Avocent MergePoint 5200 appliance provides secure Serial over LAN (SoL) console access, power control and server hardware monitoring, along with IPMI provisioning and service processor auto discovery. When used in conjunction with DSView 3 management software, the MergePoint 5200 appliance provides essential server coverage, which complements the overall out-of-band management infrastructure. The MergePoint 5200 appliance offers both a feature-rich Web user interface as well as a command line interface that leverages the Systems Management Architecture for Server Hardware Command Line Protocol (SMASH CLP), a standards-based user and scripting interface defined by the Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF). This provides a single command line interface to manage servers from multiple manufacturers, simplifying management, streamlining interoperability and ultimately reducing operator errors. The MergePoint 5200 appliance not only makes it easier to take advantage of service processor features but also enhances service processor functionality with add-on features. For example, the SoL feature complements the continuous data logging capabilities, resulting in additional security and auditing. Also, simultaneous power control of multiple servers boosts the already existing power management capabilities of service processors, including graceful shutdown support for IPMI. With easy-to-use IPMI provisioning capabilities and auto discovery for server management technologies within the network, the MergePoint 5200 appliance is ideal for enterprise data centers as well as for high performance computing (HPC) and other clustering environments.