By Rick Stevenson

KVM

CONTENT

• Types of KVM

• The difference between passive and active KVMs

• Advantages and disadvantages• Summary

• What is a KVM?

• What is a software KVM?• What is a hardware KVM?

• KVM is an abbreviation for Keyboard, Video and Mouse

• Control multiple computers using a single monitor, keyboard and mouse (standard)

• Connect multiple monitors, keyboards and mice to a single computer (reverse)

WHAT IS A KVM?

TYPES OF KVM

• Standard

• Reverse

• Active

• Hardware

• Software

• Passive

• Active

WHAT IS A SOFTWARE KVM

A software KVM is very similar to a hardware KVM however:

A software KVM generally cannot share a monitor, only the keyboard and mouse

A software KVM does not require external hardware and can run on any existing network

One of the best software KVMs (synergy) costs $0.00 and is completely open source

WHAT IS A HARDWARE KVM?

This is a hardware KVMComputer Selector

Console Keyboard and Mouse

Console Monitor

Client Keyboard and Mouse

Client Monitor

Power

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PASSIVE AND ACTIVE

A passive KVM switch changes the keyboard, video and mouse to interact with each computer by using a hardware switch or knob.

An active KVM switch changes the keyboard, video and mouse to interact with each computer by using an electronic switch (either a button on the KVM or a keyboard shortcut)

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PASSIVE AND ACTIVE (CONT.)

In short,

Passive = Mechanical

Active = Electronic

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Hardware KVM

Advantage Disadvantage

No software required Cost

Not dependent on a network

Limited Upgradeability

Manual changing of computer control

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES (CONT.)

Software KVM

Advantage Disadvantage

Cost (free, open source) Dependent on stable network

Automatic changing of computer control

Generally can only share keyboard and mouse

Effectively unlimited upgradeability

May require local administrator rights

Share the same clipboard

SUMMARY

If you need to control more than one computer using the same keyboard, mouse and monitor

Or

If you need to have more than one active user on a single computer

Or

If your desk looks like this…

END.

Then a KVM could be of benefit to you

Random fact: Throughout the duration of this presentation over 300,000 songs were downloaded illegally off of the internet.