Black Box ServSwitch Affinity KV130A User Manual
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Black Box ServSwitch Affinity KV130A User Manual

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JANUARY 2003
KV130A
KV130DA
KV131A-R2
KV132A-R2
KV134A-R2
KV138A
KV138DA
KV139A
KV139DA

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  • Page 1 JANUARY 2003 KV130A KV130DA KV131A-R2 KV132A-R2 KV134A-R2 KV138A KV138DA KV139A KV139DA...
  • Page 2 ServSwitch system that’s just right for you. The ServSwitch ™ family from Black Box—the one-stop answer for all your KVM- switching needs! This manual will tell you all about your new ServSwitch™ Affinity, including how to install, operate, and troubleshoot it. For an introduction to the ServSwitch Affinity, see Chapter 2.
  • Page 3 BLACK BOX and the logo are registered trademarks, and ServSwitch and ServSwitch Affinity are trademarks, of Black Box Corporation. Apple, Mac, and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. IBM, PC/AT, PS/2, RS/6000, and ThinkPad are registered trademarks, and PC/XT is a trademark, of International Business Machines Corporation.
  • Page 4 FCC/IC STATEMENTS FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION AND INDUSTRY CANADA RADIO-FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE STATEMENTS This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio-frequency energy and if not installed and used properly, that is, in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, may cause interference to radio communication. It has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A computing device in accordance with the specifications in Subpart B of Part 15 of FCC rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such interference when the equipment is...
  • Page 5 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY EUROPEAN UNION DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY This equipment complies with the requirements of the European EMC Directive 89/336/EEC with respect to EN55022 (Class B), EN50082-1/EN60555-2, and the Low Voltage Directive.
  • Page 6 NOM STATEMENT NORMAS OFICIALES MEXICANAS (NOM) ELECTRICAL SAFETY STATEMENT INSTRUCCIONES DE SEGURIDAD 1. Todas las instrucciones de seguridad y operación deberán ser leídas antes de que el aparato eléctrico sea operado. 2. Las instrucciones de seguridad y operación deberán ser guardadas para referencia futura.
  • Page 7 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 12. Precaución debe ser tomada de tal manera que la tierra fisica y la polarización del equipo no sea eliminada. 13. Los cables de la fuente de poder deben ser guiados de tal manera que no sean pisados ni pellizcados por objetos colocados sobre o contra ellos, poniendo particular atención a los contactos y receptáculos donde salen del aparato.

  • Page 8: Table Of Contents

    TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Chapter Page 1. Specifications ................... 11 2. Introduction ..................... 15 2.1 The Complete Package ..............15 2.2 Features ..................... 16 2.3 The Rear Panel Illustrated ............... 19 2.4 Cable Requirements ................. 22 2.5 Equipment Requirements ..............22 3.
  • Page 9 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Contents (continued) Chapter Page 3. Installation and Preconfiguration (continued) 3.5 The Power-Up Procedure ..............48 3.5.1 The Power-Up Diagnostic Screen: Standard Messages ..49 3.5.2 Kernel-Halt Error Messages ..........51 3.5.3 Kernel Serial-Port Messages ..........54 3.6 Initial Configuration ................. 55 3.6.1 Initially Configuring a Single Unit ........
  • Page 10 8. Using the CPU Ports as Serial Ports ............104 9. Troubleshooting ..................106 9.1 Common Problems ................. 106 9.2 Replacing a Power Supply in a Dual-Powered Affinity ....112 9.3 Calling Black Box ................112 9.4 Shipping and Packaging ..............112...
  • Page 11 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Contents (continued) Appendix Page Appendix A: NVRAM Factory Defaults ............113 Appendix B: Cable Product Codes .............. 115 Appendix C: Pinout of the Dedicated Serial Ports ........118 Appendix D: The LK461 Keyboard ............. 119 Appendix E: Installing Cards in the ServSwitch Affinity ......120 E.1 Adding a Port Card .................

  • Page 12: Specifications

    CHAPTER 1: Specifications 1. Specifications Hardware Required: Monitor that supports your computers’ highest video standard; in multiplatform applications, should be a multisync model capable of forming video from either composite sync or separate horizontal and vertical sync signals (see Section 3.2.3) Compliance: CE, FCC Part 15 Subpart B Class A, IC Class/classe A Standards:...
  • Page 13 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY RS-232: User-selectable: Data Rate: On serial ports: 9600 or 57,600 bps; On CPU ports: 50, 110, 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4800, or 9600 bps Flow Control: RS-232 on CPU ports: Transparent to software flow control; doesn’t support hardware flow control Maximum Distance: 20 ft.
  • Page 14 CHAPTER 1: Specifications Connectors: All rear-mounted; On Affinity chassis: Rear-mounted IEC 320 male power inlet(s): KV130DA, KV138DA, KV139DA: (2); All other models: (1); On all Affinity Port Cards (KV1300C and KV1301C-R2): (4) DB25 female for CPU connections, (1) RJ-12 (“6-wire RJ-11”) female for serial management; On 1 x 4 Port Cards (KV1301C-R2): (1) DB25 female for user connections;...
  • Page 15 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Humidity Tolerance: 5 to 80% noncondensing Enclosure: Steel KV130DA, KV138DA, KV139DA: Autoresetting switch Fuses: fuses that cut in when power surges exceed the maximum ratings of the chassis Power: Input: 90 to 264 VAC, 47 to 63 Hz, 700 mA from AC outlet(s) through included power cord(s) and inlet(s) into internal transformer(s): KV130DA, KV138DA, KV139DA: Dual transformers...

