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1.0 Product Description
The ServerSwitch 8200 is designed to transport keyboard/mouse and high-resolution
video from up to eight Sun® or compatible computers to video displays and
keyboard/mouse sets for two users. The ServerSwitch 8200 is plug-compatible with
Sun® and compatible computer workstations, video displays, and user devices (such as
keyboards and mice). The ServerSwitch 8200 can be used to create a variety of
networks with no impact on system processing power or performance. Each
ServerSwitch transparently connects video and keyboard/mouse signals between users
and CPUs, allowing two users to sit at separate locations, each with a single monitor,
keyboard, and mouse, and interact with up to 80 CPUs by cascading 10
ServerSwitches. The users may select any of the connected CPUs through an on-
screen menu or by using the buttons on the front of the switch. The ServerSwitch 8200
does not lose a CPU port when cascaded; there are special ports dedicated to passing
video, keyboard, and mouse signals in a cascade.
1.1 Video
All video signals are passively transported in real time without any processing or
storage. Additionally, a constant impedance of 75 Ohms is maintained on all video lines
throughout the ServerSwitch 8200 so that video signals are not compromised by
impedance mismatches, as may be found in other switching systems. The
ServerSwitch 8200 also transports monitor sense lines from one user's monitor (user A)
to all attached CPUs, allowing the attached CPUs to perform an automatic, unattended
reboot, even if the CPU is not selected on the switch. Because only one monitor's
sense lines are transmitted to all the attached CPUs, it is recommended that both users'
monitors are identical or have compatible operating modes.
1.2 Keyboard/Mouse
The ServerSwitch 8200 transports all keyboard and mouse signals required by the user
for interaction with any of the attached computers. At any time, a user's keyboard and
mouse are routed only to the CPU selected for that user. However, all CPU ports are
monitored for CPU activity that would require the presence of a keyboard/mouse set
(i.e., a status light change or reboot); the ServerSwitch will send a "keyboard/mouse
idle" response when queried. The keyboard status light (CAPS LOCK, NUM LOCK,
etc.) configuration for each CPU port is maintained within the ServerSwitch, and is sent
to the user's keyboard whenever that CPU port is selected. If the CPU changes the
status light configuration while the port is not selected, the change is saved and will be
displayed correctly when a user selects the port.
The ServerSwitch 8200 will send the language type of the keyboard to attached CPUs
for proper function of CPU operating system applications. The user can either specify
the keyboard language for each ServerSwitch 8200 unit, or let each unit send the
language layout of the keyboard attached to user port A.
