Black Box SW545A, Manual, Page: 10 / 64

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CHAPTER 2: Introduction
2.1 General Overview
With our 8-port and 16-port Port Manager (PM) Switches, you can control
and manage a network without having to worry about the in-band restrictions
associated with SNMP. Both models of the Switch make it possible to establish
on-site or remote communication with any piece of equipment that has an RS-
232 command port. You can access such devices without having to travel to
the installation site, even when your network is down.
Versatile Connectivity
The PM Switch provides a practical solution for applications that require
communicating with devices using dissimilar data rates. You can individually
tailor the Switch’s 8 or 16 ports for specific data rates, data formats, types of
flow control, and various other custom parameters and options.
Easy Setup and Operation
Configuring the PM Switch is simple. You can select communications
parameters or enable or disable options through a convenient menu system.
The Switch can be easily configured to fit the requirements of almost any
data-communications application.
Limited Command Access
The PM Switch is ideal for situations that require two tiers of command/
configuration security. You can individually configure the Switch’s ports
either as Administrator ports with access to all commands, or as User ports
with access to basic commands only.
Modular Design
The PM Switch’s RJ-11 jacks can be quickly and easily connected (through
RS-232 modular adapters) to computers, modems, and other LAN/WAN
hardware. The Switch is compact and occupies only one rack unit (1.75
inches) of vertical rack space.
Buffered Ports
The PM Switch has 256 KB of nonvolatile, dynamically allocated buffer
memory that prevents data from overflowing during communication sessions.
If your application requires more memory, call Black Box for technical
support; they might be able to provide you with a quote on units with 512-KB
buffers.
2. Introduction