John H Goodwin

Introduction

I have received for review the IP KVM switch called freeView IP 100 (KVM-01IA) made by Freedom9.

This switch is a single port IP KVM switch which means you can control the computer over the Internet or your local network even during the BIOS and CMOS settings screens.

In a home setting attaching a monitor to your computer may seem inconvenient but not out of the question. However, in some data center type settings or where the servers or computers may be too remote to easily do this the IP KVM may be an ideal solution for that kind of a situation. There's not much that can compare to the frustration of working with a computer that has been working for many months or years and then suddenly was not work and your remote screen tools or desktop tools will not allow you to access it because the computer won't boot and you won't be able to see what's on the screen. No longer will you be victim to a remote machine stuck at a "Press F1 to continue" screen!

In an ideal world your video, keyboard, and mouse would all be abstracted to the level that remoting them over TCP/IP would be a relatively easy thing and would even be built into modern computers. Until this utopian world appears products like IP KVM switches will always have an audience.