Computer servers designed for rackmounting often include a
number of extra features to make the server easy to use in the rack:
-
The sliding rails can lock in the extended position to
prevent the equipment from moving when extended out from the rack into the
service position
-
The server often has locking pins on the sides that just
drop into slots on the extended rail assembly. This permits a very easy
server installation and removal
-
The rackmount hardware often includes a folding cable tray
behind the server, so that the cables are held into a neat and tidy folded
channel when inside the rack, and unfolds out into a long strip when pulled
out of the rack, allowing the server to continue to be plugged in and
operating normally even while fully extended and hanging in midair in front
of the rack
-
Rack-optimized servers often include an indicator light on
the front and rear of the rack to help identify the problem machine
-
A handle may be provided at the rear of the server rails, to
help pull or push the server without having to pull on the cables
| The
Indian KVM Saga |
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| A typical server
"cage", commonly seen in colocation |
On the accessories front,
desktop KVM switches have gained importance in data centers. Over the past
few years, data centers are under increasing pressure to maintain the pace
of growth and minimize security threats as well as administration and
maintenance costs. Also, there is a requirement to manage servers 24x7 as
most of the hosted businesses go global, and need to have websites and
back-end systems functioning day and night.
This is precisely where KVM
switches have come into play providing succor to several data center
managers during the year. The reasons for growth of KVM switches are
simple: the increase in volume of server shipment besides the growing
demand for remote and centralized management from data centers.
The KVM market in India in
FY 07 was estimated to be around Rs 26 crore. Bigger players like
Avocent and Raritan captured more than 60% of the market share, while the
rest was controlled by the likes of Belkin, Rose, Aten, Hanut, D-Link, and
Minicom. According to a market potential study, in terms of revenue,
higher-end sales takes about 60% of the market whereas entry level and
middle level takes around 40% of the market share.
KVM switches are helping enterprises to
save space in their organization and are proving to be a valuable tool
providing ease of management over racks of servers. Apart from that the
advanced security features of these KVM switches are also keeping CIOs
happy. |
Due to the large number of computers that can be installed into
a single rack, it is impractical for each computer to have its own separate
keyboard, mouse, and monitor. Instead a sharing device known as a KVM switch is
used to share a single keyboard, mouse, and monitor amongst many different
computers in the rack at once.
Since the mounting hole arrangement is vertically symmetric, it
is possible to mount rack-mountable equipment upside-down. However, not all
equipment is suitable for this type of mounting. For instance, most optical disc
players will not work upside-down because the driving motor mechanism will not
grip the disc.
Source: wikipedia.org
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