2014 Guntermann & Drunck will be exhibiting at Integrated Systems Europe in Amsterdam. We ask Annette Haebel, editor and marketing women at G&D what people can see there, what’s so special about G&D’s KVM and why customers buy with a good feeling at them.
What is G&D going to show at this year’s ISE?
Since the mid-80s, we deal with the very extensive topic of KVM. At this time, KVM technology didn’t even have a name. Now, Guntermann & Drunck (G&D) offers one of the broadest and widest KVM portfolios at the market.
Originally, the acronym “KVM” characterized a technology for switching or extending a computer’s keyboard, video and mouse signals.
Over the years, more signals could be transmitted, and KVM was enhanced by various management functions. Often, KVM plays its important role in the background without being noticed at all. Nevertheless, the technology has considerable and extensive potential. Hence, G&D’s portfolio includes many products with numerous features from A like assembly bracket, all variants of KVM to Z like Zabbix monitoring system.
So does G&D offer just hardware?
No, not exclusively. All of our products are compatible and can be combined. Today, high-end KVM solutions are not just used to switch and extend signals. KVM equipment must meet the requirements of a management tool. Often, true magic unfolds only by combining devices. Comprehensive monitoring functions and firmware expansions offer various ways to considerably expand the functional range. With dynamic ports, network connection, a web interface and monitoring functions, KVM hardware becomes a control centre as well as a supervisory body. Yet, adaptability and innovative design still play a decisive role. As already mentioned, KVM technology is a wide and complex topic, but that’s characteristic for the technology.
What applications and markets are your products aimed at?
With its products and solutions, G&D focuses on control rooms and professional applications that pose high demands on:
- Image quality
- Reliability
- Operating time
- Durability.
Our products are applied in the AV industry, for broadcasts, in Air Traffic Control, in the maritime industry, in data centres as well as for monitoring industrial processes. However, anyone using a computer can benefit from KVM technology and its advantages.
With KVM extender systems, you can, for example, move one single computer from an office into an access-protected, air-conditioned equipment room. Thus, users benefit from a working environment without computers, noise, computer emissions and with much space to focus on their actual tasks. In times of permanent noise and floods of information, every employee benefits from these improvements.
What differentiates your products in the marketplace?
People often say that paper is patient. We are very conservative when it comes to mapping technical data. We like sticking to the facts instead of constructing ideal cases that sound impressive from a marketing perspective. We prefer proving performance, honesty and partnership with our actions.
To develop and optimise our products, we listen to the requirements of our customers and their markets. Taking these requirements into consideration, we developed, for example, devices with monitoring functions required in Air Traffic Control, where safety plays an extremely important role for mission-critical and business-critical processes. Our devices carry an enormous amount of knowledge and years of experience. To avoid failures, all important components like power packs or configuration data are redundant. This way, both user information and firmware can be updated via network or service interface.
To guarantee a long mean time between failures, we are very conservative when it comes to selecting components. Our devices undergo external tests to make sure they are also suitable for applications that must meet specific tests and standards such as the certification according to Tempest requirements in the areas of public safety and the military or specific standards for the equipment of ship bridges.
Nevertheless, gut feeling decides even when purchasing capital goods. What do you do to ensure that the customer buys with a good feeling at G&D?
Free product trials make it possible to get a feel for the product and to test it in its intended environment.
We offer our customers support even years after they have purchased our products. For us, qualified service in all areas is just as important as comprehensive consulting by our sales team. Troubleshooting and being available in person are the alpha and omega in customer care.
We voluntarily offer our customers three years of full warranty, which is more than specified by law.
In addition, we also cooperate with the relevant industry associations of the respective industrial sectors our products are used in.
What technologies are you investing in for the future?
Technological progress is nowhere faster than in the IT industry. Systems become more complex and therefore more complicated and are changing faster and faster. We hear the call for higher resolutions, and, of course, we will answer it. While others are still talking about it, we already do it. We are already providing the 4K resolution so that AV professionals are equipped with a future-proof video resolution.
We focus heavily on the proper mix of flexibility, modularity and simplicity. They play an important role for developing our products and technology. Due to the versatility and modularity of our systems, installations grow with the demands of their environment giving our customers security for the future. Especially our digital KVM matrix, the ControlCenter-Digital, unites all functions of KVM extenders, KVM switches, add-on features as well as monitoring and management functions in one system. A really exciting topic. Unfortunately, mentioning all aspects would go beyond the scope of this interview.
How can people get hold of G&D products?
With the help of a worldwide partner network, G&D’s KVM devices are available almost everywhere around the globe. Our in-house team of consultants is also there to establish contacts to one of our partners worldwide.
Guntermann & will be pleased about curious visitor at their booth 10-R116 in hall 10 from the 4th to 6th of February. For all clients and prospects we offer free fair access to the ISE. Find out more under http://www.gdsys.de/en/events/
Guntermann & Drunck was founded in 1985 and is now regarded as one of the foremost manufacturers of digital and analogue KVM solutions.
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