Black Box KV1700A/E, User Manual

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CHAPTER 2: PRODUCT OVERVIEW
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2. Product Overview
The Black Box Octet
®
switch is a KVM (keyboard, video and mouse) switch that allows
users to access multiple system servers or serial devices from a single keyboard, monitor
and mouse. Multiple users in different locations can share access to PC, USB or Sun
servers and serial devices.
A typical Octet switching system consists of one or more Octet switches, user stations and
Octet server access modules. Up to three tiers of Octet switches can be cascaded to
provide seamless access to a large number of target devices. Other KVM switches,
including Black Box and non-Black Box branded, may also be attached in a cascaded
system but do not provide seamless cascading.
All Octet switches are rack mountable and are equipped with the Black Box On-Screen
Display (OSD) and the Octoware
®
Java™-based system administration tool.
2.1 Features and Benefits
Multiplatform
With the Octet switching system, you can access any combination of PC, USB or Sun
servers and serial devices using a single keyboard and mouse.
Connection sharing
Two or more users can share access to the same target device simultaneously through the
Octet switch. When sharing a connection to a target device, all users see the video but only
one user at a time controls the keyboard and mouse.
Security
The Octet KVM switching system allows you to house valuable equipment in controlled
areas. Octet server access modules are compact devices that eliminate cable bulk and
prevent unauthorized access to a target device through cable manipulation. You can
control user access by assigning rights to each username for specific target devices.
Administrative privileges, usernames and the serial port are also password-protected.
LDAP user authentication
The Octet switch supports the LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) user
authentication mode. LDAP provides the Active Directory for username and password
authentication.
Advanced video compensation
The Octet user stations and Octet server access modules provide advanced video
compensation that automatically maximizes video quality for long distance
communications. You can also manually adjust video quality for specific servers or user
stations.
Scalable architecture
The Octet switching system scalable architecture can easily accommodate additional
servers and users. Octet server access modules, user stations and switches are pre-assigned
unique identification numbers (UIDs), allowing you to easily reconfigure the switching
system. Name changes to Octet server access modules are automatically sent to all
attached user stations, even if the units are on different networks.