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KVM over IP eases growing pains: footpaths among buildings are no longer worn bare - Special Focus: Local Area Networks

Communications News, Jan, 2002 by Stewart Hulett

Data center growth in excess of 480% would stress any IT department. Some might panic, some might start on a hiring binge, and some might take the opportunity to look at overall efficiency, seeking out better ways to make growth work. Fast-growing financial service administrator, Warranty Corp. of America (WaCA), was built on a can-do culture--customer service is its business--and that culture suits WaCA's research and development manager, Al Edwards, just fine.

When the company's success had it growing at a rate of nearly 200%, and after its offices were squeezed out of the building that houses the data center, WaCA's IT department was being stretched thin. Faced with cross-campus, sneakernet commutes to the 2,000-square-foot data center that houses 62 mission-critical, 24x7 servers, Edwards knew there was a better way. He just needed to find it.

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He researched remote access solutions, and quickly realized that the security and reliability of a hardware-based solution was a must for his situation. He envisioned a robust solution that would enable access from anywhere, on campus or around the world, via an assortment of access routes, from LAN to WAN and wireless.

Edwards made the choice to go with a digital keyboard/video/ mouse (KVM) solution built on Avocent (www.avocent.com) DS1800 digital KVM switches. He estimated that his initial $70,000 investment to set the system up would be recouped in six months. After further analysis and realization of the potential cost savings for a high-profile and time-sensitive internal project, Edwards revised that return on investment down to four months. His new numbers project that the system will save WaCA more than $25,000 each month during the project timeline, and, at the same time, deliver better service.

"We decided that the best response to increased demands on the systems and staff in the IT department would be to add a combination of technology and people," says Edwards. "With the DS 1800 KVM over IP on the technology side of the formula, I'm able to deal with the personnel side in ways I just couldn't before."

WaCA's greatest savings have come in the form of time. The company was able to avoid big IT staffing increases by making better use of the resources it has. Before the system was installed, each one of the company's three network engineers had been spending an average of one-and-one-half hours a day walking between buildings to do their jobs performing maintenance, and resolving server and end-user system issues. By facilitating remote access, the solution has freed up that time for more productive work.

Because of the security and accessibility of the system, WaCA can leverage the talents of experts from anywhere in the world. Whether they are on-site or thousands of miles away, contractors can be given controlled, circumscribed access to the systems they need, allowing them to work as if they are sitting in the data center, with none of the security liabilities of full physical access.

"Setting this up was a breeze--it literally worked right out of the box," Edwards adds. "In fact, integration with Windows NT--one of my key requirements-was smooth as can be. I did not want to have to waste time with redundant setup.

"The most universally understood benefit we've seen is an actual service-level increase. We're supporting a call center, so quick access and quick action are critical, and this new system has given us the ability to respond more rapidly."

Next, according to Edwards, WaCA will be integrating wireless touch-screen computers into the DS1800 service network for wireless KVM over IP. IT engineers will be able to respond to user issues and handle an entire installation or repair tasks without leaving the user's desk.

Circle 251 for more information from Avocent

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KVM over IP eases growing pains: footpaths among buildings are no longer worn bare - Special Focus: Local Area Networks

Communications News, Jan, 2002 by Stewart Hulett

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