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                                  UNITED STATES
                       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): April 22, 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 12. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

      On April 22,  2004,  Avocent  Corporation  publicly  disseminated  a press
release  announcing  the financial  results for its first quarter ended April 2,
2004. The information  contained in the press release is incorporated  herein by
reference  and  furnished as Exhibit  99.5 hereto and shall be deemed  furnished
under Item 12 of Form 8-K.

                                    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: April 22, 2004                  By: /s/ Douglas E. Pritchett
                                           -------------------------------------
                                           Douglas E. Pritchett
                                           Senior Vice President of Finance,
                                           Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer


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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Document                                                             Page
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Press Release dated April 22, 2004............................ Exhibit 99.5, 1-5


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