How to use laptop as KVM Switch - Epiphan KVM2USB Review

Epiphan's KVM2USB compact gadget helps to use laptop as KVM Console

If you are systems administrator or data center professional - you often need to setup, configure, maintain and control "headless" servers - computers without any keyboard/mouse/monitors connected to it.

Traditional approach would be to use standalone or rack mounted KVM switches from Belkin, APC, iogear, avocent and others vendors, or software based solutions, such as VNC. Standalone KVM switches does come with a high price tag together with a huge web of cables. Software solutions needs to be compatible with operating system and security policy that presumably allow such software to be installed.

In cases where above setups are not available and servers are running "headless" - the only solution is to carry a "crash cart" with you.

Quite often "crash cart" setup consists of a separate monitor, simple keyboard, and a mouse. Which obviously is inconvenient to store and haul around every time a new installation, server support or maintanence work is needed.

KVM2USB comes to rescue - as super practical, portable and easy to use solution from Epiphan Systems.

KVM2USB is an external portable device that allows to use any laptop or notebook computer as KVM console to control headless servers, regardless of operating systems (if any) installed on the server itself.

Epiphan manufactures KVM2USB devices for a few years already and just recently updated to the new edition of KVM2USB equipped with superior hardware and firmware.

In this review, I will do an in-depth comparison between the old and new KVM2USB as well as have a look at the shortcomings and advantages of both devices. Here is direct link to KVM2USB at Epiphan's website.

1. Physical Appearance

The looks of the KVM2USB have gone a long way since the release of the first version. First KVM2USB came in a simple generic aluminum enclosure with a sticker on it. It was very rugged and compact, but not the most pleasant thing to look at.

The new KVM2USB comes in a very sleek enclosure and looks like a gem! It is of dark grayish color with the company logo, device name, etc all printed on the surface. The new KVM2USB retained the same small dimensions as the old one, about 3" x 2" x 1", which I find very impressive. The size of it (length x width) is about the same as that of a credit card, meaning it fits easily in a shirt pocket or laptop bag. The enclosure of the new KVM2USB is made of aluminum and feels very solid, even compared to the old one.

2. How it Works

Epiphan Systems' KVM2USB works as a bridge between the keyboard, VGA video, and mouse (KVM) of one machine, and the USB of another. Basically, all you have to do is plug in the PS/2, USB and VGA keyboard, mouse, and video connectors into the computer that you want to control, and plug the USB connector into the machine that you will be emulating the KVM combo with. In my case, I am using a laptop to emulate the monitor and keyboard/mouse of the server that I am setting up.

In order to use this device, you must install the KVM2USB drivers and application onto the laptop that you are planning to use the device with. Once installed, you simply start up the application and connect the KVM2USB to the laptop and server. The application takes about 5 seconds to find the device and then you're ready to go. Your laptop instantly becomes a keyboard, monitor, and mouse replacement! Of course, you can minimize or resize the application if you would like to view something on your laptop and then go back to the application once you are ready to use the server again. I use this feature often as I am sometimes forced to refer to manuals and documentation that I have stored on my laptop.

The beauty of all of this is that, as long as the drivers and application are installed on the machine that you will be emulating the KVM combo with, the device works out of the box without any other configuration. You do not need to install any special software on the machine you are administering. Using KVM2USB, you can access anything from a server that runs Linux to an embedded machine that uses proprietary firmware. As long as it has a VGA output and PS/2 or USB keyboard/mouse inputs, the device is compatible with KVM2USB.

3. Image Quality

Even though image quality is not that important when setting up a machine, a crisp image is important when reading tiny "fine print" or accessing some applications. The first, older model of the KVM2USB was able to display a resolution of 1280x1024, the most common resolution that I use, just fine. However, the image was not very crisp and you could clearly see artifacts from interlacing. It was usable but I would not call it a pleasure to work with.

Epiphan Systems seem to have addressed this problem with the new version of the KVM2USB. At 1280x1024, the picture is now as clear as it would be on a monitor directly connected to the VGA output of the machine that is being controlled. No more interlacing artifacts are visible. The KVM2USB no longer operates in interlaced mode, but is now using a more sophisticated progressive scan under all resolutions, which provides for a perfect picture.

I'd also like to point out that the new KVM2USB supports resolutions of up to 1280x1024, which is really the maximum that you'd be using in most situations, whereas the older one had support for up to 2048x1536. The old KVM2USB, however, was not really useable at any resolution past 1280x1024 anyway, as the image refresh rate became so low and the amount of artifacts so great that it became nearly pointless to use it.

