How to use your laptop as portable KVM console device

Many technicians, engineers, and administrators need to install systems without individual monitors and peripherals attached. Several manufacturers, such as APC, Iogear and Belkin, make a killing on huge and unwieldy KVM switches that include as many cables as you would get with an individual mouse, keyboard, and monitor for each system, eating up precious space. Software remote access solutions can be a security hazard allowing easier unauthorized access, assuming you can find a package that works with every operating system you use.

The alternative, and dreaded reality of many techs, is to lug around a monitor, keyboard, and mouse with you everywhere you need to go in case it will be needed. Epiphan Systems developed the KVM2USB product to eliminate the risky software and the bulky hardware by allowing you to use a simple laptop as the all-in-one peripheral for any system you want, regardless of operating system.

The first model came in a basic metal enclosure, great for rough environments but not aesthetically pleasing for the office. The current model can sit on your desk with pride, being a sleek charcoal color and only a couple of inches in each dimension. It is still made of a sturdy metal enclosure, so you don’t feel like it will need to be replaced after a drop.

The KVM2USB provides a connection between a computer’s peripherals (monitor, keyboard, and video) to another computer’s USB ports. You connect the USB cables to the chosen device, regardless of operating system, and install the other cables to the chosen computer or laptop. The small size makes it ideal for use with a laptop you may be carrying anyway. The KVM2USB software uses the universal compatibility of USB to provide connectivity, and it doesn’t take over your screen like an RDP or VNC session would, allowing you to use the laptop for other programs and resources easily. All the necessary equipment and software is installed before you even reach the server, reducing the need to add to system overhead, as long as it has standard VGA and USB ports.

The first model didn’t have a terribly clear screen, featuring video artifacts as much as your system. The new model has become much clearer, and supports resolutions up to 1024×1280, which most people are accustomed to using. The old model could support higher resolutions but at the higher limits the image was unusable. The new model also provides a much improved 30 fps (frames per second), from the previous model’s 10 fps.

The much improved KVM2USB model’s VGA functionality helps make it a better competitor to any full KVM system. Keystrokes and mouse clicks are response and quick, with no lag. A few chipsets can delay loading USB devices, and very rarely it was long enough to prevent you from entering the keystrokes necessary to enter the configuration screen. The new model is faster yet, eliminating this delay. Entering BIOS setup should not be a problem.

Many KVM models have difficulty working with passive converter cables, such as a PS/2 to USB attachment, but KVM2USB provides one straight out of the box. The USB connections have worked just fine on Dell Poweredge servers and desktops, and the software is available for both PCs and Macs. After you install the software, from http://www.epiphan.com/downloads, starting the program instantly returns an image. Escaping and entering the remote system is easy, something remote access software users will enjoy: Just click your middle mouse button (mouse wheel). The software is a free download off of their website, fully functional.

The entire bundle is available from the manufacturer for less than $400, for the current version as well as its predecessor. Epiphan Systems provided much improved features for their software without raising the price. Having to mount multiple rack-mounted KVM systems at various locations, combined with a monitor at each site, a set of peripherals, and the mess of cables, can quickly cost a lot more than the KVM2USB system which requires a single laptop you likely have already. Remote access software that is secure enough for enterprise use can easily reach higher than that as well. The KVM2USB is half of what some of its competitors are charging for KVM systems.

The cost of an appropriately sized monitor to drag with you everywhere will rival the KVM2USB without any of the other benefits. A solution that transmits the signals over IP, such as Raritan and Avocent’s systems, will only work for permanent installations that don’t change frequently. VNC, RDP, and other solutions require you to install the software on the device first, necessitating lugging that same monitor around with you at first. The KVM2USB eliminates all other devices, even for a first-time configuration, requires a few universal cables, and is a cost-efficient solution.

The new version is a tremendous improvement over the original and will save your back and your rack space. It responds fast enough to get into BIOS configuration screens, and requires no configuration to use. This is a great buy, and I would recommend it to anyone.

Buy KVM2USB now