Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
THOMAS CHRISTOPHER L
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
AVOCENT CORP [AVCT]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chief Technology Officer
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
4991 CORPORATE DRIVE
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/02/2008
(Street)

HUNTSVILLE, AL 35805
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 01/02/2008   F   4,065 (5) D $ 22.3 27,172 (4) D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Options (rights to buy) $ 52.44             09/18/2000(1) 09/18/2010 Common Stock 175,000   175,000 D  
Options (rights to buy) $ 27.25             03/07/2003(2) 03/07/2013 Common Stock 40,000   40,000 D  
Option (rights to buy) $ 40.98             02/05/2004(2) 02/05/2014 Common Stock 30,000   30,000 D  
Options (rights to buy) $ 28.96             08/19/2004(2) 08/19/2014 Common Stock 10,000   10,000 D  
Options (rights to buy) $ 26.14             06/30/2005(3) 06/30/2015 Common Stock 7,200   7,200 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
THOMAS CHRISTOPHER L
4991 CORPORATE DRIVE
HUNTSVILLE, AL 35805
      Chief Technology Officer  

Signatures

 Richard K. Hempstead Attorney-in Fact for Christopher L Thomas   01/04/2008
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Grant date, 15% vests every 6 months for the first 12 months, 6.25% vests every three months for the following twelve months and 5% vests every three months for the final 12 months.
(2) Grant date, 25% vests after 6 months, 7.5% vests every three months for final 10 quarters. Vesting of unvested options accelerated and became 100% vested on December 25, 2005.
(3) Grant date, 100% vested on December 31, 2005.
(4) Includes time-based and performance-based (now deemed earned) restricted shares awarded on April 25, 2006: 2,322 shares vest on January 1, 2008; 7,168 shares vest equally over two years, one-half on January 1, 2008 and one-half on January 1, 2009. Includes 10,753 time-based restricted shares granted on April 27, 2007. The shares vest equally over three years, one-third on January 1, 2008, one-third on January 1, 2009 and one-third January 1, 2010.
(5) 4,065 Share were withheld as payment for taxes at the release of restricted shares on January 2, 2008.

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