Avocent Simplifies IT Management Using Cisco Application eXtension Platform

IT software runs off market leading networking platform for highly secure management of servers and PCs

Avocent Corporation (NASDAQ: AVCT) announced today that it has simplified IT administration by introducing a new way to manage an enterprise’s servers and PCs on the Cisco Application eXtension Platform (AXP) for the Cisco Integrated Services Router (ISR). Avocent will provide IT management software on the new Cisco AXP, which was announced today. The Avocent-enabled software running on the Cisco ISR will facilitate administration of servers and PCs from a single routing device.

“This is a unique way to bring new functionality to branch office networks, leveraging technologies from within both the LANDesk and Management Systems divisions of Avocent,” said Ed Harper, chairman of the board, Avocent. “There’s a growing need among customers to address the expensive challenge of extending IT management to all offices within an organization. This management software hosted on the Cisco AXP solution resolves those challenges and helps ensure proper control, security and compliance at every company location, thus demonstrating a proof point of the power of combined Avocent tools.”

With Avocent management software running on the Cisco AXP, customers can address the issue of consistent management of IT resources and enforcement of security policies throughout a company. Using the Cisco AXP running with Avocent software, IT administrators can use a simple, single interface to access and manage nearly any server, regardless of manufacturer, located anywhere on a network. Similar remote access is enabled to any PC or Macintosh from a single console.

“Integrating Avocent’s server and PC management solution into the Cisco AXP for Cisco ISR branch routers addresses critical problems in monitoring, patching and asset tracking,” said Dave Frampton, vice president of Cisco’s Access Routing Technology Group. “With the deployment of Avocent software on Cisco AXP, IT professionals will have highly secure anytime, anywhere access to servers and PCs at remote locations.”

Two types of Avocent management software will be offered with the Cisco Application eXtension Platform (AXP) module contained within the Cisco 1841, 2800 Series and 3800 Series ISRs:
MergePoint software allows IT administrators to access service processors that are embedded in servers and that enable remote access to power control, sensor readings and other server functions; and
LANDesk Patch Manager enables IT administrators to automatically discover and create an inventory of all servers, desktop and laptop PCs and Macintoshes attached to a wide-area network. The devices can then be scanned for security threats, automatically launching security patch deployments as needed.

“Before you start to consolidate and optimize branch architecture, you first must know what applications are running, how many and what kind of assets you have, and the types of services that will be needed for each branch…After building a baseline, implement remote management. As you rely on the router to carry branch services, you’ll need an out-of-band solution that can help configure, back up, and reboot the device,” wrote Robert Whiteley, principal analyst and research director, IT Infrastructure and Operations, Forrester Research, Inc. in the October 2006 report The Evolving Branch Office: Intelligently Reducing Your Network Infrastructure Footprint.

The Cisco AXP on the ISR with Avocent software provides a tool for IT administrators to help reduce the mean time needed to make repairs, increase network utilization and provide better security auditing ability than any other existing solution. Avocent also announced it has joined the Cisco Technology Developer Program supporting the Cisco AXP.

“This combined solution enables IT professionals to use one console to remotely manage and secure all critical systems, including servers, as well as view every desktop on a network. We look forward to working with Cisco in the future to add additional value,” said Harper.

About Avocent Corporation

Avocent delivers IT infrastructure management solutions that reduce operating costs, simplify management and increase the availability of critical, “always on” IT environments via integrated, centralized in-band and out-of-band hardware and software. Additional information is available at: www.avocent.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that are forward-looking statements as defined within the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These include statements regarding the development of new systems and management solutions and Avocent’s growth and expansion into these and other new markets. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including the risks associated with general economic conditions, risks attributable to future product demand, sales, and expenses, risks associated with product design efforts and the introduction of new products and technologies, and risk associated with obtaining and protecting intellectual property rights. Other factors that could cause operating and financial results to differ are described in Avocent’s reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Avocent and LANDesk are registered trademarks of Avocent Corporation or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Contacts

Avocent Corporation
Marianne Higgins, APR, Public Relations Manager
256-217-1221
marianne.higgins {at} avocent(.)com