Black Box KV1424A-R2 Connecting ServSwitch CX units in cascade, Tips for successful cascading

Connecting ServSwitch CX units in cascade

Please consider the following when making cascade connections between ServSwitch CX units.

Tips for successful cascading

•	The maximum number of levels for a cascade is three.
•	The maximum number of server systems that can be controlled within a
	cascade installation depends upon the ServSwitch CX unit placed at the
	top level. If the top level unit is a non-IP version, a maximum of 512 server
	systems can be controlled. However, if the top level unit is a ServSwitch CX
	with IP, the maximum number of servers drops to 128. This is due to the
	extra burden placed on the unit’s memory of administering global (IP) users.
•	The number of links between units (three or four) determines the number of
	users that can simultaneously access the servers situated further down the
	tree. Link groups of one and two links should not be used.
•	Ensure that cascade links (within a group) between units are approximately
	the same length.
•	Triple and quad link groups may be mixed on one unit providing the
	links lie within the appropriate port boundaries designated in the Group
	numbering diagram.
•	ServSwitch CX with IP models can only be used at the top level of the
	cascade tree because they have only two	sockets and the

To connect units in cascade

1Ensure that power is disconnected from the ServSwitch CX and all other units to be connected.

2 Connect one end of each cascade link cable to an appropriate COMPUTER CONNECTIONS port on the rear panel of the upper unit. Refer to the Group numbering diagram for the correct link group boundaries.

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	CATx USER PORTS
	minimum number of links required for a cascade group is three.
•	For each cascade link, use a standard category 5, 5e or 6 twisted-pair cable,
	terminated at each end with an RJ45 connector. There must be no crossover
	connections within the cable, i.e. do not use patch cables. The cascade link
	cables can be up to 50m (160 feet) in length. However, remember that
	the overall length between any remote user (via a ServSwitch CX Remote
	extender) and any server (via a SAM) must not exceed 300m (980 feet) - that
	figure includes the cascade link cables. Ensure that each of the links within a
	cascade group all conform to the same length.
•	The procedure given opposite may be carried out in any order but for clarity
	the instruction will begin at the higher level ServSwitch CX unit (here called
	the upper unit), i.e. the one that is being fed into by a unit at the cascade
	level below (here called the lower unit). The procedure remains the same
	regardless of exactly which cascade levels are being connected. The basic
	rule is that each link is made by connecting a COMPUTER connectionS port of
	the upper switch to a CATx user portS of the lower switch.

3Connect the other end of the cascade link cable to one of the CATx USER PORTS sockets on the rear panel of the lower unit. Due to the way in which ports within a link group are dynamically allocated, it is not usually important exactly which user port is connected to each server port of the upper unit.

PWR IN

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WARNINGARECONNECT
RJ45
PANEL
TO	FOR ORS
DOKVM
NOT	EQUIPMENT
	CONNECTIO
TELEPHONECONNECT ONL		N
	SYSTEMS	THIS
5V	O Y.
	NETWORK
4A		OR
		OPTIONS

CATx	USER
4		PORTS
		2
		POWER	CONTROL
3
		1

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See also

•Testing specific links to cascaded servers

4Repeat steps 2 and 3 for each of the links within the group, adhering to the Group numbering diagram for the correct link group boundaries on the COMPUTER CONNECTIONS ports of the upper switch.

Once the ServSwitch CX units and servers have been connected, you can edit their names to make it much easier to locate them. See the To create/edit server names section in the Configuration chapter for more details.

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