SERVSWITCH™ OCTOPUS INSTALLER/USER GUIDE
14
The Octopus SAM
The Octopus SAM provides the primary interface between an attached device (KVM
switch or PS/2, Sun or USB server) and the Octopus system. It provides all Keep
Alive, keyboard emulation, DDC (Digital Data Channel) and Octopus support in a
server-powered convenient cable format. This eliminates the need for extra rack
space, power outlets or additional cables. For ease of installation, each Octopus
SAM has a factory-assigned unique number that identifies the attached server within
the system. The connection between the Octopus system and the Octopus SAM is
via industry standard UTP cabling.
UTP cables
The Octopus system uses video technologies that compensate for the losses that
occur in all UTP cables. These technologies make the Octopus compatible with most
UTP cable types and support Octopus use in environments where there are
combinations of UTP cable types and patch panels. The Octopus will function
correctly with any combination of CAT5, CAT5e and CAT6 cables. Throughout this
manual, the generic term UTP refers to any CAT cable used by the Octopus system.
Figure 2-1. Typical Octopus Configuration
64 Servers
Octopus 1664 Switch
UTP Cables
SAM
Octopus 1710
User Station
16 Users