Specifications

96
SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY
7. Using the Dedicated Serial Ports
Each Port Card installed in the ServSwitch Affinity is equipped with an RS-232
serial port that you can use to:
• Configure the Affinity;
• Flash-upgrade firmware, and send kernel and system upgrades to the entire
system; or
• Restore factory defaults.
7.1 Basic Setup: Establishing a Serial Connection
In order to access a ServSwitch Affinity serial port, you’ll need these things:
• A straight-through-pinned, flat-satin or twisted-pair serial cable with modular
RJ-11 (4-pin) or RJ-12 (6-pin) connectors. (One of these is included with your
Affinity.)
• An appropriate adapter. For IBM and Sun type PCs and most terminals, either
DB25 female to RJ-12 female (product code FA044) or DB9 female to RJ-12
female (product code FA043), depending on your computer/terminal. (An
equivalent to the FA043 is included with your Affinity.)
• A dedicated (not attached to the ServSwitch Affinity system) computer or
terminal. You must use a computer if you will be upgrading the Affinity’s
firmware.
• If you are using a computer, you will also need a communications program
such as Windows HyperTerminal™.
To connect the adapter and cable, take these steps:
1. Connect the adapter to the serial port on your terminal or to one of the COM
ports on your computer. (If you are using a computer, the computer must not
be connected to the Affinity in any other way; do not run CPU Cable between
it and the Affinity.)
2. Plug one end of the cable into the RJ-12 female connector on the adapter,
and the other end into the serial port on the ServSwitch Affinity. If you are
changing the system’s “starting computer” or “maximum computer” settings,
you must use the serial port of the Port Card installed in the lowest-numbered
occupied slot in the Affinity (see Sections 2.3 and 7.2.1).