ATEN CE370 console extender

Product Overview

AI-generated summary

The ATEN CE370 console extender is one of those “quietly useful” tools for IT teams who have to manage server rooms, cages, or remote racks where you can’t just run a normal KVM cable back to your desk. In practice, it’s best when you need reliable, low-drama access to a remote console for day-to-day admin, troubleshooting, or occasional break-fix work. If you’ve ever had to trek to a comms room because the console is too far away, you’ll understand why these extenders can be worth the money. At £494.11 ex-VAT, it’s not cheap, but it’s also not priced like a luxury item—more like an “avoid wasting time and reduce outages” purchase.

That said, I wouldn’t buy it if your use case is infrequent or if you don’t already have the operational need for physical console access. If you’re trying to solve something that’s better handled by IPMI/iDRAC/iLO, a proper out-of-band management setup will usually give you more flexibility for less ongoing hassle. Also, if you only need occasional access and the location is awkward but manageable, you might be able to get similar value cheaper with simpler cabling or a different remote management approach. The CE370 makes sense when you truly need a dependable console path and you’ve got the distance/placement constraints to justify it.