip.

Minicom Article: KVM IP Management for Today’s IT Budget

Add-On Technology that Maximizes Your IT Installed Base

By Kenneth Dukofsky, Marketing Communications Manager of Minicom Advanced Systems

The numerous benefits of remote KVM IP access and management have made them the new must have technologies for IT managers. With KVM IP, companies can perform remote maintenance, increase response times, reduce downtime, slash travel costs and increase security. Unfortunately many remote access and management solutions are too costly for SMB’s. Much of their high costs derive from the contemporary “Rip and Replace” approach.

With over 60% of KVM switches in server rooms analog-based, IT administrators have a heavy investment in their current KVM systems. But when it comes to adding KVM IP access, most KVM manufacturers advocate replacing everything. In order to add KVM IP access to your server environment these companies make you completely remove your perfectly functioning analog KVM switches and replace them with their KVM switches with built-in IP technology. This makes their solutions very costly as you are paying for the KVM switch component twice, once for the analog KVM switch that you are throwing away and once for the new one.

An alternative approach allows companies to upgrade their existing analog switches; transforming them into IP enabled KVM switches. This is achieved by simply adding a technology layer on top of the legacy KVM systems, safeguarding the company investment. This cost effective solution, where you buy only what you need, costs less than half the price of competing systems. This approach saves time and money without sacrificing functionality providing a cost effective solution to KVM IP access. Minicom Advanced Systems calls this the Real Needs ™ approach.

The Real Needs approach is an affordable way to add KVM IP access that makes more sense for the end user. All companies really need to remotely control IT devices is a KVM IP gateway and a management system that is third party KVM switch compatible. There is simply no need to replace analog KVM switches. With the Real Needs approach companies upgrade to IP access and management for half the price of conventional methods saving tens of thousands of dollars in the process.

The Real Needs approach also slashes installation costs. IT managers have spent months building the perfect server racks and years laying wires all over their building. The thought of ripping up thousands of meters/feet of wire and laying brand new ones is a nightmare. Instead of destroying everything they have built up over the years and starting all over from zero, they can keep everything in place. With the Real Needs approach they simply add an additional technology layer on top of the existing systems. Not only do IT managers save themselves many hours of work, they also eliminate critical downtime for their company in the process.

Click here to read more about add-on technology that maximizes your IT installed base in Minicom’s new white paper
“KVM IP Management for Today’s IT Budget”.


Please visit our website for free informative resources such as white papers, case studies, podcasts and webinars on the subjects of KVM and Digital Signage.

The writer, Kenneth Dukofsky, is the Marketing Communications Manager of Minicom Advanced Systems. Minicom manufactures KVM server and computer management solutions that facilitate the control of the enterprise and corporate IT environments. Additionally, Minicom is an innovative manufacturer of distribution and extension solutions that provide the Digital Signage Last Mile™ player-to-screens stage of connectivity for Digital Signage systems. Minicom is an Intel Capital portfolio company and was named a Deloitte Technology Fast 500 company. Founded in 1988 Minicom has an international presence in over 70 countries, with headquarters in Israel and regional offices in North America and Europe.

Review: Remote KVM With Minicom Smart 116 IP

We recently sent products for review on ChannelWeb - the first is the Smart 116 IP, is a single user digital KVM switch.

The review as posted on ChannelWeb:

Review: Remote KVM With Minicom Smart 116 IP

A KVM switch may not be the most mission-critical piece of equipment, but it's sure handy to have. And they are getting even more convenient.

The KVM's job is very straightforward: share a single keyboard, video, and mouse across multiple machines. With the prevalence of LCD monitors instead of CRTs, it's not as preposterous to have a separate monitor, keyboard, and mouse for each PC at the desk, but it's not the most economical use of precious workspace. The KVM cleans up the desk and makes switching from one machine to another a more efficient process. Some of the modern KVM switches work over IP networks, making it possible to switch to machines located a certain distance away.

Minicom Advanced Systems sent two products from its KVM lineup to the Test Center for review. The first, the Smart IP 116, is a single user digital KVM switch. The other, the PX, is a palm-sized KVM-over-IP device.

The Smart IP 116 resembles a plain networking switch. It's a 1U, half-sized unit weighing a slightly less than five pounds. There are 16 RJ-45 ports for connecting servers to the switch, along with a LAN port, a serial port, a RJ-11 flash port, and ports for the video, keyboard, and mouse. The keyboard and mouse ports are PS/2.

