User manual

Chapter 2. Hardware Setup
19
Cascading
The KM0832 supports cascading up to 3 levels of KM0832 and 1 level of
KVM switches other than the KM0832 (see Supported KVM Switches,
page 137). However, no matter how many levels of KM0832 are cascaded, you
can only cascade 1 level of other KVM switches. After cascading a KVM
switch other than the KM0832, you cannot cascade any more child KVM
switches from the non-KM0832 switch.
Compatible KVM switches allow all of the separate switch OSDs to be
integrated so that when the first level KM0832 consoles bring up the OSD, the
port directory lists all of the computers connected to all of the cascaded
switches.
In cascaded installations, the number of bus connections between a parent and
child KVM switch determines the number of users that can simultaneously
access the KVM ports of a child KVM switch. A bus connection is established
by connecting a KVM port on the parent KVM switch to a user port on the child
KVM switch. The KM0832 supports a maximum of eight bus connections for
each cascaded KM0832, and usually no more than one for other KVM
switches.
In order for all eight KVM consoles on the first-level KM0832 to be able to
access the KVM ports of a cascaded KM0832 at the same time, you must create
eight bus connections between the first-level KVM switch and the child KVM
switch. If the two KVM switches are not directly connected, the intermediary
KVM switch(es) must have eight bus connections to the parent and child KVM
switches.
KVM consoles connected to the user ports of a cascaded KVM switch can
access KVM ports on the same level, or those of cascaded child switches, but
cannot access KVM ports of parent switch(es).