As we know, KVM technology is advanced and popular in many industries. To make managing many computers more efficient and convenient, many industries find the best KVM solution. KVM switches and KVM extenders are frequently used to deal with management issues.
What are KVM switches?
KVM switches are hardware used to connect to multiple servers and switch their signals so that users can control random ones with a keyboard, a mouse, and a monitor. They are made with 2/4//8/16/32 ports to control 2/4/8/32 computers conveniently. What’s more, the daisy-chain connection of the KVM switches allows users to control more than one thousand computers.
What are KVM extenders?
A KVM extender consists of a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is used to send the signals of the servers, and the receiver is used to accept these signals. It is just used to extend the transmitting distance of the signals. It allows the users to control computers placed in remote locations conveniently. It is used in many scenarios such as control rooms, data centers, production lines, or some environments with potential risk.
Differences between KVM switches and KVM extender
The key difference is that they have different functions. KVM switches allow the users to switch connected computers randomly. However, the KVM extenders can just only extend the transmitting distance of signals of the servers. One KVM switch can connect more than 2 computers, but one KVM extender can only extend the signal of one server.
Can you use KVM switches and KVM extenders together?
The answer is yes. Their functions are different. If you have too many computers to manage and the location of the servers is too remote, you can connect the servers to transmitters one by one and then connect the transmitters to a switch. Then the switch will distribute the signals of the connected receivers. Finally, if you want to control these servers from a single console, you can connect them to a KVM switch. This KVM solution can make your management of computers more systematic and standardized.
Conclusion
In short, KVM switches are used for switching computers and the KVM extenders are used for extending signals of the servers. They can be used independently or used together to provide a more efficient KVM solution.