The difference in capture rate between the old KVM2USB model and the new one is night and day. While the old version struggled at 10 frames per second at 1280x1024 resolution, the new one delivers an impressive 30 frames per second. That is a threefold improvement over the old one!

Basically, the image quality of the new KVM2USB is so good that it's hard to believe that a USB-based device is capable of such a high quality picture. According to their website, Epiphan Systems says that the secret lies in a very efficient and proprietary on-board image compression technology. I'd also like to point out that the KVM2USB now has 32mb of on-board buffer memory, which the older version didn't have. When it comes to image quality, I couldn't ask for more than what Epiphan Systems' KVM2USB currently has to offer.

4. KVM2USB as a KVM device

So now that we have determined that Epiphan Systems did a great job on the new KVM2USB device in terms of VGA capture, let's look at how it actually stacks up as a KVM device. The answer - pretty good! Both the mouse and keys are very responsive and there is absolutely no lag. The only thing that I had issues with in both the old KVM2USB device is logging into the BIOS on some machines. When you turn the machine on, the device takes a couple of seconds to "find" it, during which you cannot do anything. On some computers, the initializing time during which the KVM2USB does not register keystrokes is enough to skip the time to get into the BIOS configuration, even though it is only about 3-5 seconds. This issue has been corrected with the new KVM2USB and the initialization and boot up is now almost instant. Configuring the BIOS screen is no longer a problem with the new KVM2USB.

What's more, unlike the old KVM2USB which I could not get to emulate a USB keyboard and mouse using a PS/2 to USB conversion cable, the new KVM2USB has this cable included. I have had no problems using the USB keyboard and mouse connections in order to access my Dell PowerEdge 2900 series server. I have also used the PS/2 connections a handful of times on desktops and it works just as expected.

The software is very straight forward and easy to use and is available as a free download from Epiphan's web page at http://www.epiphan.com/downloads.

Once you connect the KVM2USB, install the KVM2USB drivers and fire up the software, you immediately see the output of the screen on the device that the KVM2USB is connected to. To enter KVM mode, you can either select it from the menu or click on the center button of your mouse. You must do the same thing to exit KVM mode. I have the software running on several machines, including my Dell Inspiron laptop as well as my MacBook. I haven't had any problems with the Mac OS or Windows versions of the software.

5. Price

KVM2USB can be purchased directly from Epiphan Systems for just under $400. The pricing did not change with the introduction of the second, updated version of the device, even though it is of much better value than the first one!

At first, this price seemed a bit steep to some considering the function which this device performs. However, after some use, it easy to realize that this device was worth every single penny and more! If you look at VGA frame grabbers with similar specifications as the KVM2USB, you will find that they all cost at least twice the price of the KVM2USB, making the KVM2USB a bargain.

Even if you factor in the cost of a small, portable "crash cart" type setup, which is a lot less convenient, you will soon figure out that the price of the KVM2USB is still less, considering the utility that you get. Small 7" monitors start at prices of around $300 and the "real estate" and usability that you have with them is not even comparable to that of any modern laptop screen.

Of course, another possible solution would be to use a KVM-over-IP switch, such as those made by Avocent or Raritan. While both these companies provide great solutions for permanent KVM-over-IP switches, these solutions are not portable or easy to install and don't really accomplish the same thing that the KVM2USB is designed for, as they are made for administering stationary machines. You can also use VNC or Remote Desktop, but that would mean that the system being accessed must already be set up. The main advantage of the KVM2USB is the fact that it's a zero-configuration and "ultraportable" device that can be hooked up in less than one minute. Perfect for setting up a new server.

Thus, the new KVM2USB is a great buy for its price and definitely a smart purchase if you are accessing headless devices and computers often enough. This device will literally pay for itself in time and convenience!

6. Conclusion

Epiphan Systems' new KVM2USB is a massive improvement over the old version and a must if you are tired of the old "crash cart" setup that many system administrators and technicians still employ.

The KVM2USB is small enough to fit in your shirt pocket, yet packs enough power to make you forget that you're using a tiny USB-based capture device.

The quality of the image is, without a doubt, amazing and since this version initializes almost instantly once connected, you are able to access the BIOS of the system without problems. The software included with the KVM2USB is very easy to use and does not require any configuration, making installation a breeze.

Overall, the KVM2USB from Epiphan Systems is a great buy and I'd recommend it to anyone searching for an easy to use and high quality KVM device that will pay for itself many times over!