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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

        Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): January 9, 2004

                               AVOCENT CORPORATION
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

        DELAWARE                     000-30575                   91-2032368
(State of Incorporation)      (Commission File Number)        (I.R.S. Employer
                                                             Identification No.)

                              4991 CORPORATE DRIVE
                            HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA 35805
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices / Zip Code)

                                 (256) 430-4000
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

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Item 5. Other Events and Regulation FD Disclosures.

      On  January  9,  2004,  Avocent  publicly  disseminated  a  press  release
announcing that it had completed the  acquisition of Crystal Link  Technologies.
The  information  contained  in the  press  release  is  incorporated  herein by
reference and filed as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.

Item 7. Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

      (c) Exhibits.

      99.1  Press Release dated January 9, 2004.

                                    SIGNATURE

      Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934,
the  Registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                            AVOCENT CORPORATION

Dated: January 9, 2004                      By: /s/ Samuel F. Saracino
                                                --------------------------------
                                                Samuel F. Saracino
                                                Senior Vice President of Legal
                                                and Corporate Affairs


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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Document                                                           Page No.
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Press Release dated January 9, 2004............................. Exhibit 99.1, 1


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