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Date: |
February
10th, 2002 |
| Type: |
Review |
| Supplier: |
Avocent
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| Author: |
mayhem |
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Testing
In testing the
unit we just put it through the paces of running servers remotely
and locally to see how it performed. In doing so two system where
used (three in total including the local monitor, mouse and keyboard),
the first was a Windows 2000 system (connected to the network) as
the DSAuthentication Server and also for the DSAdmin, the second
system was a Windows ME system used (pretending to be one of the
servers on Port 1), this allowed us to test all the necessary features.
When using
the DSR2161 locally, by connecting a keyboard, video, mouse to the
analog ports, the hardware has a handy onscreen display that is
handy to set up the machine and custom every setting for each port.
This allows you to give each user and port a name (similar to the
DSView software for remote sessions).
DSView Setup
of DSR2161: DSView
Topology | DSR
Connection (click link to view the images)
Remote Access
The Session
Window is very similar to the look of pcAnywhere, allowing a windowed
connection to the server of your choice. This setup is both convenient
and problematic, on the good side you can connect to more than one
system at a time (depending on the model of the DSR), but the performance
is not 100 percent real-time like it is with a directly connected
keyboard, monitor and mouse. Then again, you have to understand
that the DSR is taking the analog signals, digitizing them, compressing
them, encrypting them and then encapsulating them into a TCP packet.
Then they are sent down the wire where the process is then reversed
at the client running DSView. While there is some latency in video
performance, it is a very small sacrifice to make in return for
the huge amount of flexibility you gain by being able to control
your servers from anywhere in the world.
Since the DSR2161
unit is a combination of Hardware and Software the control of the
system comes up differently if your accessing from the local port
of a remote session using DSView.
Unfortunately
we were unable to test the unit with 16 machines connected to it,
but from the above testing you can see how the unit works with all
its features.
Conclusion
For a business
solution the Avocent/Cybex DSR2161 unit is rather a good option,
allowing upto 16 servers to be remotely monitored or operated by
upto 3 connections at any one time makes the job of any IT Technician
easier to say the least.
Although it
does allow you to completely display a system to the local screen
(using the Session Window) it doesn't actually allow you to manage
the unit in the same was as the other KVM's we have seen before
(where by the control is physically transfers over to the screen
and keyboard your sitting at), the way the DSR2161 works is more
like pcAnywhere by Symantec which leads to the question couldn't
you just use pcAnywhere in the first place. Well yes and no would
be the answers to that, if your looking for a cheaper solution then
pcAnywhere 10.0 might be for you, but the DSR2161 allows for greater
flexibility with its central server design. The end choice would
really depend on the network that you are implementing.
Pros
Connections
for upto 16 servers
Rack mountable
1U unit
Fully configurable
via null modem cable
Cons
The price
tag of $3000 US for the DSR2161
No Linux support
or software
NTFS partition
installation for DSAuthentication Service
Overall the
DSR2161 is packed full of features making it easy to use and ideal
for a large scale solution and implementation.
A special thanks
goes out to the team at Avocent and Trisha from NetPR for supplying this
kit for our review. If you would like to find out some more technical
information or would like to place an order for a SwitchView then please
visit the Avocent website.
Score:
8 / 10
Avocent now
have an Australian reseller, below are the necessary contact details:
Blue Ridge
Justin Milne
Phone: 61-7-3250-7777
Fax : 61-7-3257-1700
P.O. Box 455
Nundah Queensland, 4012
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