Global annual revenue from KVM switches and serial consoles is forecast to reach $772.1 million by the end of 2015 according to a recently published IHS study. This first edition report provides data on a market for which there has not been significant market research coverage, filling a need in the industry.

IHS estimates global revenue to grow 2.4% in 2015 as compared to 2014. Looking at the market globally shows a fairly moderate picture. However, delving into the different product types and regions presents more variation in growth and trends.

The KVM-over-IP market is one of the more interesting of the product types in that there are multiple conflicting forces affecting it. End users continue to move away from in-rack analog KVM switches in favor of the remote access capabilities of KVM-over-IP. However, at the same time, service processor management has contributed to the decline of the KVM-over-IP market globally. Using service processors (which are installed on the majority of servers today) to launch virtual KVM sessions grants the user remote access, eliminating the need for a KVM-over-IP switch.

Other shifts are occurring as well. Within the high performance KVM switch category, users that once used analog high performance KVM switches have been deploying digital instead. Within the market for serial consoles, product enhancements such as increased security features and added USB connections are prompting shifts to more sophisticated product models. Lastly, IHS anticipates a more pronounced movement away from standard desktop KVM switches toward secure desktop KVM switches in the future, which have historically been used by governments. While this market is fairly saturated in North America and Western Europe, there is growth potential in other regions and in other security-conscious vertical markets like healthcare and finance.

With so many factors at play, it is difficult, to make generalizations about the KVM switch and serial console market as a whole. The complex interconnections between these products and other data center trends will make this an interesting market to watch going forward.

IHS regularly analyzes all aspects of the data center infrastructure market. The KVM switches and serial consoles report – 2015 provides in-depth analysis across three world regions: the Americas, EMEA, and Asia. Unit shipments, average unit prices, and revenue are estimated for 2014 and forecast through 2019. The market is segmented by sub-region, product type, and vertical market. Supplier market share estimates, and an analysis of the competitive environment, are also provided.