-- Industrys First 32-port, Five-Channel KVM Digital Switch --
SOMERSET, NJ (February 14, 2005) -- Raritan Computer Inc. — a leading provider of solutions for managing IT infrastructure equipment and the mission-critical applications and services that run on it — today expanded its enterprise-class Dominion KX product line by adding the industry's first IP-based KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switch that supports five concurrent users and up to 32 servers. The company also unveiled a KVM-over-IP switch supporting five concurrent users and 16 servers.
The new Dominion KX models — KX432 and KX416 — are ideal for situations where multiple IT specialists need simultaneous remote access to data center equipment. Using Raritan's proven and secure KVM-over-IP technology, the Dominion KX switches support up to five concurrent users — four of them via a Web browser and one via the local console port — for high-availability access to servers and other devices.
The breadth of the expanded Dominion KX product line — ranging from the KX116 (two concurrent users and 16 ports) to the KX432 (five concurrent users and 32 ports) — enables companies to deploy solutions that best match their IT environments. For example, installing one 32-port KVM switch, instead of several switches, to handle all the equipment in a densely-populated server rack not only simplifies server management, but also preserves rack space and reduces associated costs, such as HVAC and electricity. Dominion KX switches also protect IT investment because they can scale easily to meet the needs of expanding data centers and server farms.
For enterprise-wide Web-access and control, hundreds of Dominion KX switches can be aggregated onto a single, logical command-and-control network with Raritan's CommandCenter appliance.
The new Dominion KX five-channel models feature enhanced video quality and reduced network bandwidth requirements through advancements in Raritan's award-winning compression and encryption technologies. Integrated power control, at the click of a mouse, is enabled for up to four Raritan remote power strips per Dominion KX. Local at-the-rack access is always available with the Dominion KXs local console port, which supports up to 1600 X 1200 high-resolution displays.
Since the first Dominion KX models were introduced early last year, sales have exceeded projections and the Dominion models have garnered awards from leading publications around the world, including ZDNets Technology & Business magazine in Australia, China Information Week, UKs PC Pro magazine and Service Provider Weekly in the U.S.
"With the addition of the KX five-channel models, our Dominion KVM family can support the requirements of small, medium and large data centers, while allowing room for server/device growth," said Rich Moscioni, vice president of North American sales at Raritan. "By using a Web browser, IT specialists can have BIOS-level access and control of data center equipment to solve and prevent IT problems faster and easier. Our goal is to provide companies with the tools to increase the effectiveness of today's incident, problem and change management systems and best practices in order to maximize operations uptime and drive down systems management costs."
The Dominion KX is a completely self-contained system with all the critical features, including authentication and Web-access, built into the unit. After connecting servers and devices to the KX using standard UTP cabling, users simply set an IP address and begin accessing and controlling servers. Advanced features include 128-bit encryption of keyboard, mouse and video signals; dual-Ethernet connections for network redundancy; and a dedicated modem port, so that servers can be accessed even in the event of a network failure. Dominion KX has built-in authentication capabilities, and integrates easily with existing authentication systems, such as LDAP, RADIUS and Active Directory.
Pricing and Availability — U.S. list pricing for the Dominion KX416 is $6,495 and the Dominion KX432 is $7,795. Starting today, both models are available worldwide through Raritan's extensive reseller and distribution channels.
KVM switches — initially used to manage multiple desktop PCs with one keyboard, mouse and monitor (similar to A/B printer switches) — today are enabling IT workers, from anywhere, to monitor thousands of data center servers and to pinpoint and handle problems, even reboot servers, as if they were actually at the server rack. Raritan Computer introduced the industry's first enterprise-class, Cat5-based KVM switch for the enterprise more than three years ago, enabling IT administrators to control racks of servers and other equipment up to distances of 1,000 feet. Raritan added anytime, anywhere access with the addition of Raritan's IP connectivity to KVM switches.