  • Page 16: Introduction

    CHAPTER 2: Introduction 2. Introduction Thank you for choosing a ServSwitch™ Affinity. Designed with your needs in mind, your new Affinity will simplify your job by helping you organize your multiple-computer application. With your Affinity you can use one or more keyboards, monitors, and mice to access a number of IBM PC compatible, Sun ®...

  • Page 17: Features

    PC, and this manual. (Other cables are ordered separately—see Appendix B for a list of cables and their product codes.) If you didn’t receive everything, or if anything arrived damaged, contact Black Box. 2.2 Features With the ServSwitch Affinity, you have easy, virtually trouble-free, secure, and complete access to up to 1024 computers from as many as 4, 8, or 16 keyboard/ video/mouse stations.
  • Page 18 CHAPTER 2: Introduction Security: • Four connect modes provide flexibility in tailoring ServSwitch Affinity to your environment’s security policies: Connect Mode Your Access Other Users’ Access View View only Full Share Full Full Control Full View only Private Full None •...
  • Page 19 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY On-screen display technology: • The ServSwitch Affinity can mix its own video output with that of the attached computers so that its menus “pop up” on top of application screens. • Easy-to-use menus guide you through configuration. • Connection-status information can be displayed in any of a large number of color combinations.

  • Page 20: The Rear Panel Illustrated

    CHAPTER 2: Introduction 2.3 The Rear Panel Illustrated All cable connections are made at the Affinity’s rear panel, as illustrated in Figures 2-1 through 2-3 and described on the following pages. Figure 2-1. The rear panel of a fully populated regular ServSwitch Affinity Expansion Chassis (four 1 x 4 Port Cards installed).
  • Page 21 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Designation Connector Description CPU N DB25 F On Port Cards: Connect the sharing computers to these ports with CPU Cables (“CPU Adapter [N = a number Cables”). At the ServSwitch Affinity end, these from 1 to either cables have a DB25 male connector; at the other 4, 8, 12, or 16, ends, they have appropriate connectors to plug depending on...
  • Page 22 CHAPTER 2: Introduction Designation Connector Description IN N 4-Port cards: On Expansion Cards: Ports carrying keyboard/ DB15 F mouse/video data input from other ServSwitch [N = a number Affinity units to the Port Cards installed in the 8-Port cards: from 1 to either HD15 F local Affinity, as well as system-control information.

  • Page 23: Cable Requirements

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 2.4 Cable Requirements Many switches of this type have what seems like hundreds of connectors on their rear panels: one for each CPU’s video cable, one for each keyboard cable, and a third for each mouse cable. The potential for tangling or mismatching cables is high.

  • Page 24: Installation And Preconfiguration

    CHAPTER 3: Installation and Preconfiguration 3. Installation and Preconfiguration 3.1 Quick Setup Guide Figure 3-1 shows a basic example of connecting a ServSwitch Affinity to a CPU, a user station (monitor, keyboard, and mouse), another Affinity, and AC power. IBM PC equipment is shown, but the principles will be similar for all equipment types.

  • Page 25: Guidelines For Using The Servswitch Affinity With Your Equipment

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 3.2 Guidelines for Using the ServSwitch Affinity with Your Equipment 3.2.1 CPU If you will be attaching IBM PC type computers, use only IBM PC/AT or PS/2 or 100% compatible machines, or recent SGI™ machines. The ServSwitch Affinity does not support IBM PC/XT™...
  • Page 26 CHAPTER 3: Installation and Preconfiguration Other concerns: • The ServSwitch Affinity emulates several types of mice for the attached computers, but the actual mice used at your user stations must be the same type as the stations’ keyboards: Sun or USB mice with Sun keyboards or PS/2 or USB mice (not RS-232 mice) with PC type keyboards.
  • Page 27 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY to support the DEC LK461 keyboard (see Appendix D for the key mappings), Japanese 106- and 109-key keyboards, and certain other keyboards that use special or proprietary keys. However, we cannot guarantee that the Affinity will be able to fully support—or even work at all with—any PC-type keyboard that uses nonstandard keys, connectors, or keyboard-scan modes.

  • Page 28: Monitor

    CPUs to your system, either your monitor must be capable of accepting both H/V and composite-sync input, or you’ll have to use a sync converter and special cables to convert H/V to composite sync or vice versa (call Black Box Technical Support for a special quote).
  • Page 29 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY The ServSwitch Affinity will support SVGA (Super VGA) video, but with original Serv cables the video quality will decrease markedly at higher resolutions and distances. Table 3-2 illustrates this. The distances in the table are total lengths of CPU Cable and User Cable (but not Expansion Cable) measured from the CPU to the monitor.
  • Page 30 If all of your CPUs are IBM PC compatible, and you want to drive signals across CPU-to-Affinity or Affinity-to-monitor distances over 100 feet (30.5 m), you might require Station Extenders or CAT5 KVM Extenders (see Appendix B). Please call Black Box Technical Support to discuss your application.

  • Page 31: Installation Procedure

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 3.3 Installation Procedure This section provides complete instructions for the hardware setup of a single ServSwitch Affinity. (For instructions on installing a daisychained Affinity system, see Sections 3.3.6 and 3.4.) For an illustrated example of the elements of a basic setup, see Figure 3-1.

  • Page 32: Setting And Installing Cards

    CHAPTER 3: Installation and Preconfiguration 3.3.2 S ETTING AND NSTALLING ARDS You can install Port Cards in any vacant Port-Card slot in the ServSwitch Affinity at any time. You can also install an Expansion Card (or, on 4-User models, swap in an Expansion Card for a Terminator Card)in order to prepare the Affinity to be daisychained.

  • Page 33: Connecting Cpus

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 3.3.5 C ONNECTING CPU Cables run from the ServSwitch Affinity to the keyboard port, mouse port (if this is separate), and video-output port of each CPU you want to directly attach to it. Different types of this cable fit the connectors on different computers (see Appendix B).

