Since IHSE’s founding in 1984 it has grown into a leading electronics manufacturer, building some of the most advanced technology available for Air Traffic Technology. Having started with a single DVI converter module in 1984, the company now provides thousands of products for KVM and Display Management.
The company’s core products are based on KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) solutions, but over the years the company has expanded into what it now describes as Display Management Systems (DMS).
The main function of a KVM system is to control, switch and manage many PCs. Traditionally, there are two types of KVM systems. For small systems, a single-user KVM switch is a fixed point-to-point extender system or closed desktop switch with multiple inputs to a single output. KVM switches are often found in data centers where multiple computers are connected locally at the workstation.
A KVM matrix system is a set of hardware devices that allows multiple users to control multiple computers in different locations from a single keyboard, video monitor, and mouse. For applications where a larger enterprise-level KVM switch matrix is required, it can manage hundreds of computers and workstations. The KVM matrix switch system reduces the number of peripherals that data centers and server farms require, enabling businesses to conserve space, cut power consumption, simplify cabling, and reduce expenses.
With KVM matrix switches, the IT department can provide connectivity to peripherals using extensions like USB, HDMI, DVI-D, DisplayPort, and serial signals. By using pre-defined hotkeys on a keyboard or switching via a pushbutton on the KVM switch, a user can change control from one computer to the next.
Now with the increased need for computer-based automation, testing, and simulation, it becomes more important to improve workflow, share resources, and facilitate a more efficient way for employees to work. To take advantage of these benefits, many companies now deploy Display Management Systems to access multiple high-performance resources from a single workstation. DMS is an advanced technology design based on sharing resources securely in a many-to-one (single user) and any-to-any (multi-user) hardware access concept. The DMS concept helps unburden the stress of workstation assignments by connecting every computer or server to a distributed system without compromising on security, quality, and performance.
Classic KVM vs DMS
KVM matrix switchers were originally a simple switch box that connected a few computers at the user’s workstation, allowing the user to switch between the computers via a single keyboard, video monitor, and mouse. A user could put two or more physical computers at the same desktop and switch among them using a push button on a switch box or use a special keyboard macro (hotkey) to change from one computer system to the next.
Over the years, technology advancements enabled more efficient ways of streamlining operations via a web browser interface, KVM over physical IP networks or simple On-Screen Display (OSD) selections from direct-connect peripheral extender boxes. This allowed remote access to hundreds of computer systems either directly or using an IP network. KVM matrix systems allowed universal compatibility with any operating system such as Windows, Mac, and Linux since it only transmitted similar USB-HID or VESA-based graphic card resolutions.
Today, a new breed of KVM switches has been designed that allows users to easily control and configure computers at the desktop that manage what is seen on the display and what can operate via the keyboard and mouse. As many IT departments are operating at downsized levels, and employees are being asked to manage more equipment with fewer resources, the ability to remotely manage and maintain the performance of computer equipment has become an essential part of the ATM business model. Not only does the end-user need to manage access to computers but they also need to manage things like USB peripherals, multi-display settings, network settings, resource sharing, and security log-in access.
The legacy KVM switch was designed to be managed by an IT department professional but today’s KVM systems have been simplified to allow non-technical users the ability to access information they want pushed to the display with such things as simple touch panel interfaces or keyboard commands. The new user-friendly KVM systems are more focused on helping with display management at the desktop than just getting computer access.
The DMS provides the bridge that allows local users to control and switch between multiple PCs or servers via a single keyboard and mouse. Additionally, the DMS can also utilize multiple video monitors and share remote video sources from the local desktop. The main difference is that a DMS can be configured to support multiple monitors, multiviewers, or wall processors as well as supporting configurable Extended Display Identification Data (EDID), adding multiple layers of security, as well as managing resolution compatibility to maintain image consistency across different types of display connectors.
Key features of DMS
A DMS matrix switch like those from IHSE are designed to provide a transparent connection between computers and user workstations in a typical source-switch-destination configuration. By examining the work environment of a control room system, it becomes easy to understand the value of security, video quality, and low latency for users’ keyboard and mouse interactions.
Also, a DMS matrix system can solve security problems by isolating the data signal for a keyboard and mouse from the smart card or CAC reader. Built-in control methods of the KVM switch allow permission-only access to touchscreen displays, podium presentation equipment, or an operator’s workstation prior to getting access to the CPU.
As a secondary security level, a console display extender includes an on-screen display (OSD)-level username and password when the keyboard becomes active.
In addition, within a traditional control room environment, many disparate systems typically function as standalone devices. These systems are frequently obtained from different computers or server manufacturers with their own displays and input interfaces. This normally forces operators to interact with multiple systems and keyboards. With a DMS matrix switch solution, it becomes much easier to manage these systems under a single keyboard and mouse. This reduces desktop clutter and creates a superior workflow for managing multiple screens and operations under one access point. For security, IHSE allows administrators full access to define user access permissions and log-in requirements as well as other diagnostics and oversight of each workstation on the system.
Finally, using a DMS Multiview processor allows you to create multiple “Desktop Views” that provide immediate visibility of key real-time information across the system. Information may be selected, re-routed, and “drilled into” for immediate access to key data.
DMS security requirements
Currently, businesses and government organisations seek to prevent network cyberattacks by physically isolating IP networks via private or secure network protocols. Mission-critical control systems and those that carry commercially sensitive data must be secure from external access by unauthorized agents. Any system that relies on an IP network is likely to have exposed entry points and will require extensive firewall and isolation procedures to prevent attack. Because USB jump drives and USB storage devices are such a dominant method of storing work files for remote work, they create a significant issue for security and network administrators when these drives are connected via a remote network.
“The KVM-to-DMS concept is growing in popularity as an effective tool to expand the accessibility of a physical computer”
DMS for streamlining data access
The ability to obtain, gather, process, and distribute information effectively is key to gaining operational superiority. Many system designers find DMS switching to be an effective means to streamline data access while maintaining an important level of security and data quality. DMS extenders and matrix switches streamline both by controlling, switching, managing, converting, and delivering video, audio and data signals like USB.
DMS benefits
Some airports are large, some small and some growing. IHSE products for ATM can be sized and scaled to suit almost any environmental situation. For small airports, Draco Flex systems provide easy setup and configuration with a fix number of connection ports. For larger airports with increased traffic control requirements, our modular Draco enterprise KVM matrix solutions provide a modular design that can grow or expand as your needs do – without the need to remove or replace installed equipment.
Our products are designed to support critical workflow environments with options for redundant power, redundant path extensions, and redundant controllers. To always support safety, special efforts have been made to make our hardware easily adapted to network management systems for SNMP, SYSLOG, multi-level switch grid management and integrated network diagnostics.
As system designers walk the fine line between accessibility and security, they have found DMS to be an effective means to streamline data access while maintaining an important level of security and data quality. IHSE’s Display Management Systems can be tailored to suit each user or user team. DMS enables a simpler and more cost-effective solution for sharing computer and server access more securely. Changing computer access on the fly also enables timely access to information without the need of network technicians.
It is hard to believe that KVM was once viewed as nothing more than a backroom access point for IT departments to fix computer connection problems from a centralised location. From these humble beginnings, it evolved into an integral part of almost any workflow at the desktop. The KVM-to-DMS concept is growing in popularity among both commercial and government organizations as an effective tool to expand the accessibility of a physical computer remotely over a traditional network infrastructure. Utilising advanced security protocols and regardless of operating systems the DMS —the next-gen KVM — design allows users to easily control sources remotely while benefiting system administrators for remote maintenance, support, and failure recovery.