Black Box ServSwitch Octet KV1700, User Manual

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CHAPTER 2: INTRODUCTION
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of hundreds of servers from one set of peripherals. For additional flexibility, you can
attach other Black Box KVM switches to the Octet switching system as well. Refer to
Chapter 3 for additional information on cascading an Octet switching system.
Octet OSD
Using the Octet OSD you can select any attached system computer through your keyboard
or mouse. The Octet OSD supports multilevel security with password protection,
enabling you to control how much access users have to each server in your data center.
For additional security, the Octet OSD can be configured to log out after a user-defined
period of inactivity. When the time-out is reached, the current channel is deselected and
the screen goes blank. Users must log in again to access system servers.
Octoware software
The Octoware Java-based system administration software tool supplied with each Octet
switch is used to assign names to attached servers and administer naming and access
information for attached users. You can also use the Octoware software to configure
Octet switching system installations remotely, eliminating the need to configure each
unit separately. The Octoware software also enables you to monitor and report on all
system and switching events and activities.
2.2 Component Overview
An Octet switching system may consist of four main components:
•
One or more Octet switches and other KVM switches
• Octet matrix user station(s)
• Octet Server Access Module (SAM)
• Octet Server Access Module Dual Port/Multimedia (SAMDM)
• Octet Serial SAM (Required Power Supply PS123A sold separately)
• Unshielded Twisted Pairs (UTP) cables
The quantity and type of components you receive depend on the specific configuration
you order.
The Octet switch
The Octet KV170x switch provides the framework for the Octet switching system. The
Octet KV1700 matrix switch allows four users to connect to up to 42 computers and
occupies only 1U of rack space. The Octet KV1701 matrix switch allows eight users to
connect to up to 32 computers and occupies only 1U of rack space. The Octet KV1702
matrix switch allows 16 users to connect to up to 64 computers and occupies 2U of rack
space. The Octet KV1703 matrix switch allows 4 users to connect to up to 16 computers
and occupies only 1U of rack space. All units can be cascaded to connect larger system
configurations. These Octet matrix switches store a full database of user rights and
computer names and communicate with the Octoware system management utility via an
IP (Internet Protocol) port.
The Octet user station
The Octet user station (Octet KV1711 user station, Octet KV1712 user station, Octet
KV1713 user station) is the interface between the Octet switch and system users. It
provides the Octet interface for server selection and administration, as well as full