The servers are connected to the switch using a dongle with a video and USB connector (PS2 connectors are also available) on one end and a RJ45 port on the other. There's a separate model specifically for Sun hardware, but they support Windows 98 SE or later, Mac OS, Sun, SGI, and modern Linux distributions.

A CAT5 cable connects the ROCC (RICC over cable) dongle to the switch, so the servers can be up to 100 feet (30 meters) away. Power is drawn over the keyboard PS/2 port or the USB port so an additional power adapter for each device is unnecessary. This simplifies cable management, with only a single cable extending from the server to the switch.

Setup is straightforward. After connecting the servers, a monitor, keyboard, and mouse to the 116 IP, it is plugged in and powered on. The LAN port should be connected to the network switch. Depending on how the switch is set up, access can be local or remote.

The Smart 116 IP grants BIOS-level control over the connected server, regardless of the connection method. For remote connections, data is encrypted through the 128-bit SSL protocol over a Web browser. To access the target server, the Web browser uses HTTPS to point to the server IP address. The screen is drawn using Active X control. Internet Explorer 6 or higher is required.

The remote session in the browser is fairly responsive, without a lot of the lag or problems with the refresh rate commonly seen in other remote access tools. The session window includes the name of the target server (which can be renamed in the Web config to a more user-friendly name) as well as a toolbar that allows the user to switch between other servers.

While the unit ships with a default IP address, it automatically picks up a new one from the network's DHCP server when powered on. For networks wanting to assign a static IP address to the Smart 116 IP, the Web-browser-based configuration interface makes this a simple process. The network settings, security settings, and firmware upgrades are all handled through this interface.

Administrators can also create users through the interface to control who has access to the servers and the level of access. The "View-only" access is convenient for situations when it's necessary to let users see what's happening for a given server, but not to give keyboard or mouse control, or to restrict which servers they can view. Regardless of access level, only one user can have control of the session, although multiple users can access the same server at the same time. Reviewers were able to use this level of access to simulate a WebEx or LiveMeeting experience where people could remotely see what was happening on a live server.

Solution providers can install this switch on a customer site to simplify how they access and manage customer servers. The user-access level can be configured to give them access to the servers, and with the remote session capability, solution providers can do most management tasks from their office without making the trip to the customer. Having BIOS-level access -- being able to restart the machine, go into the BIOS and check what is happening on the hardware level, to make changes to the configuration even before the OS (and related software) even starts -- can make a huge difference during an emergency trouble-shooting session.

While there are plenty of cheap KVM switches on the market, the $1,146 price tag on the Smart 116 IP is well worth it just for its remote connectivity. On a per-port basis, the switch costs about $72 per server, assuming all 16 ports are being used, which is a bargain.

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Not mentioned in the review, is the fact that in addition to the qualities of the product on it's own, the Smart 116 IP can be managed seamlessly by the KVM.net II Centralized Access & Management System.

We recently updated our white paper on how to achieve cost-efficient data center growth through centralized management that leverages your existing KVM infrastructure. You can download it free by filling out the simple form.

Product Announcement: Multi-User, Remote Access KVM Switch

We just released a couple of new KVM products, although they are basically the same product, there are different options to choose for it to perfectly serve your needs.


The new KVM switches for rack environments are a part of the "Smart" Line of KVM Switches by Minicom.


The official press release says....

The Smart 216 IP and the Smart 232 IP, multi-user, remote access KVM switches, are designed for IT managers of server rooms and data centers. The new products enable one local and two remote system administrators secure BIOS level access and control of up to 16 or 32 servers. Two additional remote users can also operate serial sessions for controlling serial devices such as routers, managed network switches or PDU’s. Like all Smart line KVM switches, the 216 IP and 232 IP offer seamless integration into Minicom’s centralized management system for remote IT – KVM.net ® II.

“These new products help round out Minicom’s Smart KVM line and position it as a major player in mid to high range server room and data center environments,” says Minicom’s Vice-President of Marketing Eran Kessel.

The Smart 216 IP and Smart 232 IP are rack-mountable, 1U sized switches that feature Minicom KVM over CAT5 technology that directly connects the switch to each server in the room, eliminating cable clutter and providing up to 30m/100ft of distance between server and switch. They also have built-in web servers enabling two remote users seamless access to target servers via a single IP address.

