Guntermann & Drunck (G&D) is regarded as leading manufacturer of digital and analogue KVM products for control rooms in air traffic control centres. With a broad portfolio of powerful products to extend, switch and distribute keyboard, video and mouse signals and many years of experience when it comes to installing systems in towers, air traffic control rooms, baggage handling or general control centers at airports, G&D provides users from all applications with maximum customer benefits and real added value.
KVM extends and switches computer signals and thus allows the remote operation of computer technology or the simultaneous access to several computers. G&D KVM solutions optimise you IT equipment and increase productivity for man and machine. As a result, you can benefit from user-friendly, ergonomic control room workstations with less noise and heat. Yet you will still be able to access your computers in real-time – uncompressed, latency-free and at full performance.
G&D is known as an experienced player within the ATC industry and provides decades of experience from cooperation with many renowned integrators and ANSPs. If you need the best possible KVM equipment for your specific application and a completely worry-free solution, then ask for the bespoke ATC KVM systems from G&D.
Why KVM Systems and what are the advantages
The limited space in the tower as well as the necessity to be able to work highly concentrated and undisturbed by computer emissions are the driving factors for removing computers from the controller’s desk into a separate plant room. That way, not only space for the computers as such, but also space, installations and energy needed for their climatisation can be saved.
Moreover, the computers are more easily accessible for maintenance purposes once removed into a remote plant room. Futhermore, flight controllers will no longer be distrurbed by maintenance work. The resonable distance between controller and computer is bridged via KVM extender systems. Such a system consists of a transmitter (computer side) and a receiver (user side).
Products and services
G&D offers the largest KVM product portfolio at the market and is considered a top performer regarding:
- Failure safety, redundancies and preventive monitoring in Air Traffic Control
- Reliable 24/7 operation for air traffic controllers
- Highest quality requirements regarding long operating times and life of products for air traffic control applications
- Broad range of helpful functions that provide even more flexibility and usability.
KVM extenders – operate remote computers from one desk via CAT or optical fibres
KVM extenders allow users to operate your computers over distances up to 10,000m whilst maintaining real-time performance. The systems consist of a transmitter and a receiver module.
The immediate working environment, for example in towers or control rooms, remains free from heat and noise emissions since all computers are placed in a central, air-conditioned equipment room. Here, technicians are able to administrate and maintain the equipment without interrupting the work of the air traffic controllers. A local console at the transmitter module placed in the server room makes it easy for the IT staff to maintain the system.
Depending on the application, systems with uncompressed or compressed data transmission are available. The transmission takes place via CAT cables, optical fibres or over IP. Resolutions up to 4K for best video quality and perfect hand-eye coordination are supported.
KVM switches – operate several computers by one console
Digital and analogue switches are designed to operate 2 to 64 computers via one console consisting of keyboard, monitor and mouse. They allow a peripheral-saving solution for a user-friendly and ergonomic environment. Furthermore, they are the basis to set up redundant computer systems in various areas such air traffic control.
Redundancy systems running parallel to the primary system can be established. In the event of a system failure, users can simply press a button to switch to a redundant system within a fraction of a second. Technicians are able to administrate and maintain the system in the background without interrupting the ATCO’s work on the primary system.
KVM matrix systems – operate multiple computers from multiple desks
With KVM matrix systems, users are able to access multiple computers over multiple user consoles simultaneously. They consist of computer modules, central modules and user modules.
Computers cause a high noise level and they also keep controllers from concentrating on their work. The solution: The KVM manager places the computers in air-conditioned equipment rooms from where the controllers can access them remotely thanks to KVM products. It’s hard to imagine having to place dozens or even hundreds of computers into a control room or a tower. The solution: The KVM manager places the computers in air-conditioned equipment rooms from where the controllers can access them remotely thanks to KVM products.
Matrix systems allow a flexible operation of large, distributed IT installations even with multiple user consoles connected. Digital KVM matrix systems are based on digital video signals like DisplayPort and DVI yet analogue video sources can be connected as well. Any data is transmitted via CAT cables or optical fibres, or via both types of cables.
Monitoring & SNMP for mission critical applications
Monitoring and SNMP functions are part of many G&D products and help monitoring the
- system statuses of G&D products
- system statuses of connected peripherals.
Thanks to the system’s permanent monitoring, the administrator can react to critical conditions (e.g. exceeding temperatures, miscommunications with the keyboard interface, or problems with the redundant system) before they lead to failures.
The monitoring and SNMP function avoids system failures, increases availability and allows both users and system administrator to work more efficiently. Best suited for mission-critical applications such as live events or monitoring tasks.
DP1.2-VisionXG – high-end KVM extender for uncompressed 8K video
The high-end extender system DP1.2-VisionXG is the world’s first and only KVM extender to transmit 8K video at full 60Hz frame rate. The high-class KVM extender system uses optical fibres to transmit uncompressed DisplayPort™ 1.2 video signals, keyboard/mouse, USB2.0, Audio and RS232 over distances up to 10,000 m – latency-free, pixel perfect and lossless for best hand eye coordination.