  • Page 34: Connecting Devices' Serial Ports (Optional)

    If you need some other type of cable or adapter to reach some other type of serial port or device—for example, the serial ports on some Cisco routers or the 8-pin DIN serial ports on legacy Sun computers—call Black Box Tech Support. We might be able to give you a quote.

  • Page 35: Connecting Other Affinity Units (Optional)

    Section 3.6. Before installing an advanced configuration, please call Black Box and discuss your application with a technician. 3.3.8 P...

  • Page 36: Changing The Keyboard Setting Of Windows Nt 4.0 Cpus

    CHAPTER 3: Installation and Preconfiguration 3.3.9 C NT 4.0 CPU HANGING THE EYBOARD ETTING OF INDOWS If any CPUs attached to your ServSwitch Affinity are running Microsoft Windows NT ® 4.0, you must change the keyboard setting in their Control Panel from the default, “Microsoft Enhanced Keyboard,”...

  • Page 37: Daisychaining Servswitch Affinity Units

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 3.4 Daisychaining ServSwitch Affinity Units Chaining multiple ServSwitch Affinity units together adds capacity for more computers and, optionally, more user stations. When you plan a daisychained system, keep in mind that Affinity units attach to each other: • From output to input. •...

  • Page 38: Bus And User-Port (Kvm) Numbering

    CHAPTER 3: Installation and Preconfiguration 3.4.2 B (KVM) N US AND UMBERING 3.4.2.A In 4-User Models In 4-User ServSwitch Affinity models, the numbering of the user ports, users, buses, and keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) user stations is fixed, and in a normal daisychain with only 4-User units, each of these numbers will always be equal to the others.
  • Page 39 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY On the top Expansion Card in a 16-User Affinity: • Input port IN 1 and output port OUT 1 carry video signals for KVM 9 and KVM 10 (Users 9 and 10, attached to the Port Cards in slots 1 and 2 respectively if the Expansion Card is set for KVM 9 through 12).
  • Page 40 CHAPTER 3: Installation and Preconfiguration If you’ll be placing the card in a 16-User chassis, follow the directions printed on the board: • To assign the users on the chassis’ Slots 1 through 4 to “KVM 1” through “KVM 4” respectively, set jumper blocks JP1 and JP2 on the “lower card”...

  • Page 41: Topologies

    16-User ServSwitch Affinity models, but we recommend that you avoid trying to do so. If you feel that such a topology is necessary for your application, please call Black Box Technical Support to discuss it. 3.4.3.A Regular Bus With daisychained 4-User models, use a regular bus arrangement (like the one shown in Figure 3-5 on the next page) if all of your users are on an Affinity at the end of the chain.
  • Page 42 CHAPTER 3: Installation and Preconfiguration Unit 3: CPUs 33 to 48 Unit 2: User “KVM 4” (Slot 4) CPUs 17 to 32 User “KVM 3” (Slot 3) User “KVM 2” (Slot 2) Unit 1: CPUs 1 to 16 User “KVM 1” (Slot 1) Figure 3-5.
  • Page 43 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Unit 5: CPUs 65 to 80; Expansion Card set to KVM 1–4 Users “KVM 13” through “KVM 16” Unit 4: (on Slots 1 through 4) CPUs 49 to 64; can access CPUs on Expansion Card Units 4 and 5 set to KVM 13–16 Users “KVM 9”...

  • Page 44: B Split Bus

    CHAPTER 3: Installation and Preconfiguration 3.4.3.B Split Bus With daisychained 4-User models, you can use a split bus arrangement if you have two users on one ServSwitch Affinity and one or two users on another. Because each Expansion Cable carries signals for two user stations, one set of cables can carry a video bus in one direction (toward one pair of users) while the other set of cables carries a video bus in another direction (toward the other pair).
  • Page 45 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY With daisychained 8-User models, if all of your users are connected to just two chassis, a split bus is one way for all of the users to access all of your CPUs. In this case, two cables carry video buses toward one set of as many as four users, and two cables carry video buses toward the other set.

  • Page 46: C Ring

    CHAPTER 3: Installation and Preconfiguration 3.4.3.C Ring With daisychained 4-User models, use a ring arrangement if you have user stations attached to three or four ServSwitch Affinity units and you want all of your users to have access (or at least potential access) to all CPUs. Because it interlinks the first and last Affinity units instead of making them the endpoints—which allows any user to reach any CPU—a typical ring configuration requires one more pair of Expansion Cables than the bus topologies do.
  • Page 47 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Users “KVM 7” and Unit 3: “KVM 8” (on Slots 3 CPUs 33 to 48; and 4) Expansion Card set to KVM 5–8 All users can access all CPUs Unit 2: CPUs 17 to 32; Users “KVM 5” and Expansion Card “KVM 6”...

  • Page 48: Mixed Chains

    Expansion Modules and Expansion Cards than the 8- and 16-User models have on their Expansion Cards, you’ll need special cabling to interconnect them. Call Black Box Technical Support for details. • When you connect a Matrix ServSwitch to an Affinity, connect the Matrix ServSwitch’s IN and OUT ports to the Affinity’s OUT 1 and IN 1 ports...

  • Page 49: The Power-Up Procedure

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 3.5 The Power-Up Procedure About three seconds after you plug in and turn on a ServSwitch Affinity as described in Section 3.3.8, a diagnostics screen running a self-test will appear on user-station monitors and serial devices attached to the unit. (In an all Sun installation with a monitor that doesn’t support 640 x 480 resolution, the video port of a powered and operating Sun CPU needs to be connected to the Affinity’s lowest-numbered CPU port in order for the Affinity to display this screen...

