Single switch, multiple controls

When people think of switches, the first thing that comes to mind is the on-off switch for a light in your house or for electrical appliances.

Joy Britten, accessories product manager at Axiz, says few people realise that switches are the backbone of most communications networks used for vital elements of our lives such as the Internet. She says they play a vital role on the super highway, together with routers, managing a variety of communication signals.

"Simplistically, switches interrupt the flow of a signal, and then turn it on again. They allow different parts of a system to `talk` to one another, or not at all. They can do this at high speed or low speed. They are built to handle heavy loads or light loads, depending on the requirements," explains Britten.

She says this deceptively small piece of hardware, the KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switch is surprisingly useful and gives significant cost savings for both home and business users.

The advent of network technology has boosted the efficiency, effectiveness and practicality of KVM switches. Coupled to the growth and development of SMEs, a need for a more centralised console management technology such as KVM switches has become a priority. This simple hardware device allows a user to control multiple computers from a single keyboard, monitor and mouse. Although multiple computers are connected to the KVM in a data centre, a smaller number of computers may be controlled in the home environment.

Businesses have increasing demands for space, equipment and productive use of their network administration personnel. "Customers need a method to control multiple computers efficiently. A KVM switch provides a flexible, efficient control of multiple computers while helping to minimise floor space, equipment, environmental and administration costs," says Britten.

The basics of KVM technology is that by connecting a KVM switch to a single keyboard, monitor and mouse it can be used to monitor and control two, 10 or several hundred computers or servers.

"You can imagine the cost savings for data centres that would otherwise need dedicated hardware for each unit in the centre. There are also considerable savings in power and huge potential reduction in emitted heat from monitors," says Britten. She adds that KVM switches also enable the remote management of data centres.

KVM technology has evolved into a highly sophisticated and intelligent system of electronic components. Britten explains that it is important to understand what demand will be placed on the switch to ensure you purchase the correct one.

She says there are five key areas to consider before buying a KVM switch:

* Single or multiple platforms
* Local or remote location control
* Security preferences
* Scalability requirements
* Cable requirements

Britten says Axiz distributes a comprehensive range of Belkin KVM switches, from 2-port solutions for home and small offices to enterprise-grade switches capable of supporting multiple configurations and providing high-levels of scalability and platform support.

Contact Axiz on (011) 237 7268 or visit www.axiz.com for more information.