The system includes many mission-critical features such as the screen-freeze function, the monitoring function, a redundant power supply, SNMP and two network ports.
DP1.2-Vision
The new DP1.2-Vision extender extends video signals with resolutions up to 4K at 60Hz – either via optical fibers or CAT cables. The system includes G&D’s improved, in-house HDIP compression technology in the latest development stage, Level 3. The DP1.2-Vision optimises the IT infrastructure of Air Traffic Control applications and impresses with lossless, pixel-perfect images.
Compressing systems such as the DP1.2-Vision can be easily implemented into G&D matrix systems like the new ControlCenter-Compact or ControlCenter-Digital. This way larger matrix installations can be created and multiple computers can be operated remotely via different simultaneous workstations.
DP-Vision-IP
DP-Vision-IP extender system enables flexible computer access over IP-based networks on layer 3. The DP-Vision-IP-System consists of a computer module (transmitter) and a user module (receiver). DisplayPort image data is processed according to DP1.1a. Thus, the maximum possible image resolution of a pixel rate will be between 25MPixel/s up to 600MPixel/s.
The transmission is compressed, pixel perfect, with low latency and ideal hand-eye coordination on CAT infrastructure over standard IP networks on layer 3 even beyond optional network components. (NAT is not supported at the moment)
DL-Vision
DL-Vision extender system uses optical fibres to transmit uncompressed and lossless video signals up to 4 K @ 60 Hz resolution over distances up to 400 or 10,000 m. The devices are available as variants displaying one, two or four video channels. DL-Vision offers important mission-critical features like monitoring function, SNMP, redundant power supply, screen-freeze-function and web interface for remote configuration and displaying of the monitoring values.
DP1.2-MUX3-ATC
KVM switch DP1.2-MUX3-ATC can operate up to three computers from one workspace (e.g. primary, redundancy and fall-back systems). The high-performance system supports 4K resolution at 60Hz and avoids the short image disturbances usually found at these resolutions when switching. The switcher is especially designed for the demands of ATC – 100% secure round-the-clock operation at top performance.
The new KVM switch shows its strengths in ATC redundancy concepts. The compression-free system facilitates extremely fast switching. Redundancy and fall-back systems can easily be set up to run parallel to the primary system. In the case of computer malfunction, the user can switch to a redundancy system at the touch of a button – within a fraction of a second. Especially designed for air traffic control, the KVM switch boasts mission-critical features such as screen-freeze function, SNMP and monitoring for the active health management of system components, as well as redundant power supply.
DL-MUX
With DL-MUX you can operate up to four computers via one console with only one set of monitor, keyboard/mouse. DL-MUX transmits Dual-Link DVI up to 2560 x 1600 @ 60 Hz, including 2K resolution (2048 x 2048 @ 60 Hz). In the variant as DL-MUX2-DP1.2-MC2 are DisplayPort signals with resolution up to 4K (4096 x 2160 @ 60 Hz) also possible. The KVM switch provides numerous features for mission-critical applications like network connection, the web interface and SNMP monitoring and reporting function.
ControlCenter-Digital
ControlCenter-Digital is a modular digital KVM matrix switch that lets air traffic controllers operate multiple computers over multiple consoles. The system consists of three components:
- A central module, which connects user consoles and computers
- Computer modules, which forward signals from computers to the matrix
- User modules to connect the consoles on which users work.
ControlCenter-Digital offers up to 288 dynamic ports for computers or consoles consisting of keyboard, monitor and mouse. The system supports CAT cables and fibre optics even in mixed mode. Variants with 160 and 80 Ports for smaller installations are also available. The system can be cascaded up to three levels and it’s compatible with all ControlCenter-Compact devices. Broad range of helpful functions like CrossDisplay-Switching, USB Pinning, Port grouping, Monitoring and SNMP provide even more flexibility and usability.
ControlCenter-Compact
ControlCenter-Compact offers high performance in compact form and is often used for small and mid-sized installations. The KVM matrix switch comes with up to 80 dynamic ports and can be expanded/cascaded, so the customers can connect up to 432 computers to one system. The central modules are available also with 64 and 48 Ports. ControlCenter-Compact can switch various signals e.g. DVI, DisplayPort, VGA, USB2.0 and many more. The system is compatible with both the DVICenter and the ControlCenter-Digital as well as all end devices, which makes it possible to add new systems to existing infrastructures. Customers are able to choose between the use of CAT cables or fibre optics when transmitting data. A mixed mode is also possible.
CCC provides the intuitive CrossDisplay-Switching function to use the mouse to switch between computers or the Push-Get function for the optimal control of video walls and the improvement of the team work in control rooms. Integrated SNMP and monitoring make the systems even more reliable.
