The next-generation Dominion® KX II-864 features multi-user access at an attractive price per port for a 8-channel KVM switch. It provides eight remote users and two local user BIOS-level access and control of up to 64 servers. In addition to the standard local port, Dominion® KX II-864 features a new extended local port that extends the local port, via Cat5 cable, beyond the rack to a control room, another point in the data center or to a Paragon II switch. Dominion® KX II-864 works standalone or with our CommandCenter Secure Gateway centralized management appliance.

The Dominion® KX II-864 offers the industry's highest video resolution — 1600 x 1200. Allows remote installation of software, file transferring and data back up with Universal Virtual Media. And 128-bit SSL AES or RC4 encryption. Offers the tightest mouse in the industry, reducing installation time with Absolute Mouse Synchronization. Controls power to servers with optional remote power unit. Comes standard with dual power and dual gigabit Ethernet with automatic failover. The Dominion KX II provides dual stack IP networking with simultaneous support of IPv4 and IPv6. Features Virtual KVM Desktop™, a common browser-based user interface that supports the industry's widest range of operating systems and browsers. Plus, it includes the industry's first and only browser-based local access.

The Dominion KX II solution consists of the KVM-over-IP switch and Computer Interface Modules (CIMs).

• CIMs connect to the server's KVM ports and can be located up to 50 meter (150 feet) away from the switch using UTP (Cat5/5e/6) cabling. CIMs also provide keep-alive keyboard/mouse emulation.
• Access from Windows®, Linux®, Sun® or Mac desktops via a wide range of Web browsers or standalone client.
• Raritan's remote client software is automatically downloaded via Web browser; standalone multi-platform client available for emergency modem access.
• Provides its entire feature set out of the box: Virtual Media, 128- or 256-bit AES or RC4 encryption, dual power supplies and dual gigabit Ethernet ports with failover, SNMP, Syslog, as well as integration with LDAP, Radius and Active Directory® authentication. Support of IBM, HP, & Dell blade servers.

For questions or your nearest Raritan reseller write to: marketing.europe@raritan.com