  • Page 50: The Power-Up Diagnostic Screen: Standard Messages

    CHAPTER 3: Installation and Preconfiguration 3.5.1 T OWER IAGNOSTIC CREEN TANDARD ESSAGES The diagnostic screen that appears when you turn ON the ServSwitch Affinity is shown in Figure 3-15; standard messages you might see on it are shown in Table 3-4 on the next page.
  • Page 51 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Table 3-4. The standard diagnostic-screen messages. Diagnostic Messages Description Indicates version ID of the kernel program being run by Kernel Version the Port Card in the Affinity’s lowest-numbered occupied slot (all of the Port Cards should be running the same version).

  • Page 52: Kernel-Halt Error Messages

    CHAPTER 3: Installation and Preconfiguration Table 3-4 (continued). The standard diagnostic-screen messages. Diagnostic Messages Description If the diagnostics are being reported through a KVM Keyboard Detected port, displays the keyboard type/mode detected at that port’s user station. If the diagnostics are being reported through a KVM port, Mouse Detected displays the mouse type detected at that port’s user station.
  • Page 53 Unit halted Refer to operation manual or call technical support The error is major and has forced the kernel to stop processing. The unit will have to be serviced. Call Black Box Tech Support as directed in Sections 9.3 and 9.4.
  • Page 54 Indicates faulty communication hardware. Try cycling power to the Affinity to see if this message goes away. If it doesn’t, the Expansion Card will have to be replaced; call Black Box Tech Support as described in Sections 9.3 and 9.4.

  • Page 55: Kernel Serial-Port Messages

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 3.5.3 K ERNEL ERIAL ESSAGES The ServSwitch Affinity’s kernel writes this message to the serial port at power-up: Hit space bar within 5 seconds to get serial options menu If the unit receives a [Space] character at the serial port during the next 5 seconds, the standard ServSwitch Affinity initialization terminates after writing the Local ports diagnostic message (see Section 3.5.1), and a serial options menu appears as described in Section 7.2.

  • Page 56: Initial Configuration

    CHAPTER 3: Installation and Preconfiguration 3.6 Initial Configuration Once you plug in and turn on a ServSwitch Affinity and it passes the power-up diagnostic tests, you’ll need to set an important initial configuration parameter for it. You’ll be able to fully configure all of the units in your system later from a single user station, but it’s very important for your system operation that each Affinity at least have “starting computer”...

  • Page 57: Initially Configuring Multiple Daisychained Units

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 3. Save the configuration: Press the [Esc] key to return to the main menu, then press the [Esc] key again. Highlight “YES” in the pop-up selection box and press [Enter] to save the configuration. 3.6.2 I NITIALLY ONFIGURING ULTIPLE AISYCHAINED NITS...
  • Page 58 CHAPTER 3: Installation and Preconfiguration Table 3-5. “Starting computer” numbers and “maximum computer” in a sample four-unit daisychain. ServSwitch Affinity Installed CPU Ports Starting Unit Number Port Cards Computer Maximum computer (sum) = 40...

  • Page 59: Full Configuration

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 4. Full Configuration Once your ServSwitch Affinity system is up and running, you can configure the system from any attached user station (monitor, keyboard, and mouse). To do so, press and release the left [Ctrl] key, then press the [F12] key to access the configuration-menu screen shown in Figure 4-1.

  • Page 60: Using The Menu

    CHAPTER 4: Full Configuration 4.1 Using the Menu 4.1.1 N AVIGATING THE ONFIGURATION AGES A help line at the bottom of each screen explains what each selection does. From the configuration main page, use arrow keys to highlight the desired configuration menu, and press the [Enter] key.
  • Page 61 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY ServSwitch Affinity version MX22 Copyright 1990-2002 Main menu boards to update=3 Configure System System Computer User Profile Group Saving to flash Status Save Exit Use arrow keys to highlight selection and press enter or press escape to exit Configure password box numbers, keyboard settings, appearance Figure 4-2.

  • Page 62: Configuring The System

    CHAPTER 4: Full Configuration 4.2 Configuring the System The “Configure System” page provides settings that affect the ServSwitch Affinity attached to the KVM station from where changes are initiated. Changes take effect when you exit the main menu or choose the Save option. Unsaved changes are lost if the unit is powered down.

  • Page 63: Keyboard Settings

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Starting computer number Use this field to define the “system-reference number” of the first CPU port on this Affinity; that is, the unique number that the Affinity system will use to differentiate that port (and, by numbering upward from there, the other CPU ports on the unit) from the otherwise identical CPU ports on all other units in the system.

  • Page 64: Appearance

    CHAPTER 4: Full Configuration Sun keyboard language Determines response to a Sun computer’s query for language type used. Factory default is “US” (standard North American keyboard language). Other available values are “US-UNIX,” “Français” (French), “Dansk” (Danish), “Deutsch” (German), “Italiano” (Italian), “Nederlands” (Netherlands Dutch), “Norsk” (Norwegian), “Portugues”...
  • Page 65 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Screen saver time Determines the period in seconds of keyboard and mouse inactivity before the Affinity activates the screen saver. Value may be from 0 to 9999 seconds. Entering 0 disables the screen saver. Factory default is 1200 seconds (20 minutes). Background color, text color Use these fields to set the background colors and text colors, respectively, of the connection-status and computer-select screens, as well as the serial terminal screen...

