Avocent Partners With Electrograph to Expand Presence in Audio-Visual Channel

Connectivity and control solutions take a greater leap into professional audio-visual distribution

HUNTSVILLE, AL March 17, 2006 – Avocent Corporation (NASDAQ: AVCT), a leading provider of audio-visual connectivity and control solutions, today announced the expansion of its presence in the audio-visual channel, teaming up with Electrograph Systems, Inc., a top distributor of professional audio-video systems. Electrograph will now offer Avocent connectivity and control products to its nationwide base of resellers and systems integrators.

“Partnering with Avocent is part of our goal to continually increase our breadth of products to our network of resellers and integrators. Avocent products for professional audio-visual connectivity are proven solutions for a variety of applications that use display technology.” said Sam Taylor, president of Electrograph Systems, Inc. “We look forward to working with Avocent for a successful partnership, and plan to work jointly to develop programs that will help launch the Avocent brand.”

“We are enthusiastic about offering Avocent connectivity and control solutions through the Electrograph channel. Our decision to join forces with Electrograph was due to their leading reputation for excellence in display technology distribution.” said Mitch Friend, vice president and general manager of Avocent’s Connectivity and Control Division. “Through our partnership with Electrograph, Avocent can provide quality and reliable connectivity and control solutions to their network of resellers and integrators, helping to meet customer demand in this growing market.”

Demonstrations of Avocent connectivity and control products will take place in the Avocent booth (#4523) at NSCA Expo, in Las Vegas, NV, March 16-18.

Avocent connectivity and control products provide connectivity, switching, extension, monitoring, and control products for serial, video, and audio data. These products allow industry professionals to deliver leading-edge connectivity and control solutions to a range of markets including retail, medical, digital signage, hospitality, AV, and broadcasting.

About Electrograph Systems, Inc.
Founded in 1982, Electrograph Systems, Inc. is a leading national distributor of display technology solutions, including plasma displays, LCD displays, LCD and DLP™ projectors, and rear screen projection TV’s. With nine regional offices and a network of more than 4,000 reseller partners and integrators, Electrograph is the largest plasma display distributor in the U.S. and is the only distributor to operate a certified ICIA nationwide sales and service network. The company specializes in display, audio, connectivity and other complementary technologies for the professional audio/video, high-end consumer and commercial industries. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.electrograph.com

About Avocent Corporation
Avocent Corporation is the leading supplier of connectivity solutions for enterprise data centers, service providers and financial institutions worldwide. Branded products include switching, extension, Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI), remote access and video display solutions. Additional information is available at: www.avocent.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains statements that are forward-looking statements as defined within the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These include statements regarding market opportunity, product development, engineering and design activities, and product availability and operability. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including the risks associated with general economic conditions, risks attributable to future product demand, sales, and expenses, risks associated with product design efforts and the introduction of new products and technologies, risks associated with reliance on a limited number of component suppliers and single source components, and risk associated with obtaining and protecting intellectual property rights. Other factors that could cause operating and financial results to differ are described in Avocent’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Avocent and the Avocent logo are registered trademarks of Avocent Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.