Click here for Data Sheet document

Click here for Features and Benefits document

Click here for Frequently Asked Questions document

Features	Benefits
Hardware Features
Next generation hardware architecture High performance, next generation video hardware	Dominion KX II is a true next generation switch with an advanced hardware and software architecture. This innovative design enables new levels of KVM-over-IP performance, reliability, usability, compatibility and security. Dominion KX II’s KVM-over-IP engine uses Raritan’s next generation technology, providing users with virtual at-the-rack performance. Next generation features include ultra-fast screen refresh, 1600x1200 remote resolution, advanced color calibration and per server video optimization.
Dual power supplies with failover	For increased reliability and redundancy, all Dominion KX II models have dual AC inputs, dual power supplies and automatic failover to support the redundant power distribution used in enterprise data centers. If a power supply fails, the customer will be notified via front panel LED, SNMP TRAP, log message or via the administrative manager.
Four USB ports for keyboard, mouse and USB media	The Dominion KX II has four USB 2.0 ports, three on the back panel and one on the front panel, for local keyboard, mouse and USB media.
Dual gigabit Ethernet ports with failover	Dominion KX II provides high availability with dual gigabit Ethernet ports for redundancy. Should one Ethernet switch or interface card fail, Dominion KX II will automatically failover to the other port and continue operating.
Multiple hardware models	Multiple hardware models enable simultaneous access by one, two four or eight remote users to 8, 16, 32 or 64 servers. Raritan is the first and only vendor to provide four and eight user 64‑port digital KVM switches.
1U or 2U form factor	The Dominion KX2-464 and KX2-864 are 2U solutions. Other Dominion KX II models are only 1U in height. Dominion KX II is extremely rack-efficient.
Cat5 cabling	Dominion KX II interconnects with each server via standard, economical Cat5 (UTP) cabling. Servers may be located up to 150 cable feet from the Dominion KX II unit.
Multiplatform Computer Interface Modules (CIMs)	Dominion KX II supports multiplatform CIMs to connect to PS/2, USB and Sun™ servers. Dominion CIMs operate at distances of up to 150 feet from the Dominion KX II switch depending on server resolution.
Configurable hardware reset button	Dominion KX II contains an administrator-configurable hardware reset button on the back panel.
Modem port for emergency access	All Dominion KX II models have an integrated modem port for emergency remote access via external modem if the data network is not available.
Connectivity Features
One, two, four and eight concurrent remote IP users	Dominion KX II provides KVM-over-IP access to one, two, four and eight simultaneous, remote users depending on the model purchased. Raritan provides a wide variety of Dominion KX II models to meet most customer needs and budgets. This is achieved while allowing full, unblocked local port access.
8, 16, 32 or 64 server ports	Users can connect up to 8, 16, 32 or 64 servers to each Dominion KX II via Cat5 cabling. Raritan is the first KVM-over-IP vendor with one, two, four and eight channel, 32 port models and the only vendor with four and eight channel, 64‑port digital KVM switches.
Remote network access/ KVM over IP	Dominion KX II extends the Dominion KX’s award-winning video compression circuitry, the industry’s highest performing KVM-over-IP technology. Users can access Dominion KX II from anywhere on the network (LAN, WAN, Internet, dial-up), allowing administrators to troubleshoot, reconfigure, reboot and even power cycle servers remotely.
Industry’s first browser‑based local console port	The Dominion KX II features the industry’s first browser-based local access. With a common, browser-based interface and full management functionality at the local port, the Dominion KX II provides a consistent user experience that is easy to learn. In addition, convenient hot-key switching between servers is now supported.
Extended local port on KX2-832 and KX2-864 models	The KX II eight user models contain a standard local port, plus a new, extended local port that extends the local port, via Cat5 cable, beyond the rack to a control room, another point in the data center or to a Paragon® II switch.
Blade server access and control	Supports popular blade server models from the leading blade server manufacturers: HP, IBM® and Dell®. The Dominion KX II provides simple, automated and secure KVM-over-IP access (1) at-the-rack, (2) remotely over IP, (3) via CommandCenter® and (4) by modem. Blade servers are displayed by chassis, with simple one-click access. Advanced security via per ­blade access permissions and hotkey-blocking eliminates unauthorized access. Unlike other vendors, the Dominion KX II’s blade features are available to SMB customers with no management system required. For enterprise customers, seamless blade server integration with CommandCenter Secure Gateway provides centralized policy and security management for diverse data center environments.
Dominion KX2-464 and KX2-864 – the industry’s highest density digital KVM switches	The Dominion KX2-464 and KX2-864 are the industry’s first 64-port digital switches, providing the highest port density of any digital KVM switch. They provide KVM-over-IP access to up to 64 servers, spanning two to four racks. Featuring a 2U enclosure, dual Ethernet ports, dual power supplies with automatic failover and SNMP management, the Dominion KX2-464 and KX2-864 provide an enterprise-level solution that consolidates four standard KVM switches to reduce cost and administration.
Integrated, remote power control – up to eight power strips per Dominion KX II	Users can power up, power down or power cycle servers connected to optional Raritan remote power control units. A system administrator can not only troubleshoot a server remotely, but also power cycle that server with a click of the mouse. This user-friendly, remote power control is available for up to eight power strips per Dominion KX II unit. Strip-level power statistics are now displayed to the user. Users can also power on/off outlets not associated with a server.
Dual stack IP networking	The Dominion KX II provides dual stack IP networking with simultaneous support of IPv4 and IPv6.
Universal Virtual Media
All Dominion KX II models have virtual media	The benefits of virtual media – mounting of remote drives/media on the target server to support software installation, remote booting and diagnostics – are now available in all the Dominion KX II models.
Centralized management appliance support	Customers can access virtual media through Raritan’s CommandCenter Secure Gateway. But, unlike other solutions, virtual media is available standalone for customers not using a central management system.
Wide variety of supported virtual media drives and devices	Each Dominion KX II comes equipped with virtual media to enable remote management tasks using the widest variety of CD, DVD, USB, internal and remote drives and images. Unlike other solutions, the Dominion KX II supports virtual media access of hard drives and remotely mounted disks for added flexibility and productivity.
Secure virtual media with 128/256-bit encryption	Virtual media sessions are secured using 128- or 256-bit AES. Also available is 128-bit RC4 encryption.
New USB CIM with virtual media, Absolute Mouse Synchronization™ and firmware update	The D2CIM-VUSB CIM supports virtual media sessions to target servers supporting the USB 2.0 interface. Available in economical 32 and 64 quantity CIM packages, this new CIM supports Absolute Mouse Synchronization as well as remote firmware update.
New dual-USB virtual media CIM and USB profiles	The new dual-USB virtual media CIM (D2CIM-DVUSB) and USB profile feature enable expanded BIOS use of virtual media drives.
Client Access and Control
Universal KVM client access – anytime, anywhere	The Dominion KX II provides KVM access through the industry’s broadest and most flexible range of operating systems, platforms and browsers, with no additional client license fees or cumbersome software licensing.
Next generation common user interface	The Dominion KX II has a next generation, browser-based user interface for enhanced usability and productivity. This interface is common across the local port, remote access, management software as well as other Raritan products. This reduces training time and increases productivity.
Web accessible client	Users can access Dominion KX II via a Web browser for anytime, anywhere access. Raritan’s client software is automatically downloaded; this eliminates the need to install “client” software on each user desktop.
Multiplatform client access to Dominion KX I and Dominion  KX II	Existing customers of the Dominion KX can use the multiplatform client to simultaneously access their existing Dominion KX switches as well as newly-purchased Dominion KX II switches.
Multiplatform access and control for Windows®, Linux®, Sun/Solaris™ and Macintosh®	Raritan’s Java™-based clients provide multiplatform access and control on Windows, Linux, Sun/Solaris and Macintosh desktops.
Absolute Mouse Synchronization	The Absolute Mouse Synchronization feature is the ultimate mouse synchronization solution. For Windows and Mac servers with a compatible USB mouse port, there is no need to adjust the mouse settings on the target server. This reduces installation time and enhances the Dominion KX II’s plug-and-play nature. In addition, the remote and target server mouse pointers never go out of synchronization. This feature is enabled by the D2CIM-VUSB and D2CIM-DVUSB virtual media CIMs.
Intelligent Mouse Synchronization™	Most KVM switches require the customer to manually adjust the mouse motion and mouse acceleration settings for all connected target servers for each KVM user. With the Dominion KX II’s Intelligent Mouse option, no such manual configuration is required for many servers. The system can automatically adjust to the server’s mouse settings. This further enhances the Dominion KX II’s plug-and-play operation.
1600x1200 remote video resolution	Dominion KX II provides 1600x1200 remote and local video resolution, so even remote users can work with today’s higher resolution monitors.
Full screen video display	With the Dominion KX II’s full screen video display, users appear to be directly connected to the target server. The user views the full video display from the target server without window borders or toolbars.
Flexible video scaling	In many instances, the user would like to “scale,” i.e., stretch or compress, the target server’s video display to fit the display window on the client. With the Dominion KX II’s flexible scaling, the user is not restricted to fixed-size windows, but can drag the window border to the desired size, including small thumbnail views.
Fast video switching	Once the Dominion KX II’s advanced video resolution detection has calculated a target server’s video characteristics, connections to the server occur almost instantaneously. This gives the Dominion KX II user immediate access in most cases to all connected servers.
Transparent keyboard handling	Transparent keyboard handling means that virtually all user keystrokes are sent to the target server and not processed by the desktop client. This key feature of the Raritan Virtual KVM Desktop obviates the need for most keyboard macros and allows the user to directly interact with the target server with a higher level of connectivity.
Software Features
“Plug and play” appliance – quick and easy setup	Dominion KX II is a completely self-contained system (i.e., an appliance). All Dominion KX II features, including authentication and Web access, are built into the unit and do not require the use of an additional server.
Automatic color calibration	The Dominion KX II provides automatic and manual color calibration that optimizes the screen display to provide vivid, lifelike colors to enhance productivity and reduce bandwidth.
15-bit color support	Dominion KX II’s 15-bit color support (32,000 colors) enables high video quality over the network. Multiple color modes, as well as grey scale, are available to connect via modem or low bandwidth link.
PC share mode	Up to eight users can connect and remotely access each connected server. This feature is very useful for administrator collaboration for teamed troubleshooting of servers.
Configurable bandwidth settings	Video performance can be configured to match the available network bandwidth. With high ­speed LAN access, more bandwidth is available and higher quality video information can be sent, resulting in better performance. When accessing via a limited bandwidth connection, Dominion KX II can be configured to the limited bandwidth available.
Real-time server status and availability	Users can easily determine, via the user interface, if a given server, including blade servers, is currently accessible/available.
Security Feature
AES encryption	The Dominion KX II utilizes the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption for added security. 128- and 256-bit AES encryption is available. AES is a US government‑approved cryptographic algorithm that is recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the FIPS Standard 197.
Video and virtual media encryption	Dominion KX II securely encrypts the video stream in addition to keyboard and mouse data.
RADIUS, LDAP and Active Directory® authentication	Dominion KX II integrates with industry-standard directory servers, such as Microsoft® ’s Active Directory, using either the LDAP or RADIUS protocols. This allows Dominion KX II to use pre-existing username/password databases for security.
Upload customer-provided SSL certificates	Customers can upload to the Dominion KX II (self-signed or certificate authority provided) digital certificates for enhanced authentication and secure communication.
Configurable strong password checking	The Dominion KX II has administrator-configurable, strong password checking to ensure that user-created passwords meet corporate and/or government standards and are resistant to brute force hacking.
Local authentication with user, groups and permissions	In addition to external authentication, the Dominion KX II supports local authentication. Administrators can define users and groups with customizable administration and port access permissions.
Multiple security features	Dominion KX II offers many additional security features, including password aging, access control lists, inactivity timers, group permissions, per-port authorization, etc.
Management Features
Remote management and administration	Administrators can perform all management, administration and configuration operations, using a simple graphical user interface, from the convenience of their desktop.
Raritan’s CommandCenter integration	Like the rest of the Dominion Series, Dominion KX II features complete CommandCenter Secure Gateway integration, allowing enterprise users to consolidate all Dominion devices into a single logical system, accessible from a single IP address, and under a single management interface.
Dominion KX I compatibility	Customers who have purchased Raritan’s first generation Dominion KX I switches can continue to use these switches together with the new Dominion KX II. Both CommandCenter Secure Gateway and Raritan’s Multiplatform Client support seamless access and control of target servers and serial devices connected to the Dominion KX I and Dominion KX II digital appliances.
Paragon and Dominion CIM compatibility	For existing Raritan customers, select Paragon I and Paragon II CIMs as well as the Dominion KX I DCIMs are supported by the Dominion KX II. Paragon and Dominion customers wanting to upgrade to Dominion KX II can reuse many of their CIMs, reducing the cost of migration.
SNMP management and Syslog	The Dominion KX II SNMP agent distributes SNMP TRAPs for important system events to SNMP management systems. SNMP TRAPs are fully configurable by the administrator. Syslog is also available.
Firmware upgrade over Ethernet	Dominion KX II firmware upgrades can be downloaded directly from the Raritan Web site and upgrades can be performed via the network.
D2CIM firmware upgrades	The Dominion KX II D2CIMs can be firmware upgraded from the Dominion KX II appliance to support new features and improvements. This includes the Dominion KX II USB CIMs supporting virtual media and Absolute Mouse Synchronization, and the Dominion KX II Power CIM.

