Beyond the local LCD console, the "IP" designation means this switch can also be reached remotely over the network: an administrator can access, monitor and control any of the 8 connected servers from a web browser anywhere on the network (or internet with appropriate access), including full keyboard/video/ mouse control - genuinely useful for out-of-band server management when a technician isn't on-site. ATEN's dual-rail LCD KVM switches of this class also support daisy-chaining additional 8-port units, scaling control up to well over a hundred servers from the one console and IP address. It's a standard data-centre/server-room fixture for consolidating rack space and cutting down on the clutter of a monitor-per-server setup, while keeping a genuine physical console available for BIOS-level or pre-boot access that a software-only remote tool can't reach.