  • Page 66: Configuring Computers

    CHAPTER 4: Full Configuration 4.3 Configuring Computers The “Configure Computer” page assigns names to computers or serial devices and defines keyboard and mouse types or serial data rates. Configure Computer Computer Name Keyboard Mouse Computer Computer 2 Computer 3 Computer 4 Computer 5 Computer 6 Computer...
  • Page 67 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Keyboard Use this field to assign one of the following keyboard modes or serial data rates: • PC1: PC mode 1. Appropriate for most IBM compatible PCs that do not use mode 2 or USB; in particular, several PS/2 models. •...
  • Page 68 CHAPTER 4: Full Configuration Configure Computer Computer Name Keyboard Mouse 1 Computer Serial 9600,N,8,1 Computer 3 Computer 4 Computer USB-PC 5 Computer USB-Sun 6 Computer 7 Computer Serial 9600,N,8,1 Serial 9600,N,8,1 8 Computer Serial 4800,N,8,1 9 Computer Serial 2400,N,8,1 10 Computer Serial 1200,N,8,1 11 Computer Serial...
  • Page 69 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Mouse Use this field to assign one of the following PC mouse types (the Sun mouse is forced when you select the Sun keyboard and is not available when you choose a PC keyboard mode): • PS/2 • PS/2 wheel •...

  • Page 70: Configuring User Stations

    CHAPTER 4: Full Configuration 4.4 Configuring User Stations Using the “Configure KVM” page, you can assign names to your keyboard/video/ mouse user stations, choose stations’ default resolutions and refresh rates, choose startup computers, and enable or disable login procedures. If a login is not required, you can also assign “user profiles”...
  • Page 71 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY In Affinity systems that include 8- or 16-User units, a station’s bus will also depend on the settings of the port-numbering jumpers JP1 and JP2 on the 8-Port Expansion Card(s) installed in the station’s chassis (see Section 3.4.2). The buses in a chassis will be numbered either KVM “1”...

  • Page 72: Configuring User Definitions

    CHAPTER 4: Full Configuration 4.5 Configuring User Definitions You can use the “Configure User” page to assign a username, password, and profile for each user. Configure User User name Password Profile User 1 User 1 ******** Profil 1 User 2 ******** Profil 2 User 3 ******** Profil 3...

  • Page 73: Configuring User Profiles

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Profile Use this field to assign users to “user profiles,” which are definitions of how users can access the Affinity system. Profiles are configured on the “Configure Profile” page (see Section 4.6). The factory-default profile for each user is the profile appearing in the same- numbered row in the “Configure Profile”...
  • Page 74 CHAPTER 4: Full Configuration Here are the profile-configuration parameters: Name Use this field to assign a name up to 8 characters long to each user profile. This can be, for example, a descriptive term such as “Staff” or the name of a person or an area of business.
  • Page 75 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Share Use this field to set the “Share-mode timeout,” in seconds, for each user profile. If the connection mode for a given profile is “Share” (see the Connect heading on the previous page), this timeout determines how long users with that profile have to leave their keyboard and mice idle before another user can take keyboard and mouse control of the computer they were using.

  • Page 76: Configuring Groups

    CHAPTER 4: Full Configuration 4.7 Configuring Groups You can use the “Configure Group” page to assign computers to specific groups. Users that belong to a certain group can access computers that belong to the same group. Configure Group Computer Group 2 Computer + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 2 Computer...
  • Page 77 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Group Name Group names are displayed above the group-membership indicators (plus signs). To change a group’s name, use arrow keys to move the highlight to the group’s column and press [Enter]. A box will appear beside the page; type a new name in this box and press [Enter] again.

  • Page 78: The Status Page

    CHAPTER 4: Full Configuration 4.8 The Status Page This page displays status information for each ServSwitch Affinity Port Card in the system. This information is an invaluable tool when expansion or reconfiguration is necessary. Status Computers Power Slot Ver KVM CPU User Status 1 16H PC...
  • Page 79 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY The last four fields apply only if this card has a user (KVM) station attached to it: This field indicates the type of mouse and keyboard detected for that station. This field displays the number of the CPU (if any) currently selected by that station.

  • Page 80: On-Screen Functions, Same-Slot Users, And Connection Modes

    CHAPTER 5: On-Screen Functions, Same-Slot Users, and Connection Modes 5. On-Screen Functions, Same-Slot Users, and Connection Modes This chapter discusses various operating functions of the ServSwitch Affinity that involve the on-screen display. It also discusses the restrictions involved when there are more than the maximum number (four, eight, or sixteen) of independent users in the system (so that more than one user occupies the same slot number), as well as the four “connection modes”...

  • Page 81: Connection-Status Messages

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 5.2 Connection-Status Messages A connection-status message provides information about a connection between a KVM station and a selected computer. There are three types of these messages: • “Connection successful” message • “Connection failed” message • Disconnect-status message The user-station (KVM) name, computer name, and username are displayed in each type of message.
  • Page 82 CHAPTER 5: On-Screen Functions, Same-Slot Users, and Connection Modes Table 5-1. Reasons for connection failure. Reason Description Possible Remedies Can’t find Unable to communicate Change invalid starting-computer computer with the Affinity that the number, fix incorrect expansion- computer you’re trying to cable placement, or power up select is attached to.

  • Page 83: Disconnect Status

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 5.2.3 D ISCONNECT TATUS You may be disconnected from a selected computer in the middle of an activity, depending on how your system is configured. For instance, when a private-mode user connects to a computer, users connected to the same computer receive disconnect-status messages labeled “Private mode cancel.”...
  • Page 84 CHAPTER 5: On-Screen Functions, Same-Slot Users, and Connection Modes Table 5-2. Reasons for disconnection. Reason Description Possible Remedies User request Response to a logout (This is normal.) ([Ctrl][L]) or disconnect ([Ctrl][Q]) command. No response Communications error Cycle power to the Affinity that during disconnection.