Network: Dual Failover 10/100/1000 gigabit Ethernet (RJ45)
Modem Port: DB9(F) DTE
Protocols: TCP/IP, HTTP, HTTPS, SNMP, UDP, RADIUS, LDAP, SNTP, DHCP, PAP, CHAP

Video: HD15(F) VGA
Keyboard/Mouse: Mini-DIN6 (F) PS/2 and USB (F), 1 USB front, 3 USB rear

PC text mode: 640x350, 640x480, 720x400
PC graphic modes:640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x1024, 1600x1200
Sun video modes: 1024x768, 1152x864, 1152x900, 1280x1024

 

1.3 (W) x 3.0 (D) x 0.6 (H); 32mm (W) x 76mm (D) x 15mm (H)
Weight: 0.20 lb/0.09 kg

1.3 (W) x 3.0 (D) x 0.6 (H); 32mm (W) x 76mm (D) x 15mm (H)
Weight: 0.20 lb/0.09 kg

1.3 (W) x 3.0 (D) x 0.6 (H); 32mm (W) x 76mm (D) x 15mm (H)
Weight: 0.20 lb/0.09 kg

1.3 (W) x 3.0 (D) x 0.6 (H); 32mm (W) x 76mm (D) x 15mm (H)
Weight: 0.20 lb/0.09 kg

1.3 (W) x 3.0 (D) x 0.6 (H); 32mm (W) x 76mm (D) x 15mm (H)
Weight: 0.20 lb/0.09 kg

1.3 (W) x 3.0 (D) x 0.6 (H); 32mm (W) x 76mm (D) x 15mm (H)
Weight: 0.20 lb/0.09 kg

1.3 (W) x 3.0 (D) x 0.6 (H); 32mm (W) x 76mm (D) x 15mm (H)
Weight: 0.20 lb/0.09 kg

1.3 (W) x 3.0 (D) x 0.6 (H); 32mm (W) x 76mm (D) x 15mm (H)
Weight: 0.20 lb/0.09 kg

General Questions

• What is Dominion KX II?
• How does Dominion KX II differ from remote control software?
• How do the new features of the Dominion KX II compare to the KX I?
• How do I migrate from the Dominion KX I to Dominion KX II?
• Will my existing KX I CIMs work with Dominion KX II switches?
• Can the Dominion KX II be rack mounted?
• How large is the Dominion KX II?

Remote Access

• How many users can remotely access servers on each Dominion KX II?
• Can two people look at the same server at the same time?
• Can two people access the same server, one remotely and one from the local port?
• In order to access Dominion KX II from a client, what hardware, software or network configuration is required?
• What is the file size of the applet that’s used to access Dominion KX II? How long does it take to retrieve?
• How do I access servers connected to Dominion KX II if the network ever becomes unavailable?
• Do you have a non-Windows client?

Universal Virtual Media

• What Dominion KX II models support virtual media?
• What types of virtual media does the Dominion KX II support?
• What is required for virtual media?
• Is virtual media secure?
• What is a USB profile?
• Why would I use a USB profile?
• How is a USB profile used?
• Do I always need to set a USB profile when I use virtual media?
• What profiles are available? Where can I find more information?

Ethernet and IP Networking

• How is bandwidth used in KVM-over-IP systems?
• How does bandwidth affect KVM-over-IP performance?
• What factors affect bandwidth?
• How much bandwidth does KX II use for common tasks?
• How can I reduce bandwidth?
• What should I do on slower bandwidth links?
• I want to connect over the Internet. What type of performance should I expect?
• I have a high bandwidth environment. How can I optimize performance?
• What is the speed of Dominion KX II’s Ethernet interfaces?
• Can I access Dominion KX II over a wireless connection?
• Does the Dominion KX II offer dual gigabit Ethernet ports to provide redundant failover, or load balancing?
• Can I use Dominion KX II with a VPN?
• How many TCP ports must be open on my firewall in order to enable network access to Dominion KX II?
• Are these ports configurable?
• Can Dominion KX II be used with CITRIX?
• Can the Dominion KX II use DHCP?
• I’m having problems connecting to the Dominion KX II over my IP network. What could be the problem?

IPv6 Networking

• What is IPv6?
• Why does Dominion KX II support IPv6 networking?
• What is “dual stack” and why is it required?
• How do I enable IPv6 on the Dominion KX II?
• What if I have an external server with an IPv6 address that I want to use with my Dominion KX II?
• Does the Dominion KX I (the previous generation KX) support IPv6?
• What if my network doesn’t support IPv6?
• Where can I get more information on IPv6?

Servers

• Does Dominion KX II depend on a Windows server to operate?
• Do I need to install a Web server such as Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) in order to use Dominion KX II’s Web browser capability?
• What software do I have to install in order to access Dominion KX II from a particular workstation?
• What should I do to prepare a server for connection to Dominion KX II?
• What comes in the Dominion KX II box?

Blade Servers

• Can I connect blade servers to the Dominion KX II?
• Which blade servers are supported?
• Are the Paragon Blade CIMs used?
• Which CIM should I use?
• What types of access and control are available?
• Do I have to use hotkeys to switch between blades?
• Can I access the blade server’s management module?
• How many blade servers can I connect to a Dominion KX II ?
• I’m an SMB customer with a few Dominion KX IIs. Must I use your CommandCenter Secure Gateway management station?
• I’m an Enterprise customer using CommandCenter Secure Gateway. Can I access blade servers via CommandCenter Secure Gateway?
• What if I want in-band or embedded KVM access?
• I’m running VMware® on some of my blade servers. Is this supported?
• Is virtual media supported?
• Is Absolute Mouse Synchronization supported?
• Is blade access secure?
• Does the Dominion KSX II or the KX II-101 support blade servers?

Installation

• Besides the unit itself, what do I need to order from Raritan to install Dominion KX II?
• What kind of Cat5 cabling should be used in my installation?
• What types of servers can be connected to Dominion KX II?
• How do I connect servers to Dominion KX II?
• How far can my servers be from Dominion KX II?
• Some operating systems lock up when I disconnect a keyboard or mouse during operation. What prevents servers connected to Dominion KX II from locking up when I switch away from them?
• Are there any agents that must be installed on servers connected to Dominion KX II?
• How many servers can be connected to each Dominion KX II unit?
• What happens if I disconnect a server from Dominion KX II and reconnect it to another Dominion KX II unit, or connect it to a different port on the same Dominion KX II unit?
• How do I connect a serially controlled (RS-232) device to Dominion KX II, such as a Cisco ® router/switch or a headless Sun server?

