Omnio KVM Technologies glossary

Adder - UK manufacturer of low end KVM switches and Extenders
Algorithm - Mathematical formula used to compress data to reduce file size
AMX - Avocent version of Raritan Paragon analogue switch
AMX Emerge - New Avocent specialised solutions for the broadcast industry
Analogue - Non digital “out-of-band” switch
ATEN - leading designer and manufacturer of cutting edge connectivity solutions for the IT industry
Austin Hughes - Manufacturer of innovative 19" rack mount technology, LCD Panels& KVM Drawers
Avocent - Largest world-wide manufacturer of KVM technology after the 1999 merger of Apex and Cybex

Bandwidth - The capacity of a device to carry high frequency signals through it
BIOS - The technical information displayed on the screen as the computer boots up which the KVM switch technology can allow the user to see
Blocking - The ratio of simultaneous users to number of servers e.g. 1 user to 8 port switch is 1 to 8 blocking, as soon as the first server is accessed the other 7 are blocked out.
Boot - Computer start-up sequence

CAT5/6/X - Industry standard of cable also known as UTP (Untwisted pair)
Cascade - Connecting several KVM switches together to allow users to access all servers
CIM - Computer Interface Module with emulation chip inside for keep alive technology
Converter - Device to allow one type of hardware to be used by another i.e. USB device via PS/2 keyboard.

Daisy-chaining - Connecting KVM switches together to increase blocking of KVM but to reduce cost of solution per port.

Emulation - The intelligence (chip) inside a KVM switch to make computer think it’s keyboard and mouse is attached.

Firmware - The programme that runs inside a KVM switch or other device to give its functionality
Flash Memory/Upgrade - Provides a way to upgrade a KVM product already in situ by sending data changes to its internal firmware
Frame-rate - The number of video screen updates sent per second, commonly 60 or 75 Hz

GUI - Graphical User Interface, the screen images seen by the user

Hardware - Any computer or server device

IP - Internet protocol that specifies a format of data into packets also called datagrams. Most networks combine IP with a higher protocol called Transport Control Protocol (TCP) which gives us the entire protocol of TCP/IP which is the main basis of communication over the internet
IP Address - Number that allows information to reach its correct final destination i.e. an e-mail address

Keyboard mode - A standard PS/2 keyboard can operate in mode 1, mode 2 or mode 3. Mode 2 is used by the majority of PCs.
KVM - The initials used to reference a keyboard, video and mouse. It may refer to the physical KVM or to the corresponding ports on a computer.
KVM Extenders - Products that allow you to increase the distance between the KVM interfaces from either the KVM itself, a computer, or a switch. The standard cable-only distance is about 20 feet. Extenders convert the KVM signals to travel over coax, CAT5 twisted pair or fibre optic cable.
KVM Switches - Connects one or more sets of keyboard, monitor, and mouse to the corresponding interfaces of two or more computers. Switching is accomplished through either front panel switches or keyboard commands.

Local Area Network (LAN) - A local network for inter-computer communication; especially a network connecting computers and word processors and other electronic office equipment to create an inter-office system.
Local user - A user on a matrix switch that can connect only to the computers on the physical unit to which the user is attached.

Port - A physical interface on a device, which goes to a connector
PS/2 - The keyboard and mouse standard that has become the industry standard present on almost all PCs and became used on UNIX workstations as well. This is most commonly implemented as a 6 pin mini-din connector.

Rose Electronics - Recognized as the pioneer of KVM switch technology, Rose Electronics offers a comprehensive range of local and remote server management products

Scene Double - UK based manufacturer and supplier of products for Keyboard, Video and Mouse (KVM) and USB extension over CATx (Cat 5/5e/6) UTP/STP and Fibre Optic cabling.
Single User - A KVM switch with only one point of KVM access to all computers attached

User - The name for a KVM workstation (the actual KVM) attached to a KVM switch which receives video and sends keyboard and mouse information. Also refers to the port on the KVM switch or the person accessing the workstation. Also called user console, console, KVM console, user station, KVM station.

Wide Area Network (WAN) - A method of connecting together LANs or remote computers over longer distances than a LAN.