ATEN Technology KM0832 user manual Protocol Interface Cascading

KM0832 User Manual

The table below lists the KVM switches that are compatible with the KM0832.

Expansion Type	Brand	Model Number	Name
Cascade	Altusen	KM0832	8 Console 32 Port Matrix KVM Switch
Daisy chain	Altusen	KM0432	4 Console 32 Port Matrix KVM Switch

Cascading

Another way of adding capacity is to cascade additional KVM switches from the KM0832's KVM ports. The KM0832 supports up to three levels of cascading. However, unlike daisy chaining, cascading does not increase the number of consoles that can be used to control the computers.

In a cascaded installation, the first KVM switch is considered the first stage station; cascaded switches are considered second and third stage stations.

Protocol Interface Cascading

Protocol interface cascading refers to cascading from a parent KVM switch to a child switch, where both switches uses the same data transfer protocol. In this type of cascade, the OSD belonging to the separate switches are integrated so that when the consoles of the first stage switch invoke the OSD, all computers on the cascaded KVM installation are listed in the port directory.

The KM0832 can cascade up to three levels of KM0832 stations through protocol interface cascading. It supports more than 8,000 computers.

The maximum number of consoles on the first stage KM0832 that can simultaneously access computers attached to the cascaded KM0832 switches is dependent on the number of bus connections between each parent and child switch. A bus connection is established by connecting a KVM port of the parent switch to a user port of the child switch. The KM0832 supports a maximum of eight bus connections between parent and child switches.

In order for all eight consoles on the first stage KM0832 switch to simultaneously access the cascaded second and third stage switches, each parent KM0832 must make eight bus connections with each child switch that is cascaded from its ports. In other words, eight KVM ports of the parent switch must be connected to eight user ports of the child switch.

Note: Consoles in cascaded child stations cannot access ports in parent stations.

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