  • Page 85: User Stations Attached To Same-Numbered Slots/Buses

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 5.3 User Stations Attached to Same-Numbered Slots/Buses When there are no more than four users in a 4-User ServSwitch Affinity system, eight users in an 8-User system, or sixteen users in a 16-User system, all of these users have completely independent global access. That is, each of them can reach any computer in the system, and their actions have no effect on each other, unless one tries to select the same CPU that the other is using (see Section 5.4).
  • Page 86 While it is true that this kind of installation can be used to create large switching matrices with many users, administering and maintaining such a hardware configuration can be very challenging. Before installing an advanced configuration like this, please call Black Box and discuss your application with a technician. User stations...

  • Page 87: Connection Modes

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 5.4 Connection Modes The ServSwitch Affinity has four “connection modes” that can be assigned to user profiles in order to give users with varying security clearances the corresponding level of access to the computers in the system. These connection modes, discussed in the following four subsections, are: •...

  • Page 88: Private Mode

    CHAPTER 5: On-Screen Functions, Same-Slot Users, and Connection Modes 5.4.4 P RIVATE A private-mode user connects to a computer knowing that, while they are connected to that computer, no other user may access that computer in any way, even to view the computer’s screen. Non-private users already connected to a computer are immediately disconnected when a private user connects.

  • Page 89: Keyboard Commands

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 6. Keyboard Commands This chapter covers the keyboard commands that can be sent to the ServSwitch Affinity: Section 6.1 explains how to enter commands and lists all of the available commands. Sections 6.2 through 6.17 describe the commands more fully. 6.1 Command Summary To enter any command at the shared keyboard, first press and release the left Control key, represented by “[Ctrl].”...
  • Page 90 CHAPTER 6: Keyboard Commands Table 6-1 (continued). The ServSwitch Affinity’s keyboard commands. Command Keystroke Sequence Description Switch to the Switches back to the CPU port you were [Ctrl] [←] Prior Port connected to before you selected the current one. [Ctrl] [Backspace] Toggle Station- [Ctrl] D Causes the most recent status message about...

  • Page 91: Display Configuration Menu: [Ctrl] [F12]

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 6.2 Display Configuration Menu: [Ctrl] [F12] This command (press and release left [Ctrl], then press and release function key [F12]) causes the ServSwitch Affinity to display its main configuration menu on screen. For more information about this menu and all of the configuration functions accessible through it, see Chapter 4.

  • Page 92: Select Computer: [Ctrl] Xxxx [Enter]

    CHAPTER 6: Keyboard Commands 6.4 Select Computer: [Ctrl] xxxx [Enter] You can use this command (press and release left [Ctrl], then press and release each of the numeric digits of the port number, then press and release [Enter]) as a shortcut for directly selecting computers instead of doing so through the CPU list.

  • Page 93: Display User-Station Status: [Ctrl] D

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 6.8 Display User-Station Status: [Ctrl] D This command (press and release left [Ctrl], then press and release the letter [D] key) causes the ServSwitch Affinity to display the most recent connection-status or disconnection-status message (see Section 5.2) sent to your user station. (If such a status message is currently on the screen, entering this command causes the message to disappear.) 6.9 Log Out: [Ctrl] L...

  • Page 94: Reset/Enable Mouse In Windows Nt And Unix: [Ctrl] O

    CHAPTER 6: Keyboard Commands use the mouse but don’t disable the mouse either, take these precautions: • If you never actually use the mouse with the CPU (as would probably be the case if, for example, the CPU were a Novell ®...

  • Page 95: Identify Firmware Revision: [Ctrl] I

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY The CPU will be thrown out of sync if it uses a PS/2 mouse and it’s in sync when you issue this command. Issue this command up to three more times to get it back in sync again. This command has no effect on serial mice, or on CPUs that are not attached to your ServSwitch Affinity system through a PS/2 mouse port.

  • Page 96: End Scan: [Ctrl] X

    CHAPTER 6: Keyboard Commands 6.16 End Scan: [Ctrl] X You can use this command (press and release left [Ctrl], then press and release the letter [X] key) to stop a scan in progress. You will be connected to the computer whose video you were viewing when the scan ended;...

  • Page 97: Using The Dedicated Serial Ports

    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;...

  • Page 98: The Serial Options Menu

    CHAPTER 7: Using the Dedicated Serial Ports CAUTION! Serial cabling in excess of 50 feet (15.2 m) should be routed with caution. The maximum cable length depends upon the construction of the cable and its routing. For extended runs, shielded cable should be used.

  • Page 99: Option 1. Change Starting Computer

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 7.2.1 O 1. C PTION HANGE TARTING OMPUTER This option can only be changed if your computer or terminal is attached to the serial port of the bottommost Port Card in the Affinity chassis (the card installed in the lowest occupied slot;...

  • Page 100: Option 3. Receive New Kernel Or Main Program (Upgrade Firmware)

    Section 3.5.1). You should be able to get the most recent available versions of these on our Web site at www.blackbox.com; if you can’t find them, or if you have questions about them, contact Black Box Tech Support. To download a flash-upgrade file from the computer to the Port Card you’re communicating with on the ServSwitch Affinity, press 3 at the serial options menu.
  • Page 101 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY What you do now depends on whether the download succeeds or fails: If something goes wrong during file transmission, you might receive an error message advising you that a “checksum error,” “record error,” or “data error” has been detected.

  • Page 102: Options 4 And 5. Send Main Program/Send Kernel

    Port Cards are securely installed, make sure all Expansion Cables are firmly seated, and press 4 or 5 again. If there is still a mismatch, call Black Box for technical support. But if the number of cards is now correct, reply with “Y.” This message will appear: Sending flash program code to system......

  • Page 103: Option 6. Reset To Factory Defaults

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 7.2.5 O 6. R PTION ESET TO ACTORY EFAULTS Use this option to restore the Affinity Port Card you’re communicating with to its original factory configuration (see Appendix A for a full list of factory-default configuration settings). There are several reasons you might want to do this. For example: •...

