REMOTE EQUIPMENT
SWITCHING SYSTEMS
IN AIR OPERATIONS
KVM technology oers error-free, dependable and switchable connection to remote
computers in ATM, flight planning, airline operations and other key areas
Enno Littmann, CEO of IHSE GmbH
As European skies become more
congested, ANSPs and other
organisations responsible for
providing efficient and safe passenger
movements are using technology to maximise
airspace efficiency and ease congestion.
The SESAR (Single European Sky ATM
Research) research programmes use
electronic and avionic equipment combined
with sophisticated software to help move
towards this goal. This software aims to
make flight planning, air traffic management
and ground operations more efficient whilst
maximising safety in all areas of operation.
Computer resources
SESAR’s solutions focus on high-performing
airport operations, advanced air traffic
services, optimised ATM network services
and aviation infrastructure. The common
thread across these areas is the increased use
of computer technology and the need for
operators to frequently access many remote
computers. Increasingly users need to switch
between applications on different computers
quickly and easily. The images they see must
be perfect and the computers must respond
to their actions instantly.
The solution to this requirement is
provided by KVM (keyboard, video, mouse)
switching and extension technology. KVM
switches and extenders enable banks of
computer equipment to be connected
directly to users at their own workstations
with total reliability and data integrity. This
allows computing equipment to be located in
92 AIR TRAFFIC TECHNOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 2020
a secure and environmentally controlled
remote location, improving users’ working
environments. It also allows individual users
to select the devices they wish to use with
simple commands.
Operations and remote towers
KVM switching systems have already proven
themselves in many ATM applications
around the world and are increasingly
being deployed in new installations. KVM
technology is an essential part of the
ATM infrastructure.
The latest techniques and enhancements
that combine air traffic services together to
create greater efficiency, for example in
A-CDM (Airport Collaborative Decision
Making), require a much greater amount of
KVM extenders are used at Sofia
airport to extend high resolution
signals from computers to
controllers over a distance of 1
Km using fibre cables.