Raritan vs Vertiv KVM-over-IP UK 2026: data centre console buyer's guide

Raritan and Vertiv (Avocent) are the two dominant KVM-over-IP brands in UK enterprise data centres. Both ship 1080p + 4K platforms, both have FIPS 140-2 secure variants, both have mature centralised management. This guide compares the platforms that matter — Raritan Dominion KX IV / LX II vs Vertiv Avocent HMX 8000 / MPU8032 — and explains which to pick when.

Raritan · Vertiv · Lantronix — IP KVM

The short answer

Raritan = best for security-focused environments. NIAP PP 4.0 (Common Criteria) certified Secure KVM range for handling multiple classifications (e.g. SIPR / NIPR in defence + government deployments). Dominion KX IV-101 is the modern 4K workhorse.

Vertiv Avocent = best for high-performance 4K KVM extension + broadcast / trading floor use cases. HMX 8000 4K IP KVM is best-in-class for colour-critical workflows.

Both: best-in-class enterprise digital KVM switches (Raritan LX II vs Vertiv MPU8032). Pick based on existing management plane preference.

Raritan Dominion KX IV / LX II — where it wins

Dominion KX IV-101 — 4K @ 30fps, dual-power, IPv6, smart-card / CAC compatible. Greenfield deployments default here.

Secure KVM range — NIAP PP 4.0 certified for multi-classification environments. Material if you handle SIPR / NIPR / classified data.

CommandCenter Secure Gateway (CC-SG) — centralised management plane integrating Raritan KVMs, Raritan PX iPDUs, and serial console servers under one console.

Dominion LX II — proven enterprise 1080p workhorse. Lower cost than KX IV; still in active deployment.

Vertiv Avocent HMX / MPU — where it wins

HMX 8000 — true 4K @ 30fps over 10Gbps fibre. Zero-U transmitters attach to server rear panels (no rack space). Multicast enables one-to-many viewing for control rooms + trading floors.

MPU8032 — 32-port digital KVM. Dual hot-swap PSU. TAA compliant. 4 concurrent remote users + 1 local. DSView centralised management.

ACS8000 serial console — FIPS 140-2 + 4G LTE out-of-band. The standard for serial console + cellular fallback.

IP-KVM in the rack — out-of-band stack

Selection by use case

Standard 1U/2U server data hall (1080p video, standard security): Raritan LX II or Vertiv MPU8032. Pick based on existing CC-SG / DSView preference.

Trading floor / broadcast / colour-critical (4K + multicast): Vertiv HMX 8000. The only platform that delivers true 4K KVM at scale.

Government / defence (multi-classification): Raritan Secure KVM range. NIAP PP 4.0 is the standard.

Serial console + cellular out-of-band: Vertiv ACS8000. FIPS standard, 4G LTE built-in.

FAQs — Raritan vs Vertiv KVM-over-IP UK 2026

Selection

Do I need 4K KVM?

For standard data hall server management: no, 1080p is sufficient and 30-40% cheaper. For control rooms / trading floors / colour-grading suites / broadcast environments: 4K + multicast (Vertiv HMX 8000) is the right choice.

NIAP PP 4.0 Secure KVM — when is it required?

When users handle multiple security classifications on the same physical workstation (e.g. unclassified + restricted + classified networks). Mandatory for many UK government / defence + intelligence-sector environments. Raritan Secure KVM is the dominant NIAP-certified option.

Procurement

Do you supply both brands?

Yes — Servnet is an authorised UK reseller of both Raritan and Vertiv Avocent. We quote both on equivalent specs + advise vendor-neutrally based on your use case.

Can you handle data hall KVM installation?

Yes — UK-wide engineer dispatch for KVM installation including rack-and-stack, cabling, management software onboarding (CC-SG / DSView), AD integration, and user / role provisioning.