  • Page 104: Option 8. Exit And Restart Unit

    CHAPTER 7: Using the Dedicated Serial Ports 7.2.7 O 8. E PTION XIT AND ESTART To exit the serial options menu, press 8. The ServSwitch Affinity will reinitialize itself and launch its self-diagnostics program. If it passes its diagnostic tests, the unit should be operational and ready for use;...

  • Page 105: Using The Cpu Ports As Serial Ports

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY 8. Using the CPU Ports as Serial Ports When you connect its CPU ports to their serial ports as described in Section 3.3.6 and configure the CPU ports as described in Section 4.3, an -R2 ServSwitch™ Affinity (KV132A-R2, KV134A-R2, or KV138A) can be used to manage devices such as routers, hubs, and network switches.
  • Page 106 CHAPTER 8: Using the CPU Ports as Serial Ports -r-sr-xr-x 2 uucp uucp 31258 Aug 14 2001 uusnap -r-sr-xr-x 2 uucp uucp 31258 Aug 14 2001 uustat -r-xr-xr-x 1 uucp uucp 1759 Feb 09 2001 uuto -r-sr-xr-x 1 uucp uucp 50678 Aug 14 2001 -r-xr-xr-x 1 bin...

  • Page 107: Troubleshooting

    ServSwitch Affinity system. Section 9.2 discusses what to do if one of the power supplies in a Dual-Powered Affinity fails. Sections 9.3 and 9.4 discuss what’s involved in calling Black Box and shipping your Affinity. 9.1 Common Problems NOTE It might be possible—although this is unlikely—to resolve some...
  • Page 108 CPU’s manufacturer. If the CPU does boot, there is some kind of unusual mismatch between that CPU and the shared monitor, keyboard, or mouse; call Black Box for technical support. You can’t switch ports from the keyboard. A. Can you do anything from the keyboard? If not, the keyboard strand of your User Cable has probably come loose.
  • Page 109 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY You can’t seem to scan or switch to certain ports at all. A. Are other users accessing the CPU ports you’re trying to reach in “private mode”? If so, you won’t be able to use those ports until the private-mode users release them—even if you are a private-mode user yourself.
  • Page 110 CHAPTER 9: Troubleshooting You can’t access all the functions of your mouse. A. What type of mouse is it? If it’s any other IBM PC type than those listed as being supported in item A under the section on the previous page headed “An IBM compatible computer’s mouse driver doesn’t load,”...
  • Page 111 If you are already using coax cables, you might need to add Station Extenders (product codes AC253A, etc.) or CAT5 KVM Extenders (ACU1000 and ACU3000 series of product codes); call Black Box for technical support. See Section 3.2.3 and Appendix B.
  • Page 112 See Section 9.2 if you need to replace a failed supply. If LED 1 or 2 is lit but the SYSTEM LED is dark, diodes inside the chassis have failed. Contact Black Box as described in Section 9.3 to arrange for the chassis to be repaired or replaced.

  • Page 113: Replacing A Power Supply In A Dual-Powered Affinity

    The cards should retain their existing configurations, and the system should recover and resume operating normally. Finally, call Black Box to arrange to have the old chassis repaired. 9.3 Calling Black Box If you determine that your ServSwitch Affinity is malfunctioning, do not attempt to alter or repair the unit.

  • Page 114: Appendix

    APPENDIX A: NVRAM Factory Defaults Appendix A: NVRAM Factory Defaults The table below and on the next page shows the ServSwitch Affinity’s factory- default configuration options. To reload these values, you’ll need to access the Affinity’s serial options menu (see Chapter 7). Option Default setting System...
  • Page 115 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Option Default setting Profile Name ..........Profil n (n = profile number) Access ..........From “Name” in Group page Connect.........Share (share mode) Share (share-mode timeout) ..2 seconds Scan (scan rate) ......5 seconds Logout (logout timeout) .....240 minutes (4 hours) Group Membership........All computers belong to all groups Name ..........Group n (n = group number)

  • Page 116: Appendix B: Cable Product Codes

    Affinity to a CPU or user station as much as 1000 ft. (305 m) away. If your Affinity system has cabling requirements that can’t be met by what you see here, call Black Box for a possible quote on custom cables or adapters. Standard User Cables:...
  • Page 117 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Coaxial User Cables: Monitor Type Keyboard Type Mouse Type Product Code (Connector on Cable) (Connector on Cable) (Connector on Cable) VGA (HD15 female) IBM PC/AT (5-pin DIN female) Serial RS-232 (DB9 male) EHN270-0xxx VGA (HD15 female) IBM PS/2 (6-pin mini-DIN female) PS/2 (6-pin mini-DIN female) EHN283-0xxx Sun (13W3 female) Sun (8-pin mini-DIN female) EHN200-0xxx...
  • Page 118 APPENDIX B: Cable Product Codes 4-User ServSwitch Affinity Expansion Cable: KV140www, where “www” = 010, 020, 035, 050, or 100 8-/16-User ServSwitch Affinity Expansion Cable: KV180www, where “www” = 010, 020, 035, 050, or 100 6-wire straight-through-pinned flat-satin cable with RJ-12 connectors for communicating with ServSwitch Affinity through its RS-232 ports: EL06MS-MM (specify length) Serial cable (specify length) for connecting Affinity CPU ports to other devices’...

  • Page 119: Appendix C: Pinout Of The Dedicated Serial Ports

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Appendix C: Pinout of the Dedicated Serial Ports The table below shows the pinout of the RJ-12 (“6-wire RJ-11”) female RS-232 serial ports on the ServSwitch Affinity’s Port Cards. Signal Name Abbrev. Direction Description Data Set Ready Input Reserved (not used) Data Terminal Ready Output...