Local Port

• Can I access my servers directly from the rack?
• When I am using the local port, do I prevent other users from accessing servers remotely?
• Can I use a USB keyboard or mouse at the local port?
• Is there an On-Screen Display (OSD) for local, at-the-rack access?
• How do I select between servers while using the local port?
• How do I ensure that only authorized users can access servers from the local port?
• If I use the local port to change the name of a connected server, does this change propagate to remote access clients as well? Does it propagate to the optional CommandCenter appliance?
• If I use Dominion KX II’s remote administration tools to change the name of a connected server, does that change propagate to the local port OSD as well?

Extended Local Port (Dominion KX2-832 and KX2-864 models only)

• What is the extended local port?
• Is a user station required for the extended local port?
• How far can the user station be from the Dominion KX II?
• Is a CIM required?
• Must I use the extended local port?

Dual Power Supplies

• Does Dominion KX II have a dual power option?
• Does the power supply used by Dominion KX II automatically detect voltage settings?
• If a power supply or input fails, will I be notified?

Intelligent Power Distribution Unit (PDU) Control

• What type of remote power control capabilities does Dominion KX II offer?
• What type of power strips does Dominion KX II support?
• How many PDUs can be connected to a Dominion KX II?
• How do I connect the PDU to the Dominion KX II?
• Does Dominion KX II support servers with multiple power supplies?
• Does the Dominion KX II display statistics and measurements from the PDU?
• Does remote power control require any special configuration of attached servers?
• What happens when I recycle power to a server?
• Can I power on/off other equipment (non-servers) connected to a PDU?

Scalability

• How do I connect multiple Dominion KX II devices together into one solution?
• Can I connect an existing analog KVM switch to Dominion KX II?

Computer Interface Modules (CIMs)

• Can I use Computer Interface Modules (CIMs) from Paragon, Raritan’s analog matrix KVM switch, with Dominion KX II?
• Can I use Dominion KX II Computer Interface Modules (CIMs) with Paragon, Raritan’s analog matrix KVM switch?

Security

• What kind of encryption does Dominion KX II use?
• Does Dominion KX II support AES encryption as recommended by the US Government’s NIST and FIPS standards?
• Does Dominion KX II allow encryption of video data? Or does it only encrypt keyboard and mouse data?
• How does Dominion KX II integrate with external authentication servers such as Active Directory, RADIUS or LDAP?
• How are usernames and passwords stored?
• Does Dominion KX II support strong passwords?
• Can I upload my own digital certificate to the Dominion KX II?

Manageability

• Can Dominion KX II be remotely managed and configured via Web browser?
• Can I backup and restore Dominion KX II’s configuration?
• What auditing or logging does Dominion KX II offer?
• Can Dominion KX II integrate with Syslog?
• Can Dominion KX II integrate with SNMP?
• Can Dominion KX II’s internal clock be synchronized with a timeserver?

Miscellaneous

• What is Dominion KX II’s default IP address?
• What is Dominion KX II’s default username and password?
• I changed and subsequently forgot Dominion KX II’s administrative password; can you retrieve it for me?

 

General Questions

What is Dominion KX II?
Dominion KX II is a second generation digital KVM (keyboard/video/ mouse) switch that enables one, two, four or eight IT administrators to access and control 8, 16, 32 or 64 servers over the network with BIOS-level functionality. Dominion KX II is completely hardware- and OS-independent; users can troubleshoot and reconfigure servers even when servers are down.

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At the rack, Dominion KX II provides the same functionality, convenience, space savings and cost savings as traditional analog KVM switches. However, Dominion KX II also integrates the industry’s highest-performing KVM-over-IP technology, allowing multiple administrators to access server KVM consoles from any networked workstation.

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How does Dominion KX II differ from remote control software?
When using Dominion KX II remotely, the interface, at first glance, may seem similar to remote control software such as pcAnywhereTM, Windows® Terminal Services/Remote Desktop, VNC, etc. However, because Dominion KX II is not a software but a hardware solution, it’s much more powerful:

• OS- and hardware-independent – Dominion KX II can be used to manage servers running many popular OS, including Intel®, SunTM, PowerPC running Windows, Linux®, SolarisTM, etc.
• State-independent/Agentless – Dominion KX II does not require the managed server OS to be up and running, nor does it require any special software to be installed on the managed server.
• Out-of-band – Even if the managed server’s own network connection is unavailable, it can still be managed through Dominion KX II.
• BIOS-level access – Even if the server is hung at boot up, requires booting to safe mode, or requires system BIOS parameters to be altered, Dominion KX II still works flawlessly to enable these configurations to be made.

How do the new features of the Dominion KX II compare to the KX I?
Dominion KX II has many new and exciting features, including virtual media, Absolute Mouse SynchronizationTM, dual power, dual gigabit Ethernet, common Web-based user interfaces, next generation local ports, etc. See the “Features and Benefits” tab on the KX II Web pages on Raritan.com/KXII

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How do I migrate from the Dominion KX I to Dominion KX II?
In general, KX I customers can continue to use their existing switches for many years. As their data centers expand, customers can purchase and use the new KX II models. Raritan’s centralized management appliance, CommandCenter® Secure Gateway, and the Multiplatform Client (MPC) both support KX I and KX II switches seamlessly.

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Will my existing KX I CIMs work with Dominion KX II switches?
Yes, existing KX I CIMs will work with the Dominion KX II switch. In addition, select Paragon® CIMs will work with the KX II. This provides an easy migration to KX II from Paragon I customers who wish to switch to KVM-over-IP. However, you may want to consider the D2CIM-VUSB and D2CIM-DVUSB CIMs that support Virtual Media and Absolute Mouse Synchronization.

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Can the Dominion KX II be rack mounted?
Yes. The Dominion KX II ships standard with 19" rack mount brackets.  It can also be reverse rack mounted so the server ports face forward.

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How large is the Dominion KX II?
Dominion KX II is only 1U high (except KX2-864 and KX2-464, which are 2U), fits in a standard 19" rack mount and is only 11.4" (29 cm) deep. The Dominion KX2-832 and KX2-864 are 13.8” (36 cm) deep.

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Remote Access

How many users can remotely access servers on each Dominion KX II?
Dominion KX II models offer remote connections for up to eight users per user channel to simultaneously access and control a unique target server. For one-channel devices like the DKX2-116, up to eight remote users can access and control a single target server. For two-channel devices, like the DKX2-216, up to eight users can access and control the server on channel one and up to another eight users on channel two. For four-channel devices, up to eight users per channel, for a total of 32 (8 x 4) users, can access and control four servers. Likewise, for the eight channel devices, up to eight users can access a single server, up to an overall maximum of 32 users across the 8 channels.

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Can two people look at the same server at the same time?
Yes, actually up to eight people can access and control any single server at the same time.

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Can two people access the same server, one remotely and one from the local port?
Yes, the local port is completely independent of the remote “ports.” The local port can access the same server using the PC-Share feature.

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In order to access Dominion KX II from a client, what hardware, software or network configuration is required?
Because Dominion KX II is completely Web-accessible, it doesn’t require customers to install proprietary software on clients used for access. (An optional installed client is available on Raritan.com; this is required for access by external modem.)

Dominion KX II can be accessed through major Web browsers, including: Internet Explorer, Mozilla® and Firefox®. Dominion KX II can now be accessed on Windows, Linux and Macintosh® desktops, via Raritan’s Java-based Multiplatform Client and the new Virtual KVM Client™.

Dominion KX II administrators can also perform remote management (set passwords and security, rename servers, change IP address, etc.), using a convenient browser-based interface.

