Avocent UMG 4000 problems

ok so we we just bought a new KVM, a Avocent UMG 4000. I am very unhappy to report that we have multiple problems with this device.

I have opened multiple tickets to get these issues resolved with Avocent’s tech support. The good thing is that the tech support is responsive and helpful. However, I feel that these are basic things which should work right out of the box for any KVM. The old Avocents we had worked fine, for over a decade! These basic KVM features work fine even in $50 KVM switches. This UMG 4000 is a $10,000 dollar product!

Needless to say, I am VERY disappointed with our purchase of UMG 4000!

The tech support says that most of these issues will be addressed via firmware updates. I will post a review of our Avocent UMG 4000 as and when that happens.

For now, here are some of the issues:

1. Very slow interface, locally.

The UMG’s interface moves very slowly while on a local Keyboard-Monitor. The same interface works much better remotely.

Solution/Notes: There is a new firmware version which is HTML5 based instead of may improve this. No ETA

2. Remote KVM session does not work

If I connect to the UMG remotely, then click on the “KVM Session” button I get error messages depending upon the web browser I am using.

In Internet explorer I get this pop up message and nothing happens after that:

Launching KVM viewer (includes installation, if needed)…

If this window does not close on its own, you may close it after the KVM viewer starts.

In Firefox, I get this pop-up message and nothing happens after that:

(long path)\viewer-2.jnlp

Application not found

Note that Java IS installed and enabled in Firefox. If I run a Java test, it says that I have the latest version installed: Version 8 Update 51

Solution/Notes: Needs old Java version, version 7

3. Local resolution problems:

While on a local keyboard-monitor console on the UMG, the resolution does not stick. I mean I have set it to the native resolution of the monitor, which is 1366 x 768 in the UMG. However, it suddenly changes to 1024 x 768.

Solution/Notes: Maybe the new firmware version will fix this issue.

4. KVM connected machine resolution problems:

While on a local keyboard-monitor console on the UMG, the resolution of any server connected via UMIQ is wrong. I cannot change the resolution inside the server because in the control panel, that option is greyed out. I have played around with the EDID settings inside UMG, but nothing helps.

Solution/Notes: Maybe the new firmware version will fix this issue.

5. No way to quickly switch between KVM sessions

In our old Avocent, we used to be able to hit “Control-Control” and a menu would come up, allowing us to choose another server’s KVM console quickly. In this UMG, we have to hit print screen > end session > start a new KVM session inside UMG console. Repeat if we want to go back to the 1^st server’s KVM session.

Solution/Notes: Feature is not available right now but is planned in a future firmware upgrade. No ETA

6. No indication on which server am I connected to

In our old Avocent, we used to have a small overlay at the top of the screen. It showed which server we are currently using via KVM. UMG has nothing.

Solution/Notes: Feature is not available right now but is planned in a future firmware upgrade. No ETA

7. Smartcard not working locally

Smartcard reader is not recognized if I plug it into the Keyboard-Monitor console’s USB ports. UMG has USB ports enabled, It also has smartcard enabled.

Solution/Notes: Maybe the new firmware version will fix this issue.

8. Constant timeouts

The UMG logs us out within minutes of inactivity, both remotely or locally. I have not been able to find any way to increase this timeout. There are some settings but they really do not seem to do anything.

Solution/Notes: There is a user level timeout setting. Administration >> Users >> user_name >> Session times out.

9. Poor design of Keyboard-Monitor console

Cables too short

The keyboard console’s keyboard-mouse USB cable is too short to reach the UMG. We want to install the UMG at the top of the rack and the keyboard console at elbow height, a pretty common installation situation. The keyboard-mouse USB cable is only around 2’ long and cannot reach the UMG. Interestingly, the cables for the USB jacks which are at the front of the console are long enough.

Jacks positioned wrongly

The jacks for connecting the Keyboard-Monitor console are at the front of the UMG. They should have been at the back, right next to where all the other jacks are….just like our old Avocents. The keyboard-Monitor console’s cable comes out from the back. It is difficult to route the cables from the back of the rack to the front of the rack. Bad design in an enterprise level product.