The smarter KVM switches, well, KV switches, would simulate a keyboard even if you're not connected to the server, but the dumber KV switches were dumb, so you'

The smarter KVM switches, well, KV switches, would simulate a keyboard even if you're not connected to the server, but the dumber KV switches were dumb, so you'd have to select the rebooting server so it could see the keyboard. Then you'd adjust the bios so it doesn't require a keyboard to boot. That's just how it was in the old days.