Lenovo LCM8 Product Manual page 6

Target systems
The LCM16 has 16 target system ports (known as analog rack interface (ARI) ports) and the LCM8 has
eight target system ports. These can be directly attached to systems with the appropriate USB or PS/2
conversion option connector on the end. These connections use standard CAT-5 cables. You can increase
the number of connected target systems by two methods: chaining or a tiered arrangement of switches.
(There is more information about these options in the Chaining and Tiered consoles sections below). Both
methods mean that each of the eight or 16 ports will have multiple systems connected to it. You can mix
connection methods.
Conversion options
These options are cable-connector combinations that are connected between the CAT-5 cables from the
console switches to the target systems. The following figure shows the conversion option cables available
for use with the console switches. The part numbers are listed in the Part number information section.
The KVM Conversion Option (KCO) is suitable for target servers with VGA and PS/2-style mouse and
keyboard connections. The USB Conversion Option (UCO) is for systems with VGA and USB connections.
The Virtual Media Conversion Option Gen 2 (VCO2) supports the virtual media capability of the console
switches; however, it does not support chaining. We describe both virtual media and chaining in the
"Virtual media" and "Chaining" sections below.
Figure 4. Supported conversion options
The built-in memory of each connection option helps simplify the configuration by assigning and retaining
unique server identification codes for each attached server. This integrated intelligence enhances security
and helps prevent unauthorized access to a server through cable manipulation. The connection option is
powered directly from the server, providing Keep Alive functionality even if the server is not powered on.
Supported video resolutions are listed in the following table.
LCM8 and LCM16 Local Console Managers 6