ServSwitch™ Octet KVM Switch

State-of-the-art system control
The BLACK BOX® ServSwitch™ Octet KVM Switch is the answer to many customer demands. It's not only server management at its best, but it also offers all the system control and security features one would want.

The included Octoware control software enables an administrator to monitor the complete system setup via IP access. All connected devices can be scanned and displayed easily through this graphical user interface. User profiles can be edited off-line with comfort. Flash upgrading the system components can be done either device by device or with a single on-screen click over the complete system. This enables the network administrator to focus only on his or her main tasks and not waste time managing the server management system.

Octoware also monitors and stores the entire system's switching activities and logins. There's no security lacking anywhere on the system.

High resolution over great distances
The unique technical concept of the ServSwitch™ Octet KVM Switch minimises degradation of the video signal. This enables transmissions of higher screen resolutions at even longer distances over standard premise wire cabling (solid UTP cable that's specified to CAT5 or higher), so the existing infrastructure cabling can be used.

With every single switching activity, the Octet measures the transmitted KVM signals and equalises them automatically for the best video performance - all without requiring any changes within the CAT5 patchwork of the system's setup.
Not only can consoles used for server management be easily located outside the harsh server room environment, but dislocated servers can also be placed there. What's more, these servers can be homogeneously connected end-to-end up to a distance of 300 metres.

Hot-swappable, plug-and-play Server Access Modules
The Octet KVM switching system consists of three basic components: the switching unit itself, a User Station and Server Access Modules (SAMs). All components are hooked together over structured cable that meets CAT5 or higher specifications.

The SAM, a matchbox-size moulded unit with a pigtail cable attached, doesn't require any rack space and draws its power from the attached server. This ensures keep-alive functionality, providing keyboard and mouse emulation to the server at any time, and it's independent of the switching system's status.

The SAM has a unique ID address, too. As soon it's connected to the Octet KVM switch, the SAM's address appears on the CPU channel list within the connected user station's on-screen menu. From this menu, the SAM can be operated by an administrator. This plug-and-play simplicity, together with the system's easy click-connecting CAT5 technology, reduces installation time tremendously.

The SAM's numeric ID can be named by the user through the user station's on-screen menu, and it's stored in the SAM's non-volatile flash memory.

Should the SAM be disconnected from the server and moved to a different location later, its name will instantly disappear from the list. Once it's plugged back into any of the switch's CPU ports, the SAM will be recognised again by the system automatically without any additional reconfiguration. For even more reliability or easier troubleshooting, a SAM can be connected directly to a user station. This type of connection provides direct access to the server without interrupting the emulation.

Latest technology for versatile fields of application
The ServSwitch™ Octet KVM Switch is a switching system that's ideal for many demanding applications, but it best fits mission-critical environments.

One example is its use at a TV broadcasting company, where 'on-air' operation requires redundancy and flexibility.
In this application, most of the company's content is no longer stored on tapes but on video or music file servers that are loaded with Gigabytes of data. Live broadcasting is very expensive. Seconds of downtime means losing lots of money if it occurs during commercial advertising time! The high availability as well the easy setup of the ServSwitch™ Octet system makes it the right tool for this application. It provides many operators with simultaneous access to critical servers and helps guarantee downtime-free 24/7 operation.

And because the system's brilliant video quality ensures high-resolution graphics even at longer distances, broadcasting operating rooms can be placed in dislocated areas where operators control 'on-air' processes through graphic-intensive applications. The critical servers that store content can be hosted in dedicated air-conditioned server rooms for extended lifetime and reduced costs.

Security and monitoring
The LDAP integration enables seamless integration into standard network security setups. If the network link fails, the Octet is still protected by its own proprietary security settings that you can configure easily via the Octoware or the on-screen menu system.

You can also configure the Octet to create SNMP traps to flag certain events. This adds more security to the systems and it improves reliability. The Octet can be also controlled via SNMP! In mission-critical environments like process automation, an error or defect in a machine generates an SNMP trap that goes to an SNMP management program like HP® OpenView. The SNMP management program can then automatically force an Octet User Station to switch to a dedicated server showing the alarms, enabling it to counteract the reported failure.

Connections:
Number of Users — 4, 8 or 16
Number of CPUs — KV1700E: (42) RJ-45 F; KV1701E: (32) RJ-45 F; KV1702E: (64) RJ-45 F
Maximum Distance from Server to KVM — 300-m
Serial Interface — Yes
Cascadable/Expandable — Yes/Yes
Octet Connectors — User: KV1700E: (4) RJ-45 F; KV1701E: (8) RJ-45 F; KV1702E: (16) RJ-45 F
Power: All (1) IEC 320
Others: KV1700E-KV1702E: (1) DB9 M (administrator port), (1) RJ-45 F (network port); KV1711E, KV1712E: (2) RJ-45; KV1711E, KV1712E also have: (2) 6-pin mini DIN F, (1) 8-pin DIN F, (1) HD15 F, (1) DB9 F

Management:
On-screen Display (OSD) — Yes
Port Selection — OSD
Security Features — Password, user profiles; auto time logout, event log
Flash Upgradable — Yes

Engine (KVM Switch):
Switch Type — Analogue
Cabling Type — CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6, CAT7
Topology — Star
Platforms Supported — IBM® PC and compatible, PS/2®, Sun®, Sun USB, serial (VT100®), Mac USB, PC USB
Mice Supported — User and CPU: Wheel mouse, PS/2, Sun
Resolution over Analogue — 1600 x 1200 @ 75 Hz (maximum), depending on distance
Extension Options — Included, up to 300m
Scan Mode — Yes

Operating Environment:
Power — Internal 100-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz, autosensing
Chassis — Metal case
Dimensions — KV1700E, KV1701E: 4.3H x 43.2W x 28.1D cm; KV1702E: 8.9H x 43.2W x 28.1D cm; KV1711E, KV1712E: 4.4H x 27.9W x 29.2D cm
Rackmount Kit — Included
Weight — KV1700E, KV1701E: 3.7 kg; KV1702E: 5.4 kg; KV1711E, KV1712E: 2 kg
Temperature — Operating: 0-50° C
Humidity — Operating: 10-95% non-condensing
Convection — KV1700E-KV1702E only: Cooling fan