Setup guide

Page 6 of 10 Dominion KX FAQ
Q. Are there any agents that
must be installed on servers
connected to Dominion KX?
A. Servers connected to Dominion KX do not
require any software agents to be installed,
because Dominion KX connects directly via hardware to servers’ keyboard, video, and
mouse ports.
Q. How many servers can be
connected to each Dominion
KX unit?
A. Dominion KX models range, offering up to 32 server ports per unit – in a 1U chassis,
this is the industry’s highest digital KVM switch port density.
Q. What happens if I
disconnect a server from
Dominion KX and reconnect it
to another Dominion KX unit,
or connect it to a different port
on the same Dominion KX
unit?
A. Dominion KX will automatically update the server port names when servers are moved
from port to port. Furthermore, this automatic update does not just affect the local access
port, but it propagates to all remote clients and the optional CommandCenter
management appliance.
Q. How do I connect a serially
controlled (RS-232) device to
Dominion KX, such as a Cisco
router/switch or a headless
Sun server?
A. If you only have a few serially-controlled devices, you may connect them to Dominion
KX using Raritan’s serial computer interface module (CIM).
However, if you have four or more serially controlled devices, we recommend the use of
Raritan’s Dominion SX model line of secure console servers. For multiple serial devices,
Dominion SX offers more functionality at a better price point than Dominion KX, while
being just as easy to use, configure and manage, and can be completely integrated with
your Dominion Series deployment. In particular, many UNIX and networking
administrators appreciate the ability to directly SSH to a Dominion SX unit (which
Dominion KX, a digital KVM switch, does not offer).
Local Port
Q. Can I access my servers
directly from the rack?
A. Yes, at the rack Dominion KX functions just like a traditional KVM switch – allowing
you to control up to 32 servers using a single keyboard, mouse, and monitor.
Q. When I am using the local
port, do I prevent other users
from accessing servers
remotely?
A. No. The Dominion KX local port has a completely independent access path to the
servers. This means a user can access servers locally at the rack – without compromising
the number of users that access the rack remotely at the same time.
Q. Can I use a USB keyboard
or mouse at the local port?
A. Yes. Dominion KX offers both PS/2 and USB keyboard and mouse ports on the local
rack. Note that the USB ports are USB v1.1, and support keyboards and mice only – not
USB devices such as scanners or printers.
Q. How do I select between
servers while using the local
port? Is there an On-Screen
Display (OSD)?
A. Yes. Dominion KX’s local access port displays an on-screen display interface that
presents a list of all servers connected to the Dominion KX unit. Users interact with this
convenient on-screen display interface to select a connected server.