When great minds join forces

Michael Spatny

VP Sales and Marketing

Successful Channel Partner – Manufacturer relationships are based on trust and actions

Last week, I shared my thoughts on what I think is fundamental in a flourishing relationship between Channel Partner and Manufacturer to create a Success Zone for both. Trust, Loyalty, Commitment and Results. Today, I wanted to take a closer look at TRUST, the foundation of any successful relationship. How do we at IHSE balance this situation?

The key element for me is that trust is earned. Trust cannot be promised. And while words matter, only actions really create trust. I really like the quote attributed to Chris Butler:

Trust is earned when actions meet words. – Chris Butler

At IHSE, we understand that we have to earn the trust of our partners by giving them competitive products and superior technology roadmaps to equip them to win business in the market place. And when we agree with a partner which market they cover, we will do our best to protect their investment and work in this area. Personally, my actions are devoted to earning the trust of our partners.

The actions we are looking for are focused on business visibility. Reliability in the forecast and transparency in the customer sales activities enable trust. The key actions are project registrations as well as point of sale (POS) reporting.

The only way to be successful in the long term is to create a mutually beneficial environment for the Channel Partner and the Manufacturer. It is a give and take where trust is the fuel to win in the market.

You want to work with us to shape the future?

Lets talk.

Yours
Michael Spatny

KVM ≠ KVM !

Mark Hempel

Head of Product Management

Not all KVM systems are created equal – make sure your system meets TRUE KVM standards

Welcome to the first KVM Technology Whiteboard session. I would like to share with you key findings relevant for everyone using KVM switches or extenders. Today, we are kicking it off with a very important distinction: KVM systems are different depending on their technical heritage. Actually, some are not really KVM systems, but adaptions from other applications. What appears useful at first sight may have serious consequences later on. The first Technology Whiteboards are dedicated to the key elements, which provide a TRUE KVM system.

A Keyboard Video Mouse (KVM) system´s primary purpose is to reliably connect any signal source to any signal destination and to ensure an ergonomic experience for users or operators comparable to sitting directly at the hardware processing the target applications such as a broadcast scheduling system, a camera controller or a dispatch system in a public safety control room.

TRUE KVM comprises of 5 components safeguarding investments and ensuring the performance customers require:

  1. Ergonomic KVM Response: ultra-fast signal processing enabling roundtrip signal delays which reduce operator stress and improve situational awareness. Mismatches in hand-eye coordination due to signal propagation times within the KVM system can even cause motion sickness in certain applications.
  2. In-band Signalling & Out of Band Connectivity: Flexible connections to the user stations employing diverse sets of signal protocols such as HDMI, DisplayPort, USB and even proprietary formats allow KVM systems to connect universally. All connections between the KVM switch and the user station receiver only require one line with in-band signalling to reduce infrastructure investment and allow system supervision within buildings, on campus or in wide area networks.
  3. KVM Secure Core®: A KVM switch that is intrinsically secure by design protecting the integrity of all signals passing through the system securing the customers communication and controls. End to end security can be best obtained when the manufacturer owns the operating software. This is true for intrinsic security as well as for update and upgrade compatibility.
  4. True Modular Solution: Switch and remote/RX device modularity provide a flexible and scalable KVM architecture, which ensures that you only acquire the capabilities you need when you need them. KVM switching systems are subject to economic scrutiny vs. performance needs. Being able to tailor hardware as close as possible to the current needs should still provide room for growth. It is a balancing act best achieved by a modular design both in the KVM matrix switch as well as in the user station receiver device. Especially in multi-screen applications with high video resolutions.
  5. Hybrid Connectivity: Connect any source and signal format to your KVM switch. In today´s world connectivity is King. A KVM system must be able to connect to virtually any type of source or protocol. Once the signal is acquired, it should be completely transparent while offering fast switching speeds between sources.

Over the coming weeks, I would like to explore in more detail what TRUE KVM means and explain step by step why each of the ingredients are essential.

If you find this information useful, please leave a comment or like – or, even better, reach out to me to discuss. IHSE will continue to lead the way in KVM and we are here to help architect your next solution or explore how we can grow our businesses together.

Yours
Mark Hempel

Global Indirect Sales Channel

Michael Spatny

VP Sales and Marketing

Common Values Drive Sales Success with Distributor Partners – Meet Customer Needs

Welcome to our first Customer & Sales Channel Whiteboard. This is the start of a series of communications explaining what is happening at the IHSE´s sales teams, direct or at our indirect channel partners. Our motivation is to provide the world´s best service and products to our customers and learn their requirements going forward to ensure we can continue to offer superior products for every application.