  • Page 120: Appendix D: The Lk461 Keyboard

    APPENDIX D: The LK461 Keyboard Appendix D: The LK461 Keyboard Some of the computers manufactured by Compaq ® subsidiary Digital Equipment Corporation come with a special keyboard called the DEC LK461. The ServSwitch Affinity supports this keyboard by passing through unaltered the scan codes of certain proprietary keys (such as [Help] and [Do]) and remapping others (such as [PF1] through [PF4]).

  • Page 121: Appendix E: Installing Cards In The Servswitch Affinity

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY Appendix E: Installing Cards in the ServSwitch Affinity E.1 Adding a Port Card Unscrew and remove the blank plate covering the vacant ServSwitch Affinity card slot that you want to put the card in. (Port Cards can only be installed in the four Port-Card slots, not the top expansion slot or—on 16-User Affinity chassis—the bottom expansion slot.) Slide the card into the exposed slot, as shown in Figure E-1, and screw it on securely.

  • Page 122: Installing Or Swapping In A Terminator Card (4-User Chassis Only)

    APPENDIX E: Installing Cards in the ServSwitch Affinity E.2 Installing or Swapping In a Terminator Card (4-User Chassis Only) If, prior to this, someone has taken the formerly installed card out of the top slot of a 4-User model of the ServSwitch Affinity and left nothing in its place—which should never be done, because it leaves the Affinity totally disabled—do this as your first step: If there’s a blank plate over the slot, unscrew and remove—but don’t discard—the plate.

  • Page 123: Setting The Ring/Bus Jumper On An Expansion Card

    SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY E.3 Setting the RING/BUS Jumper on an Expansion Card If you will be installing two or more ServSwitch Affinity units in a ring topology (see Section 3.4.3.C), you will need to set the RING/BUS jumpers to the RING (off) setting on the Expansion Cards of any two adjacent Affinity units in the ring (units one and two, or two and three, or three and four, etc.) As shown in Figures E-3 and E-4, the RING/BUS jumper is just behind the...

  • Page 124: Setting The Jp1 And Jp2 (User-Number) Jumpers On 8-Port Expansion Cards

    APPENDIX E: Installing Cards in the ServSwitch Affinity E.4 Setting the JP1 and JP2 (User-Number) Jumpers on 8-Port Expansion Cards The 8-Port Expansion Card (KV1306C) for the 8-User and 16-User (KV138 and KV139) ServSwitch Affinity models has two jumpers labeled JP1 and JP2, as shown in Figure E-4, that control the numbering of an Affinity chassis’...
  • Page 125 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY • To assign the users on Slots 1 through 4 to “KVM 13” through “KVM 16,” remove JP1 and JP2 on the lower card and set JP1 and JP2 on the upper card to UP. We recommend that, unless the placement of your user equipment demands otherwise, you set the user ports to KVM 1 through 4 on your first 16-User Affinity chassis, KVM 5 through 8 on your second chassis, KVM 9 through 12 on your third chassis, KVM 13 through 16 on your fourth chassis, KVM1 through 4 again on your...

  • Page 126: Installing Or Swapping In An Expansion Card

    APPENDIX E: Installing Cards in the ServSwitch Affinity E.5 Installing or Swapping In an Expansion Card Unscrew and remove any blank plate over the opening of the top slot or (on a 16-User Affinity chassis) the bottom slot. 4-User Affinity only: Gently remove any Terminator Card installed in the slot. (Several things to note: You should always have a plate covering this slot when a Terminator Card is in it.

  • Page 127: Appendix F: Upgrading A Non-R2 Affinity With -R2 Serial Features

    Serial Upgrade Kit at your site, but if it’s an earlier revision, the upgrade kit’s chips won’t be compatible with the OSD daughtercard, and you’ll need to call Black Box Technical Support. Without messing around with the Affinity’s hardware at all, you can check the revision level in one of two ways: (a) Cycle power to the Affinity and watch the monitor screen at one of the attached user stations (the OSD firmware revision will scroll by quickly);...
  • Page 128 If the large right-hand chip is labeled with a revision earlier than O4.2, you won’t be able to install the upgrade kit in the field. Please skip the remainder of this procedure and call Black Box Technical Support. If the large right-hand chip is labeled with revision O4.2 or later, use a PLCC chip puller to carefully remove the two chips from the daughterboard.
  • Page 129 Port Card to a PC, download the latest serial-supporting version of the Affinity’s main firmware files from our Black Box Web site or FTP, and download the files from the PC to the Affinity as described in Chapter 7.

  • Page 130: Appendix G: Rackmounting The Affinity

    APPENDIX G: Rackmounting the Affinity Appendix G: Rackmounting the Affinity You can use a ServSwitch Affinity Rackmount Kit (see Section 3.3.3 for product codes) to mount a ServSwitch Affinity in a 19", 23", or 24" rack. Each of these kits consists of two rackmounting “ears”...
  • Page 131 SERVSWITCH™ AFFINITY To use a kit to mount a ServSwitch Affinity, take these steps, referring to Figure G-1: 1. Unscrew and remove the two screws on each side of the Affinity. 2. Match up the two holes in the “chassis end” of each kit ear with the two holes that you just removed the screws from, then fasten the ear to the Affinity with two of the new screws included with the kit.
  • Page 132 Customer Support Information: FREE tech support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: Call 724-746-5500 or fax 724-746-0746. Mailing address: Black Box Corporation, 1000 Park Dr., Lawrence, PA 15055-1018 World-Wide Web: www.blackbox.com • E-mail: info@blackbox.com © Copyright 2001. Black Box Corporation. All rights reserved.

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