Chapter 2. Installation
Multilevel Installations
The number of computers that can be added to your installation can be greatly expanded by performing a multilevel installation. The KM0832 supports two types of multilevel installation:
Cascading
Daisy chaining
Overview
Cascading involves using the KVM port(s) of a parent KVM switch (one that is above a switch linked down from it) to connect to the user ports of a child KVM switch. With numerous child switches linked down from the parent, the effect is reminiscent of the way water cascades down over a waterfall.
Cascading adds capacity to a KVM installation, but the parent KVM switch loses at least one KVM port for each cascaded child switch.
Daisy chaining refers to connecting two KVM switches via dedicated daisy chain ports. The switches are strung together in a chain (see the diagram on p. 25), similar to the way children make chains of daisies by tying the end of one daisy to the head of another.
A daisy chained installation does not utilize KVM ports and user ports to connect one switch to another as in a cascaded installation, thus preserving valuable port space. The port capacity of a daisy chained installation is the total of all the KVM ports for all of the KVM switches on the chain. For example, a KM0832 has 32 KVM ports. On an installation with eight daisy chained switches (one KM0832 and seven KM0432s), the number of available ports is 32 x 8 = 256.
The KM0832 supports both daisy chaining and cascading, providing enormous capacity and flexibility for expanding the installation. The following sections provide the information and procedures involved in setting up cascaded and daisy chained installations.
Note: If the daisy chain feature is not operative on your unit, you will need a newer version of the firmware. Contact your dealer for details.
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