“The versatile, high-performance Smart 216 IP and Smart 232 IP provide solutions for many of the challenges facing distributed server rooms and data centers,” says KVM Product Manager Benny Hayumi.

Protected access is guaranteed via industry standard security protocols. Minicom utilizes the advanced 128-bit SSL protocol to guard your corporate data through every kind of remote access device. This technology efficiently prevents unauthorized access and security breaches.

Highlights of this product:

• Control of up to 16/32 servers by two remote users and one local user




• Control of two serial devices by two additional remote users




• KVM.net® II enabled




• Seamless power control




• Supports USB keyboard and mouse




• ROC technology - up to 30m/100ft between computer and switch




• Rack-mountable, space-saving




• High industry standard security




• Multi-platform capable




• Easy configuration and installation

The new products have just been released from development and are available for orders and shipping immediately. Contact your local Minicom office for more details about any of our products and to set up a free online product demo.

Reducing Travel Costs with Remote Server Access

In the current recession and with the recent steep climb in oil prices, companies are looking for ways to reduce their travel expenses. Travel also causes damage to the environment. A single passenger flying business class from New York to London will cause the emission of 3.5 tons of CO2 increasing the amount of greenhouse gasses responsible for global warming.

Due to the high cost of travel, many IT professionals are forced to limit both maintenance and repair efforts to a few scheduled onsite visits. Important work may be left undone for days or weeks. If the problem requires specialized hardware or software, work can be delayed even further – whether the visit is across the city or across the world.

There is however a way to keep IT assets running smoothly by remotely maintaining your computers via remote access. Instead of hopping into a car or plane to maintain or fix remote computers, IT staff can access the computers and work on them from the comfort of their own office, saving their company thousands of dollars in the process.

Taking it to the next level, using a KVM IP hardware solution allows accessing your servers at the deeper BIOS level, something software solutions are unable to accomplish. Remote access uses digital access to (keyboard, video, mouse) KVM switches via the TCP/IP (internet) protocol in order to allow administrators to manage systems from anywhere in the world.

This KVM access enables a number of unique missions to be performed of which remote software solutions are incapable, such as: booting from another hard disk if the main hard disk is broken; bypassing faulty hardware components; entering the Windows recovery console; entering ‘safe mode’ without networking; reconfiguring low level drivers; remotely booting to another operating system (dual boot); recovering and restoring the hard drive from a previous image etc.

According to an Intel Corporation study on trouble tickets and spending[1], approximately 5 percent of technical desktop computer-related support incidents represent slightly over 50 percent of total support costs, largely due to the costs of labor and travel. Certainly, any way to cut the cost of remote diagnosis/service—even just one of every four or five incidents—can mean significant budget savings, as well as returning users to business as usual.

Supportindustry.com reports that most IT help desk managers surveyed said that having instant access to accurate diagnostic information would make it faster (66 percent) and easier (62 percent) to resolve problems[2].

Due to spiraling travel costs, remote IT access has evolved from a luxury into a necessity. IT managers can simply no longer afford to be without it. Using remote access solutions, your computers and intelligent devices can be monitored and maintained from anywhere in the world. Problems can thereby be diagnosed more accurately and fixed in less time and at lower cost. Please visit our website for free informative resources such as white papers, case studies, podcasts and webinars on the subjects of KVM and Digital Signage.

By Kenneth Dukofsky, Marketing Communications Manager of Minicom Advanced Systems

The writer Kenneth Dukofsky is the Marketing Communications Manager of Minicom Advanced Systems. Minicom manufactures KVM server and computer management solutions that facilitate the control of the enterprise and corporate IT environments. Additionally, Minicom is an innovative manufacturer of distribution and extension solutions that provide the Digital Signage Last Mile™ player-to-screens stage of connectivity for Digital Signage systems. Minicom is an Intel Capital portfolio company and was named a Deloitte Technology Fast 500 company. Founded in 1988 Minicom has an international presence in over 70 countries, with headquarters in Israel and regional offices in North America and Europe.

[1] Intel IT Trouble Tickets & Spending, Intel Corp., 2003
[2] 66% of IT Help Desk Managers Not Completely Satisfied with Help Desk Technology Investment, Reports SupportSoft