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What is the file size of the applet that’s used to access Dominion KX II? How long does it take to retrieve?
The Virtual KVM Client applet used to access Dominion KX II is approximately 500KB in size. The following chart describes the time required to retrieve Dominion KX II’s applet at different network speeds:

100Mbps	Theoretical 100Mbit network speed	0.05 seconds
60Mbps	Likely practical 100Mbit network speed	0.08 seconds
10Mbps	Theoretical 10Mbit network speed	.4 seconds
6Mbps	Likely practical 10Mbit network speed	.8 seconds
512Kbps	Cable modem download speed (typical)	8 seconds

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How do I access servers connected to Dominion KX II if the network ever becomes unavailable?
You can access servers at-the-rack or via modem. Dominion KX II offers a dedicated modem port for attaching an external modem.

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Do you have a non-Windows client?
Yes. Both the Virtual KVM Client and the Multiplatform Client (MPC), allow non-Windows users to connect to target servers through the Dominion KX I and KX II switches. MPC can be run via Web browsers and standalone. Please refer to Raritan’s Dominion KX II and MPC user guides for more information.

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Universal Virtual Media

What Dominion KX II models support virtual media?
All Dominion KX II models support virtual media. It is available standalone and through CommandCenter Secure Gateway, Raritan’s centralized management appliance.

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What types of virtual media does the Dominion KX II support?
Dominion KX II supports the following types of media: internal and USB-connected CD/DVD drives, USB mass storage devices, PC hard drives and ISO images.

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What is required for virtual media?
A Dominion KX II virtual media CIM is required. There are two of these CIMs: the D2CIM-VUSB and the D2CIM-DVUSB.

The D2CIM-VUSB has a single USB connector and is for customers who will use virtual media at the OS level.

The D2CIM-DVUSB has dual USB connectors and should be purchased by customers who wish to utilize virtual media at the BIOS level.

Both support virtual media sessions to target servers supporting the USB 2.0 interface. Available in economical 32 and 64 quantity CIM packages, these CIMs support Absolute Mouse Synchronization, as well as remote firmware updates.

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Is virtual media secure?
Yes. Virtual media sessions are secured using 256-bit AES, 128-bit AES or 128-bit RC4 encryption.

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What is a USB profile?
Certain servers require a specifically configured USB interface for USB based services such as virtual media. The USB profile tailors the KX II’s USB interface to the server to accommodate these server specific characteristics.

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Why would I use a USB profile?
USB profiles are most often required at the BIOS level where there may not be full support for the USB specification when accessing virtual media drives. However, profiles are sometimes used at the OS level, for example, for mouse synchronization for Macintosh and Linux servers.

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How is a USB profile used?
Individual or groups of ports can be configured by the administrator to use a specific USB profile in the KX II’s port configuration page.

A USB profile can also be selected in the KX II client when required. See the user guide for more information.

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Do I always need to set a USB profile when I use virtual media?
No, in many cases, the default USB profile is sufficient when using virtual media at the OS level or operating at the BIOS level without accessing virtual media.

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What profiles are available? Where can I find more information?
Consult the user guide for the available profiles and for more information.

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Ethernet and IP Networking

How is bandwidth used in KVM-over-IP systems?
Dominion KX II offers next generation KVM-over-IP technology – the very best video compression available. Raritan has received numerous technical awards confirming its high video quality transmissions and the low bandwidth utilization.

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The Dominion KX II digitizes, compresses and encrypts the keyboard, video and mouse signals from the target server and transmits IP packets over the IP network to the remote client to create the remote session to the user. The KX II provides an at-the-rack experience based on its industry­leading video processing algorithms.

Screen changes, i.e. video accounts for the majority of the bandwidth used – keyboard and mouse activity are significantly less.

It is important to note that bandwidth is only used when the user is active. The amount of bandwidth used is based on the amount of change to the server’s video display screen.

If there are no changes to the video – the user is not interacting with the server – there is generally no bandwidth used. If the user moves the mouse or types a character, then there is a small amount of bandwidth used. If the display is running a complex screen saver or playing a video, then there can be a larger amount of bandwidth used.

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How does bandwidth affect KVM-over-IP performance?
In general, there is a trade-off between bandwidth and performance. The more bandwidth available, the better performance can be. In limited bandwidth environments, performance can degrade. The Dominion KX II has been optimized to provide strong performance in a wide variety of environments.

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What factors affect bandwidth?
There are many factors that determine how much bandwidth will be used. The primary factor, as discussed previously, is the amount of change in the target server’s video display. This is dependent on the user’s task and actions.

Other factors include the server’s video resolution, networking speed and characteristics, client PC resources and video card noise.

The Dominion KX II has very sophisticated video processing algorithms that optimize bandwidth and performance for a variety of environments. In addition, they are highly configurable; there are many settings to optimize bandwidth usage. In particular, the connection speed setting in the remote clients (VKC, MPC) can be set to reduce the bandwidth used.

Unlike KX I, the “Noise Filter” parameter does not generally have a large role in reducing bandwidth or improving performance.

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How much bandwidth does KX II use for common tasks?
As discussed previously, bandwidth primarily depends on the user’s task and actions. The more the server’s video screen changes, the more bandwidth is utilized.

The table below summarizes some standard use cases at Dominion KX II’s default and with two reduced bandwidth settings (Connection Speed setting of 1Mb with 15- and 8-bit color) on a Windows XP target server (1024x768 resolution) over a 100 Mb/s LAN:

User Task	Default	1Mb Speed & 15-bit Color	1Mb Speed & 8-bit Color
Idle Windows Desktop	0 KB/s	0 KB/s	0 KB/s
Move Mouse Cursor	5 – 15 KB/s	2 – 6 KB/s	2 – 3 KB/s
Drag Icon	40 – 70 KB/s	10 – 25 KB/s	5 – 15 KB/s
Drag Folder	10 – 40 KB/s	5 – 20 KB/s	5 – 10 KB/s
Open Text Window	50 – 100 KB/s	25 – 50 KB/s	10 – 15 KB/s
Continuous Typing	1 KB/s	.5 – 1 KB/s	.2 – .5 KB/s
Scroll Text Window	1050 KB/s	5 – 25 KB/s	2 – 10 KB/s
Close Text window	50 – 100 KB/s	20 – 40 KB/s	10 – 15 KB/s
Open Panel	50 – 100 KB/s	60 – 70 KB/s	20 – 30 KB/s
Change Tab in Panel	40 – 50 KB/s	20 – 50 KB/s	10 – 20 KB/s
Close Panel	50 – 100 KB/s	40 – 60 KB/s	20 – 30 KB/s
Change Panel Option	2 – 10 KB/s	1 – 5 KB/s	1 – 3 KB/s
Open Browser Page	100 – 300 KB/s	50 – 200 KB/s	40 – 80 KB/s
Scroll Browser	75 – 200 KB/s	50 – 200 KB/s	30 – 100 KB/s
Close Browser	100 – 150 KB/s	75 – 100 KB/s	30 – 60 KB/s
Open Start Menu	75 – 100 KB/s	50 – 75 KB/s	20 – 30 KB/s
Close Start Menu	75 – 100 KB/s	25 – 50 KB/s	10 – 15 KB/s
Starfield Screen Saver	25 – 50 KB/s	10 – 15 KB/s	7 – 10 KB/s
3D Pipes Screen Saver	10 – 100 KB/s	5 – 20 KB/s	2 – 10 KB/s
Windows Media Video	500 – 1200 KB/s	300 – 500 KB/s	150 – 300 KB/s
QuickTime Video #1	700 – 2500 KB/s	400 – 500 KB/s	150 – 350 KB/s
QuickTime Video #2	1500 – 2500 KB/s	400 – 550 KB/s	200 – 350 KB/s

With the reduced bandwidth settings, bandwidth is reduced significantly for virtually all tasks. With the 15-bit color setting, perceived performance is similar to the default parameters. Further bandwidth reductions are possible with additional changes in the settings. Please note that these bandwidth figures are only examples and may vary from those seen in your environment due to many factors.

