What is a KVM switch? Connectivity Explained

KVM Over IP Switch

People who belong to the field of information technology may have heard about this technology, KVM is hardware that is used to control multiple computers via Keyboard, Monitor and Mouse.

What are they and why they are used?

KVM switches are of many times and come from different vendors, but one will find very little information on them over the internet that's why I thought to write an easy-to-understand article for the newbies. The KVM switches have two major categories one is IP-based switches and other is non-IP based ones. KVM over IP switches offer remote control to PC or servers one wants to monitor whereas non-IP based KVM switches offer onsite monitoring such as in Data Centers. Here we will discuss KVM over IP switches.

Connectivity:

If you are wondering how KVM switches must be connected in an environment to make it remotely accessible, then you are right place. In order to make it quick for you is all you need to do is to do port forwarding in your Firewall/Router.

Requirements:

1. Static IP

    This is a must have, without static you cannot have remote connectivity or may not last on permanent basis. Static IP can provide you full time connectivity and make your life easier. By reading further you will get to know why it is so.

2. Adaptors/Connectors

    There are several adaptors or connectors available in market for establishing connectivity between KVM and remote PC's or Servers. Most common one is as under. 

The Method

Now what you have to do is 

• connect this connector/adaptor in a way that one end of the RJ45 Cable will go into the one of the output ports of the KVM and other one in the blue colored connector as shown above. (Some KVM's have only 1 port, some have 8, 16 or 32 ports). All KVM switches have different number of ports depending on their model.
• Connect two USB ports (as shown above) in the systems input for which you want to monitor keyboard and mouse.
• The HDMI port goes either directly to your system /PC/Server depending on the system you want to monitor remotely. (Maybe you will need HDMI to USB connector as shown below in the picture if you don't have HDMI port in your PC/System/Laptop/Server)

• Now last but the most important one is to do port forwarding in your Router/Firewall (depending on your network environment). You have to mention the LAN IP of your KVM switch, the Static IP obtained from your ISP and the port number you are going to open for your KVM.

Testing

Once you are done with the connectivity, now it's time for testing.

Many KVM over IP switches provide Web GUI interface such as Raritan DXIII KVM over IP switches. All you have to do is to put URL in your browser in the format https://yourstaticIP:PortNumber and you are good to go.

The reason I haven't mentioned minute details such as user creation or connectivity are very straight forward. I have just highlighted what causes confusion or trouble to newbies.

Please feel free to ask me any questions and do like this post and follow me so that I can keep writing straight forward content for technicians/engineers.

Thanks.