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 *
BLANKENSHIP EDWARD H
   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)
Senior VP Finance & CFO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
4991 CORPORATE DRIVE		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/02/2009
(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 01/02/2009   F   4,098 (6) D $ 17.85 41,206 (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) $ 15.46             07/25/2002(1) 07/25/2012 Common Stock 25,000   25,000 D  
Options (rights to buy) $ 27.25             03/07/2003(2) 03/07/2013 Common Stock 10,000   10,000 D  
Options (rights to buy) $ 40.98             02/05/2004(2) 02/05/2014 Common Stock 10,000   10,000 D  
Options (rights to buy) $ 28.96             08/19/2004(2) 08/19/2014 Common Stock 5,000   5,000 D  
Options (rights to buy) $ 26.14             06/30/2005(3) 06/30/2015 Common Stock 3,000   3,000 D  
Performance-share awards with Market Conditions $ 0             02/19/2008(5) 02/19/2018 Common Stock 18,281   18,281 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
BLANKENSHIP EDWARD H
4991 CORPORATE DRIVE
HUNTSVILLE, AL 35805		       Senior VP Finance & CFO  

Signatures

 Richard K. Hempstead Attorney-in-Fact for Edward H. Blankenship   01/07/2009
**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, options vest over four years, 25% on the first anniversary of the grant date and 6.25% quarterly over the remaining 12 quarters.
(2) Grant date, 25% vests after 6 months, 7.5% vests every three months for the 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, April 17, 2008, and February 19, 2008. 11,968 shares vest on January 1, 2009, 6,975 shares vest on January 1, 2010, and 3,750 shares vest on January 1, 2011. Also includes 8,000 shares of restricted stock units that vest on the earlier of the first anniversary of the grant date or the closing price of Avocent's common stock being at or above a specified level for each trading day during any consecutive 30 calendar day period.
(5) Grant Date; These are performance-shares awards with market conditions tied to company stock price to be earned over a two year period. If earned, the shares will vest over a two year period beginning January 1, 2008.
(6) 4,098 shares were withheld as payment for taxes at the release of restricted shares on January 2, 2008.

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