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How can I reduce bandwidth?
KX II provides a variety of settings in our remote clients for the user to optimize bandwidth and performance. The default settings will provide an at-the-rack level of performance in standard LAN/WAN environments with economical use of bandwidth.

Bandwidth management settings include the connection speed and color depth. To reduce bandwidth:

Connection speed. Reducing the connection speed can significantly reduce the bandwidth used. In a standard LAN/WAN environment, setting the connection speed to 1.5 or 1 Mb per second will reduce bandwidth while maintaining good performance. Settings below this will further reduce bandwidth and are appropriate for slow bandwidth links.

Color depth. Reducing the color depth will also significantly decrease bandwidth and increase performance, but fewer colors will be used resulting in video degradation. This may be acceptable for certain system administration tasks.

For slow Internet connections, use of 8-bit color or lower bit depths can reduce bandwidth and improve performance. Other tips to decrease bandwidth include:

• Use a solid desktop background instead of a complex image
• Disable screen saversUse a lower resolution on the target server
• Uncheck the “Show window contents while dragging” option in Windows
• Use simple images, themes and desktops (e.g., Windows Classic)

What should I do on slower bandwidth links?
The connection speed and color depth settings can be tweaked to optimize performance for slower bandwidth links.

For example, in the Multiplatform Client or the Virtual KVM Client, set the connection speed to 1.5 Mb or 1 Mb; and the color depth to 8 bit.

Even lower connection speeds and color depths can be used for very low bandwidth situations.

For modem connections, the KX II will automatically default to a very low connection speed and reduced color depth to optimize performance.

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I want to connect over the Internet. What type of performance should I expect?
It depends on the bandwidth and latency of the Internet connection between your remote client and the KX II. With a cable modem or high speed DSL connection, your performance can be very similar to a LAN/WAN connection. For lower speed links, use the suggestions above to improve performance.

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I have a high bandwidth environment. How can I optimize performance?
The default settings will provide strong performance in a high bandwidth environment. Ensure that the connection speed is set to 100 Mb or 1 Gb and the color depth is set to 15-bit RGB color.

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What is the speed of Dominion KX II’s Ethernet interfaces?
Dominion KX II supports Gigabit as well as 10/100 Ethernet. KX II supports two 10/100/1000 speed Ethernet interfaces, with configurable speed and duplex settings (either auto-detected or manually set).

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Can I access Dominion KX II over a wireless connection?
Yes. Dominion KX II not only uses standard Ethernet, but also very conservative bandwidth with very high quality video. Thus, if a wireless client has network connectivity to a Dominion KX II, servers can be configured and managed at BIOS-level wirelessly.

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Does the Dominion KX II offer dual gigabit Ethernet ports to provide redundant failover, or load balancing?
Yes. Dominion KX II features dual Gigabit Ethernet ports to provide redundant failover capabilities. Should the primary Ethernet port (or the switch/router to which it is connected) fail, Dominion KX II will failover to the secondary network port with the same IP address – ensuring that server operations are not disrupted. Note that automatic failover must be enabled by the administrator.

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Can I use Dominion KX II with a VPN?
Yes. Dominion KX II uses standard Internet Protocol (IP) technologies from Layer 1 through Layer 4. Traffic can be easily tunneled through standard VPNs.

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How many TCP ports must be open on my firewall in order to enable network access to Dominion KX II?
Only one. Dominion KX II protects network security by only requiring access to a single TCP port to operate. This port is completely configurable for additional security.

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Are these ports configurable?
To use Dominion KX II’s optional Web browser capability, the standard HTTPS port 443 must also be open.

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Can Dominion KX II be used with CITRIX?
Dominion KX II may work with remote access products like CITRIX if configured appropriately, but Raritan cannot guarantee it will work with acceptable performance. Customers should realize that products like CITRIX utilize video redirection technologies similar in concept to digital KVM switches so that two KVM-over-IP technologies are being used simultaneously.

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Can the Dominion KX II use DHCP?
DHCP addressing can be used, however, Raritan recommends fixed addressing since the Dominion KX II is an infrastructure device and can be accessed and administered more effectively with a fixed IP address.

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I’m having problems connecting to the Dominion KX II over my IP network. What could be the problem?
The Dominion KX II relies on the customer’s LAN/WAN network. Some possible problems include:

• Ethernet auto negotiation. On some networks, 10/100 auto negotiation does not work properly and the Dominion KX II unit must be set to 100 MB/full duplex or the appropriate choice for its network.
• Duplicate IP address. If the IP address of the Dominion KX II is the same as another device, network connectivity may be inconsistent.
• Port 5000 conflicts. If another device is using port 5000, the Dominion KX II default port must be changed (or the other device must be changed).
• When changing the IP address of a Dominion KX II, or swapping in a new Dominion KX II, sufficient time must be allowed for its IP and Mac addresses to be known throughout the Layer 2 and Layer 3 networks.

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IPv6 Networking

What is IPv6?
IPv6 is the acronym for “Internet Protocol Version 6.” IPv6 is the “next generation” IP protocol which will replace the current IP Version 4 (“IPv4”) protocol.

IPv6 addresses a number of problems in IPv4, such as the limited number of IPv4 addresses. It also improves IPv4 in areas such as routing and network auto-configuration. IPv6 is expected to gradually replace IPv4, with the two coexisting for a number of years.

IPv6 treats one of the largest headaches of an IP network from the administrator’s point of view; configuring and maintaining an IP network.

Why does Dominion KX II support IPv6 networking?
US government agencies and the Department of Defense are now mandated to purchase IPv6 compatible products. In addition, many enterprises and foreign countries such as China will be transitioning to IPv6 over the next several years.

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What is “dual stack” and why is it required?
“Dual stack” is the ability to simultaneously support both IPv4 and IPv6 protocols. Given the gradual transition from IPv4 to IPv6, dual stack is a fundamental requirement for IPv6 support.

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How do I enable IPv6 on the Dominion KX II?
Use the “Network Settings” page, available from the “Device Settings” tab. Enable IPv6 addressing and choose manual or auto-configuration. Consult the user guide for more information.

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What if I have an external server with an IPv6 address that I want to use with my Dominion KX II?
The Dominion KX II can access external servers via their IPv6 addresses, for example, an SNMP Manager, Syslog server or LDAP server.

Using the Dominion KX II’s dual-stack architecture, these external servers can be accessed via (1) an IPv4 address, (2) IPv6 address or (3) hostname. So the Dominion KX II supports the mixed IPv4/IPv6 environment many customers will have.

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Does the Dominion KX I (the previous generation KX) support IPv6?
No, the Dominion KX I does not support IPv6 addresses.

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What if my network doesn’t support IPv6?
The Dominion KX II’s default networking is set at the factory for IPv4 only. When you are ready to use IPv6, then follow the above instructions to enable IPv6/IPv4 dual stack operation.

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Where can I get more information on IPv6?
See www.ipv6.org for general information on IPv6. The Dominion KX II user guide describes the Dominion KX II’s support for IPv6.

