Exhibit 99.5

Avocent Updates Revenue Guidance for First Quarter

    HUNTSVILLE, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 14, 2005--Avocent
Corporation (NASDAQ:AVCT) today lowered its revenue guidance for the
first quarter ending April 1, 2005. The Company expects revenue to be
in the range of $73 million to $77 million based on the results to
date. Avocent had previously issued guidance for first quarter revenue
to be in the range of $96 to $100 million compared with revenue of
$86.1 million in the first quarter of 2004.
    "Avocent's sales are running behind our forecast for the first
quarter," stated John R. Cooper, chairman and chief executive officer
of Avocent Corporation. "The lower sales resulted from a number of
factors with the most significant being the launch of our DSView 3
software and several new appliance products that kept our sales and
reseller forces in training and away from our customers for much of
January and created some confusion in the marketplace. In addition, an
order for a large customer that we had anticipated to occur in the
first quarter has been deferred. Finally, we have experienced greater
than expected seasonal softness in the OEM market, with a substantial
portion being attributable to one customer. These factors, when
combined with the increased competition in the marketplace, worked
together to cause the shortfall in revenue.
    "While we acknowledged in our fourth quarter conference call that
there was some risk to the broad new product introductions we have
underway, we did not expect to see a decline of this magnitude for the
first quarter, and we have moved quickly to address these problems,"
continued Mr. Cooper. "The actions we are taking include adjustments
to the packaging and pricing of products we are selling to more
directly address portions of the market, providing additional training
for our sales force and resellers to help them more clearly
communicate and demonstrate the value proposition of the products and
technologies we offer, continuing with our previously announced plan
to increase our marketing expenditures during 2005 to promote our
brand and products and increase customer awareness, and accelerating
previously-planned customer visits to help them better understand the
value of our products and technologies."

    Conference Call Information

    Avocent will provide an on-line, real-time Web-cast and
rebroadcast of its update for the first quarter in a conference call
to be held today, Monday, March 14, 2005, at 9:00 a.m. Central time.
The live broadcast will be available on-line at www.avocent.com as
well as www.vcall.com beginning at 9:00 a.m. Central time. The on-line
replay will follow immediately and continue for 30 days.

    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 Private Securities Litigation Reform
Act of 1995. The final results for the first quarter of 2005 may
differ from the forecast discussed above due to factors that include,
but are not limited to, risks that sales do not occur as anticipated
in the last few weeks of the quarter and risks associated with final
review of the results and preparation of quarterly financial
statements. The forward-looking statements set forth in this press
release are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual
operating 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 reliance on a limited number of customers, component
suppliers, and single source components, competitive risks, risks
associated with product design efforts and the introduction of new
products and technologies, and risks 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 reports on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission on March 12, 2004 and to be filed on March 14,
2005. Other risks may be detailed from time to time in reports to be
filed with the SEC. Avocent does not undertake any obligation to
publicly update its forward-looking statements based on events or
circumstances after the date hereof.

    CONTACT: Avocent Corporation
             Dusty Pritchett, 256-217-1300