IHSE is a true hidden champion leading the KVM industry globally in high performance applications. KVM technology is related to Keyboard, Video and Mouse and enabling customers to separate the operator desk with user interface devices such as keyboard, mouse or complex tablets from the PCs or servers running the actual software processes. This reduces ambient noise and heat at the user desk and improves situational awareness and productivity.

I have just recently joined IHSE as Head of/VP of Sales and Marketing after spending all of my professional career in the high-tech industry, most recently serving 10 years as Anritsu´s EMEA VP. We have just kicked off our global sales channel initiative, ICET. This is the IHSE Channel Enhancement Transformation. Why are we doing that?

Buying KVM systems is a matter of trust. Our customers are trusting us to handle, extend and switch their most precious signals to control their production processes. KVM is an invisible technology, whose primary capabilities are flexibility, accuracy, transparent signal processing and reliability. IHSE has done an excellent job surveying our global customer base to find out what they expect from us. When we sat down, reviewed their feedback to craft our growth strategy for the next years, it became apparent that we have to provide a consistent customer experience globally.

For our Sales and Technical Support Teams around the world this means to align more closely with these needs. We believe in state-of-the-art technical competency and product performance. Our partnerships are built on trust, loyalty, commitment and results. Together with our Distributor & System Integration Channel Partners, we want to strengthen the cooperation along these values.

When the cooperation flourishes in these key areas, we will go directly into the Success Zone. Our new global sales initiative ICET is exactly focusing on this. I will share more details over the coming weeks to explain in more detail why working with IHSE is like being part of a family and why this is important for our customers to optimize the return on their KVM investments.

You want to work with us and shape the future? Lets talk.

Yours
Michael Spatny

Featured: Eunice

We are pleased to introduce our new colleague in Singapore: Eunice Chew joined IHSE in May 2018 and is responsible for the Sales & Marketing initiatives in the Asian-Pacific region.

She is a resourceful and incisive thinker who always strives for best results. She will work closely with the HQ marketing team in Germany and acts as the contact person for all marketing efforts in the APAC region.

Eunice has extensive experience in lead generation, marketing communication, corporate event planning and data analysis.

IHSE has a strong company culture and encourages employees to develop and growth, I’m proud to be part of such a wonderful company.

Eunice Chew

IHSE KVM system powers Ekstraklasa Polish football league’s new OB truck

Ekstraklasa Live Park, the official broadcaster of the top Polish Football League, is expanding its fleet with a new OB truck for HD, UHD/4K and HDR productions. Starting in early 2019, Ekstraklasa Live Park will broadcast league soccer matches from the new truck.

Interactivity, collaboration and connectivity to IP networks play a critical role in today’s broadcast workflow. The growing demand for interconnectivity, collaborative, multisite workflows and IP-connected live production environments means that it is vital to have the most flexible and reliable tools to hand.

To meet all these challenges and to deliver a future-proof production unit, Broadcast Solutions worked in partnership with NEP to deploy a set of equipment that offers the best in flexible interconnectivity and capability. Incorporating the latest technology for seamless HD and UHD production, this latest OB van delivers reliable remote, multisite and IP-based productions of the highest quality.

An essential element of that system is an IHSE Draco tera KVM system. It allows operators to reliably and instantly switch to any high-resolution source; making their production tasks much simpler and their work more efficient.

The need for higher-resolution is growing because viewers want the best-quality programming possible. With that in mind, it’s important that the technology inside the truck can adapt to forthcoming changes in remote production workflows and IP-connectivity. Due to its future-driven approach and innovative toolset we are sure the OB Van fulfils our expectations – now and in the future.

Marcin Serafin, COO of Live Park

IBC 2018 Wrap-Up

Once again, IHSE demonstrated its reputation as the leading supplier of high-end KVM solutions to the broadcast industry. Our technology could be found throughout the show on several partner stands and displays, including: on Broadcast Solutions’ newest OB truck, on Avid’s stand as an integral part of their Pro Tools | S6 demonstration, on Vizrt’s live Big AR Show and on the Filmlight stand where Draco extenders are included in the Baselight 1 and 2 products.

Draco tera extenders were also incorporated into the IBC TV live studio and transmission suite, working alongside EVS to control remote XT servers over 500 meters away.

The partnerships IHSE has with these market-leading suppliers demonstrate, once again, that the industry’s key players rely on IHSE and that our cutting-edge systems are indispensable for major broadcast applications.

Award-winning IP Extender

Draco vario Remote IP CPUThis year’s product highlight was clearly the Draco vario Remote IP CPU. The IP extender connects the worlds of KVM and virtual machines via an IP interface. As well as widespread recognition from the broadcast industry, the expert judges from TVBEurope concurred and awarded the Draco vario Remote IP CPU a Best of Show Award in the Content Management category. This adds to the two Best of Show awards received at NAB earlier this year.