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Servers

Does Dominion KX II depend on a Windows server to operate?
Absolutely not. Because users depend on the KVM infrastructure to always be available in any scenario whatsoever (as they will likely need to use the KVM infrastructure to fix problems), Dominion KX II is designed to be completely independent from any external server.

For example, should the data center come under attack from a malicious Windows worm or virus, administrators will need to use the KVM solution to resolve the situation. Therefore, it is imperative that the KVM solution, in turn, must not rely on these same Windows servers (or any server, for that matter) to be operational in order for the KVM solution to function.

To this end, Dominion KX II is completely independent. Even if a user chooses to configure the Dominion KX II to authenticate against an Active Directory® server – if that Active Directory server becomes unavailable, Dominion KX II’s own authentication will be activated and fully functional.

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Do I need to install a Web server such as Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) in order to use Dominion KX II’s Web browser capability?
No. Dominion KX II is a completely self-sufficient appliance. After assigning an IP address to Dominion KX II, it’s ready to use – with Web browser and authentication capabilities completely built-in.

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What software do I have to install in order to access Dominion KX II from a particular workstation?
None. Dominion KX II can be accessed completely via a Web browser (although an optional installed client is provided on Raritan’s Web site, Raritan.com, which is required for modem connections). A Java-based client is now available for non-Windows users.

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What should I do to prepare a server for connection to Dominion KX II?
Simply set the mouse parameters in order to provide users with the best mouse synchronization during remote connections, as well as turning off the power management features that effect screen display. However, if the Absolute Mouse Synchronization is supported through the new D2CIM-VUSB adapter, then manually setting the mouse parameters isn’t necessary.

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What comes in the Dominion KX II box?
The following is included: (1) Dominion KX II unit; (2) Quick Setup Guide; (3) standard 19" rack mount brackets; (4) User manual CD-ROM; (5) Network cable; (6) Crossover cable; (7) Localized AC line cord; (8) Warranty certificate and other documentation.

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Blade Servers

Can I connect blade servers to the Dominion KX II?
Yes you can. Dominion KX II supports popular blade server models from the leading blade server manufacturers: HP, IBM and Dell.

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Which blade servers are supported?
The following models are supported: Dell PowerEdge 1855, 1955 and M1000e; HP BladeSystem c3000 and c7000; and IBM BladeCenter H, E and S.

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Are the Paragon Blade CIMs used?
No, the Dominion KX II does not require the use of special blade server CIMs like the Paragon II.

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Which CIM should I use?
It depends on the type of KVM ports on the specific make and model of the blade server you are using. The following CIMs are supported: DCIM-PS2, DCIM-USBG2, D2CIM-VUSB and D2CIM-DVUSB

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What types of access and control are available?
The Dominion KX II provides automated & secure KVM access: (1) at-the-rack, (2) remotely over IP, (3) via CommandCenter and (4) by mo

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Do I have to use hotkeys to switch between blades?
Some blade servers require you to use hotkeys to switch between blades. With the Dominion KX II, you don’t have to use these hotkeys. Just click on the name of the blade server, and the Dominion KX II will automatically switch to that blade without the explicit use of the hotkey.

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Can I access the blade server’s management module?
Yes, you can define the URL of the management module and access it from the Dominion KX II or from our CommandCenter Secure Gateway. If configured, one-click access is available.

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How many blade servers can I connect to a Dominion KX II ?
For performance and reliability reasons, you can connect up to 8 blade chassis to a Dominion KX II, regardless of model. Raritan recommends connecting up to two times the number of remote connections supported by the device. For example, with a KX2-216 with two remote channels, we recommend connecting up to 4 blade server chassis. You can of course connect individual servers to the remaining server ports.

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I’m an SMB customer with a few Dominion KX IIs. Must I use your CommandCenter Secure Gateway management station?
No, you don’t have to. SMB customers are not required to use CommandCenter Secure Gateway to use the new blade features.

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I’m an Enterprise customer using CommandCenter Secure Gateway. Can I access blade servers via CommandCenter Secure Gateway?
Yes. Once blade servers are configured on the Dominion KX II, the CommandCenter Secure Gateway user can access them via KVM connections. In addition, the blade servers are organized by chassis as well as CommandCenter Secure Gateway custom views.

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What if I want in-band or embedded KVM access?
Yes, in-band and embedded access to blade servers can be configured within CommandCenter Secure Gateway.

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I’m running VMware® on some of my blade servers. Is this supported?
Yes, with CommandCenter Secure Gateway, you can display and access virtual machines running on blade servers.

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Is virtual media supported?
This depends on the blade server. HP blades can support virtual media. The IBM BladeCenter (except for BladeCenter T) does support virtual media if configured appropriately. A virtual media CIM – D2CIM-VUSB or D2CIM-DVUSB – must be used.

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Is Absolute Mouse Synchronization supported?
Servers with internal KVM switches inside the blade chassis typically do not support absolute mouse technology. For HP Blade and some Dell blade servers, the CIM is connected to each blade, so Absolute Mouse Sychronization is supported if the underlying OS running on the blade does.

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Is blade access secure?
Yes, blade access uses all of the standard Dominion KX II security features such as 128-bit or 256-bit encryption. In addition, there are blade-specific security features such as per blade access permissions and hotkey-blocking that eliminates unauthorized access.

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Does the Dominion KSX II or the KX II-101 support blade servers?
At this time, these products do not have these new blade server features.

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Installation

Besides the unit itself, what do I need to order from Raritan to install Dominion KX II?
Each server that connects to Dominion KX II requires a Dominion or Paragon Computer Interface Module (CIM), an adapter that connects directly to the keyboard, video and mouse ports of the server.

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What kind of Cat5 cabling should be used in my installation?
Dominion KX II can use any standard UTP (unshielded twisted pair) cabling, whether Cat5, Cat5e or Cat6. Often in our manuals and marketing literature, Raritan will simply say “Cat5” cabling for short. In actuality, any brand UTP cable will suffice for Dominion KX II.

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What types of servers can be connected to Dominion KX II?
Dominion KX II is completely vendor independent. Any server with standard-compliant keyboard, video and mouse ports can be connected.

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How do I connect servers to Dominion KX II?
Servers that connect to the Dominion KX II require a Dominion or Paragon CIM, which connects directly to the keyboard, video, and mouse ports of the server. Then, connect each CIM to Dominion KX II using standard UTP (twisted pair) cable such as Cat5, Cat5e or Cat6.

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How far can my servers be from Dominion KX II?
In general, servers can be up to 150 feet (45 m) away from Dominion KX II depending on the type of server. (See user printed manual or on Web site). For the new D2CIM-VUSB CIM that supports virtual media and Absolute Mouse Synchronization, a 100-foot range is recommended.

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Some operating systems lock up when I disconnect a keyboard or mouse during operation. What prevents servers connected to Dominion KX II from locking up when I switch away from them?
Each Dominion computer interface module (DCIM) dongle acts as a virtual keyboard and mouse to the server to which it is connected. This technology is called KME (keyboard/mouse emulation). Raritan’s KME technology is data center grade, battle-tested and far more reliable than that found in lower-end KVM switches: it incorporates more than 15 years of experience and has been deployed to millions of servers worldwide.

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Are there any agents that must be installed on servers connected to Dominion KX II?
Servers connected to Dominion KX II do not require any software agents to be installed, because Dominion KX II connects directly via hardware to servers’ keyboard, video and mouse ports.

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How many servers can be connected to each Dominion KX II unit?
Dominion KX II models range from 8, 16 or 32 server ports in a 1U chassis to 64 server ports in a 2U chassis. This is the industry’s highest digital KVM switch port density.

