DX System

The DX System platform consists of multiple components that together facilitate the remote access and out-of-band management of data center components through KVM and serial port connectivity.

A Remote Interface Cable (RICC) device is deployed at the server itself, which allows for connectivity to the server's ports (PS/2, Sun, USB, Serial flavored RICCs are served) and itself connects to the DX Central unit via CAT5 cabling (a maximum distance of 100 meters is supported between the RICCs and the DX Central). Each DX Central unit supports connectivity to up to 32 servers.

Users, on the other hand, connect first to a local DX User component, which provides ports so they can connect their keyboard, video, and mouse (they can also connect to a local Computer through the DX User). The DX User component then itself connects to the DX Central unit (which houses 4 or 8 user ports, depending on model), providing the link to the end servers that the user will control. The maximum distance from the DX User unit to the DX Central unit is also 100 meters.

In addition to the analog connectivity described above, the user can optionally connect to a specialized DX IP User unit through Internet or LAN connections. In this scenario, there is no distance limitation between the user and the DX IP User component; but the limitations between the DX IP User component and the DX Central remain the same as for an ordinary DX User component.

Multiple DX Central units can be cascaded; and when deployed as such the platform automatically provides redundancy by allowing each cascaded unit to save the system settings and parameters independently. Hundreds of servers can be managed in such a setting, and the vendor's Advanced Integrated Management (AIM) interface, an embedded Linux app within the components, provides a GUI tool allowing the administrator to utilize all the platform's capabilities, including KVM, serial, and power management. In a cascaded deployment, users still connect first to the main DX Central unit; thus the total number of concurrent users in the system is still limited to the number of users supported in the main DX Central unit (up to 8).

Other features of the platform include:

- Support for 32 user profiles and 4 levels of access rights for the configuration of multiple users

- Support for multiple operating systems (DOS, Windows, UNIX, Solaris, Linux, to name a few)

- Support for 1600x1200 resolution

- Auto-detection of system devices

- Support for SNMP Trap settings

- Ability to relate users to designated servers

- Management support for the vendor's KVM.net

DX System is available now. Contact Minicom Advanced Systems for further information.