Future-oriented partnerships

We would like to thank all visitors for their interest and valuable discussion on our stand. Special thanks go to our distribution partners who actively supported our show team. In particular, to Intronics and their ever-present representatives who helped us run our busy stand.
Our sincere appreciation also goes to the technology partners who supported us in showing joint solutions: Avid (S6 | Pro Tools), EVS (XT3, Epsio, IPDirector, LSM controllers), VuWall (video wall controller), BFE (KFC controller), Lawo (VSM controller), Brainsalt (video player).

NAB Show 2018 Wrap-Up

IHSE wins Best of Show at NAB2018 for the Draco ultra series

We wish to thank all of you that came by to see our latest KVM products. This was another great success for IHSE and we were happy to show off our new products for 2018.

It was an honor to learn our new Draco ultra series was awarded Best of Show by NewBay’s Sound and Video Contractor Team.

Another highlight of the NAB Show was the introduction of the new IP CPU unit, which enables a homogeneous integration of virtual machines into KVM environments.

Our show team also presented our game-changing solution for the extension and switching of VR/AR systems; for the first time at a broadcast show.

 

IHSE-sponsored volleyball team on target for trophies

Since IHSE began sponsoring the VfB Friedrichshafen volleyball team, the team has become unstoppable. The side has not lost a single match so far this season, having won all 18 games. With a comfortable lead of 14 points over the runners-up in the national championship, group lead in the Champions League and unbeaten in the national cup, the team is truly outstanding.

IHSE has provided sponsorship for the past year and as a locally based company, promotes the youth work of the association.  We also provide equipment for video displays around the court. An IHSE Draco tera KVM switch is used to control and transmit video streams from live cameras and graphic computers to screens and projectors during the games.

We are keeping our fingers crossed for the team and hope that things will continue to go well for the remainder of the season and the team ends up with several trophies!

Draco KVM solution for secure high-speed rail link to Paris

The high-speed line linking Le Mans with Rennes is one of the largest European rail projects. It adds a new high-speed train line of over 182 km to the existing line between Paris and Le Mans, putting Rennes within 1.5 hours travelling time of Paris (instead of 3.5 hours by car).

A major new control room was needed to enable train operators to manage and ensure total safety and reliability of the new line. As with all modern transportation systems, safety is a critical element, so the control room had to be operational at all times. Eiffage Energie, responsible for design, construction and maintenance, equipped the center with an extensive IHSE Draco KVM matrix switch system. All safety-relevant information is transmitted through the KVM system, which allows fast and secure access from all workstations to manage rail operations and ensure the total reliability and safety of the new rail network.

Within the control room, the operators responsible for the safe running of the line are provided with information on their local workstations, while a large videowall offers an overview of the complete rail network. In the crisis room, a video projector displays all the important information that is needed to manage potential incidents.

“The resulting installation offers a solution that is extremely simple for operators to use, whilst delivering the highest possible level of redundancy and backup in case of local component failure.  The result is a system that best ensures continuous network monitoring and allows operators to manage a safe and reliable trainline,” said Adrien Trouve of Eiffage Energie.

New IHSE Keyboard

With the new freely programmable IHSE (Series 444) keyboard, a keyboard, mouse and keypad can be connected as a single HID device to a KVM system through a single USB port without the need for an additional HID extension. The remaining USB port on the extender CON Unit allows simultaneous connection of another USB HID device. The mechanical and ergonomic keyboard is designed for high demands and heavy duty with up to 50 million keystrokes.

 

What advantages does the keyboard offer for the user?

  • Comfortable operation:
    The high-quality workmanship with anodized aluminum housing, adjustable tilt angle, abrasion-resistant key lettering, precise attachment points and excellent haptics with optional damping element provides a very pleasant writing experience.
  • Practical extension:
    The keyboard can be expanded by up to two matching 25-keypads for freely programmable function keys or macros (2 Layers = 50 Strings). Thanks to the simple wireless connection, the workplace remains neat and free of unnecessary cabling. The keypads can also be connected to the KVM system apart from the IHSE keyboard.
  • Individual printing of keypad keys:
    Support of customer-specific printing and assignment of the keypad keys.
  • For safety-critical applications:
    The IHSE keyboard facilitates black-red separation of security zones, as operated in military and secure government facilities.

Why we offer the new IHSE keyboard?

The keyboard meets the highest standards of ease of use, functionality and robustness. It also allows the connection of other USB HID devices on the Extender.

Availability


Orders for the new IHSE keyboard will be accepted immediately. The first deliveries will be made from Q1 2018.

Further information

We will be pleased to answer your questions. Just email us at sales@ihse.de.