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Dominion KX II Frequently asked questions

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Dominion

KX II

Questions Answers

General Questions

What is Dominion KX II? Dominion KX II is a second generation digital KVM (keyboard / video /

mouse) switch that enables IT administrators to access and control

16, 32 or 64* servers over the network with BIOS-level functionality.

Dominion KX II is completely hardware and OS-independent; users can

troubleshoot and reconfigure servers even when servers are down.

At the rack, Dominion KX II provides the same functionality, convenience,

space savings and cost savings as traditional analog KVM switches.

However, Dominion KX II also integrates the industry’s highest-

performing KVM-over-IP technology, allowing multiple administrators

to access server KVM consoles from any networked workstation.

How does Dominion KX II differ

from remote control software?

When using Dominion KX II remotely, the interface, at first glance, may

seem similar to remote control software such as pcAnywhere

Windows

Terminal Services / Remote Desktop, VNC, etc. However,

because Dominion KX II is not a software but a hardware solution, it’s

much more powerful:

• OS- and hardware-independent – Dominion KX II can be used to

manage servers running many popular OS, including Intel

, Sun

PowerPC running Windows, Linux

, SolarisTM, etc.

• State-independent / Agentless – Dominion KX II does not require the

managed server OS to be up and running, nor does it require any

special software to be installed on the managed server.

• Out-of-Band – Even if the managed server’s own network connection

is unavailable, it can still be managed through Dominion KX II.

• BIOS-level access – Even if the server is hung at boot up, requires

booting to safe mode, or requires system BIOS parameters to be

altered, Dominion KX II still works flawlessly to enable these

configurations to be made.

How do the new features of the

Dominion KX II compare to the KX I?

Dominion KX II has many new and exciting features, including virtual

media, dual power, dual gigabit Ethernet, common Web-based user

interfaces, next generation local port, etc. See the “Features and

Benefits” tab on the KX II Web pages on Raritan.info/KXII.

How do I migrate from the

Dominion KX I to Dominion KX II?

In general, KX I customers can continue to use their existing switches for

many years. As their data centers expand, customers can purchase and

use the new KX II models. Raritan’s centralized management appliance,

CommandCenter® Secure Gateway, and the Multiplatform Client both

support KX I and KX II switches seamlessly.

Will my existing KX I CIMs work with

the Dominion KX II switch?

Yes, existing KX I CIMs will work with the Dominion KX II switch.

In addition, select Paragon CIMs will work with the KX II. This provides

an easy migration to KX II from Paragon I customers who wish to switch

to KVM-over-IP.

Summary of content (10 pages)

PAGE 1
Dominion® KX II Questions Answers General Questions What is Dominion KX II? Dominion KX II is a second generation digital KVM (keyboard / video / mouse) switch that enables IT administrators to access and control 16, 32 or 64* servers over the network with BIOS-level functionality. Dominion KX II is completely hardware and OS-independent; users can troubleshoot and reconfigure servers even when servers are down.
PAGE 2
Questions Answers Can Dominion KX II be rack mounted? Yes, The Dominion KX II ships standard with 19” rack mount brackets. It can also be reverse rack mounted so the server ports face forward. How large is Dominion KX II? Dominion KX II is only 1U in height (except KX464 is a 2U), fits in a standard 19” rack mount, and occupies only 29 cm in depth.
PAGE 3
Questions Answers Do you have a non-Windows client? Yes. Both the Virtual KVM Client and the Multiplatform Client (MPC), allow non-Windows users to connect to target servers through the Dominion KX I and KX II switches. MPC can be run via Web browsers and standalone. Please refer to Raritan’s Dominion KX II and MPC User Guides for more information. My modem connection dropped and I got the error message “There was an unexpected communications error – connection terminated.
PAGE 4
Questions How much bandwidth does Dominion KX II require? Answers Dominion KX II offers next generation KVM-over-IP technology – the very best video compression available. Raritan has received numerous technical awards confirming its high video quality transmissions and the low bandwidth utilization. Raritan pioneered the KVM-over-IP functionality that allows users to tailor their video parameters to conserve network bandwidth.
PAGE 5
Questions Answers Does Dominion KX II require an external authentication server to operate? No. Dominion KX II is a completely self-sufficient appliance. After assigning an IP address to a Dominion KX II, it is ready to use – with Web browser and authentication capabilities completely built-in. If an external authentication server (such as LDAP, Active Directory®, RADIUS, etc.
PAGE 6
Questions Answers What should I do to prepare a server for connection to Dominion KX II? Simply set the mouse parameters in order to provide users with the best mouse synchronization during remote connections, as well as turning off the power management features that effect screen display. However, if the Absolute Mouse Synchronization™ is supported through the new D2CIM-VUSB adapter, then manually setting the mouse parameters isn’t necessary.
PAGE 7
Questions Answers How do I connect a serially controlled (RS-232) device to Dominion KX II, such as a Cisco router/switch or a headless Sun server? If there are only a few serially-controlled devices, they may be connected to a Dominion KX II using Raritan’s serial adapter, AUATC, or the new P2CIM-SER serial converter. However, if there are four or more serially-controlled devices, we recommend the use of Raritan’s Dominion SX line of secure console servers.
PAGE 8
Questions Answers Power Control Does Dominion KX II have a dual power option? All KX II models come equipped with dual AC inputs and power supplies with automatic fail-over. Should one of the power inputs or power supplies fail, then the KX will automatically switch to the other. Does the power supply used by Dominion KX II automatically detect voltage settings? Yes. Dominion KX II’s power supply can be used in AC voltage ranges from 100-240 volts, at 50-60 Hz.
PAGE 9
Questions Can I connect an existing analog KVM switch to Dominion KX II? Answers Yes. Analog KVM switches can be connected to one of Dominion KX II’s server ports. Simply use a PS/2 Computer Interface Module (CIM), and attach it to the user ports of the existing analog KVM switch. Please note that analog KVM switches vary in their specifications and Raritan cannot guarantee the interoperability of any particular third-party analog KVM switch. Contact Raritan technical support for further information.
PAGE 10
Questions Does Dominion KX II support strong password? Answers Yes. The Dominion KX II has administrator-configurable, strong password checking to ensure that user created passwords meet corporate and/or government standards and are resistant to brute force hacking. Manageability Can Dominion KX II be remotely managed and configured via Web browser? Yes. Dominion KX II can be completely configured remotely via Web browser.