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What happens if I disconnect a server from Dominion KX II and reconnect it to another Dominion KX II unit, or connect it to a different port on the same Dominion KX II unit?
Dominion KX II will automatically update the server port names when servers are moved from port to port. Furthermore, this automatic update does not just affect the local access port, but propagates to all remote clients and the optional CommandCenter Secure Gateway management appliance.

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How do I connect a serially controlled (RS-232) device to Dominion KX II, such as a Cisco® router/switch or a headless Sun server?
If there are only a few serially-controlled devices, they may be connected to a Dominion KX II using Raritan’s P2CIM-SER serial converter.

However, if there are four or more serially-controlled devices, we recommend the use of Raritan’s Dominion SX line of secure console servers. For multiple serial devices, Dominion SX offers more serial functionality at a better price point than Dominion KX II. This SX is easy to use, configure and manage, and can be completely integrated with a Dominion Series deployment. In particular, many UNIX® and networking administrators appreciate the ability to directly SSH to a Dominion SX unit.

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Local Port

Can I access my servers directly from the rack?
Yes. At the rack, Dominion KX II functions just like a traditional KVM switch – allowing control of up to 64 servers using a single keyboard, monitor and mouse. You can switch between servers by the browser­ based user interface or via hotkey.

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When I am using the local port, do I prevent other users from accessing servers remotely?
No. The Dominion KX II local port has a completely independent access path to the servers. This means a user can access servers locally at the rack – without compromising the number of users that access the rack remotely at the same time.

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Can I use a USB keyboard or mouse at the local port?
Yes. Dominion KX II offers both PS/2 and USB keyboard and mouse ports on the local port. Note that the USB ports are USB v1.1, and support keyboards and mice only – not USB devices such as scanners or printers.

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Is there an On-Screen Display (OSD) for local, at-the-rack access?
Yes, but Dominion KX II’s at-the-rack access goes way beyond conventional OSD’s. Featuring the industry’s first browser-based interface for at-the-rack access, Dominion KX II’s local port uses the same interface for local and remote access. Moreover, most administrative functions are available at-the-rack.

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How do I select between servers while using the local port?
The local port displays the connected servers using the same user interface as the remote client. Users connect to a server with a simple click of the mouse or via hot-key.

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How do I ensure that only authorized users can access servers from the local port?
Users attempting to use the local port must pass the same level of authentication as those accessing remotely. This means that:

• If the Dominion KX II is configured to interact with an external RADIUS, LDAP or Active Directory server, users attempting to access the local port will authenticate against the same server.
• If the external authentication servers are unavailable, Dominion KX II fails-over to its own internal authentication database.

Dominion KX II has its own standalone authentication, enabling instant, out-of-the-box installation.

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If I use the local port to change the name of a connected server, does this change propagate to remote access clients as well? Does it propagate to the optional CommandCenter appliance?
Yes. The local port presentation is identical and completely in sync with remote access clients, as well as Raritan’s CommandCenter Secure Gateway management appliance. To be clear, if the name of a server via the Dominion KX II on-screen display is changed, this updates all remote clients and external management servers in real-time.

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If I use Dominion KX II’s remote administration tools to change the name of a connected server, does that change propagate to the local port OSD as well?
Yes. If the name of a server is changed remotely, or via Raritan’s optional CommandCenter Secure Gateway management appliance, this update immediately affects Dominion KX II’s on-screen display.

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Extended Local Port (Dominion KX2-832 and KX2-864 models only)

What is the extended local port?
The Dominion KX2-832 and KX2-864 feature an extended local port. The KX II eight user models have a standard local port, plus a new extended local port that extends the local port, via Cat5 cable, beyond the rack to a control room, another point in the data center or to a Paragon II switch.

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Is a user station required for the extended local port?
Yes, the following devices can function as the “user station” for the extended local port: Paragon II EUST, Paragon II UST, and the Cat5 Reach URKVMG device. In addition, the extended local port can be connected via Cat5 cable to a server port on a Paragon II switch. This configuration can be used to consolidate the local ports of many KX2-8xxx devices to a single switch.

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How far can the user station be from the Dominion KX II?
The distance is 200', to 1000', but varies according to the type of user station, the video resolution, cable type and quality. See the user guide or Release Notes for more information.

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Is a CIM required?
No CIM is required. Just connect a Cat5 cable.

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Must I use the extended local port?
No, the extended local port is an optional feature and is disabled by default.  Use the Local Port Settings page to enable it. You can also disable the standard local port if you are not going to use it for added security.

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Dual Power Supplies

Does Dominion KX II have a dual power option?
Yes, all Dominion KX II models come equipped with dual AC inputs and power supplies with automatic failover. Should one of the power inputs or power supplies fail, then the KX II will automatically switch to the other.

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Does the power supply used by Dominion KX II automatically detect voltage settings?
Yes. Dominion KX II’s power supply can be used in AC voltage ranges from 100-240 volts, at 50-60 Hz.

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If a power supply or input fails, will I be notified?
The Dominion KX II front panel LED will notify the user of a power failure. An entry will also be sent to the audit log and displayed on the KX remote client user Interface. If configured by the administrator, then SNMP or Syslog events will be generated.

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Intelligent Power Distribution Unit (PDU) Control

What type of remote power control capabilities does Dominion KX II offer?
Raritan’s intelligent PDUs can be connected to the Dominion KX II to provide power control of target servers and other equipment. For servers, after a simple one-time configuration step, just click on the server name to power on, off or recycle a hung server.

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What type of power strips does Dominion KX II support?
Raritan’s Dominion PX and Remote Power Control (RPC) power strips.

These come in many outlet, connector and amp variations. Note that you should not connect the PM series of power strips to the Dominion KX II as these power strips do not provide outlet level switching.

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How many PDUs can be connected to a Dominion KX II?
Up to eight (8) PDUs can be connected to a Dominion KX II device.

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How do I connect the PDU to the Dominion KX II?
The D2CIM-PWR is used to connect the power strip to the Dominion KX II. The D2CIM-PWR must be separately purchased; it does not come with the PDU.

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Does Dominion KX II support servers with multiple power supplies?
Yes. Dominion KX II can be easily configured to support servers with multiple power supplies connected to multiple power strips. Four power supplies can be connected per target server.

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Does the Dominion KX II display statistics and measurements from the PDU?
Yes, PDU-level power statistics, including power, current and voltage are retrieved from the PDU and displayed to the user.

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Does remote power control require any special configuration of attached servers?
Some servers ship with default BIOS settings such that the server does not automatically restart after losing and regaining power. For these servers, see the server’s documentation to change this setting.

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What happens when I recycle power to a server?
Note that this is the physical equivalent of unplugging the server from the AC power line, and reinserting the plug.

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Can I power on/off other equipment (non-servers) connected to a PDU?
Yes, you can power on/off other equipment attached to the PDU by outlet from the Dominion KX II’s browser­based interface.

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Scalability

How do I connect multiple Dominion KX II devices together into one solution?
Multiple Dominion KX II units do not need to be physically connected together. Instead, each Dominion KX II unit connects to the network, and they automatically work together as a single solution if deployed with Raritan’s CommandCenter Secure Gateway management appliance. CommandCenter Secure Gateway acts as a single access point for remote access and management. CommandCenter Secure Gateway offers a significant set of convenient tools, such as consolidated configuration, consolidated firmware update and a single authentication and authorization database.

In addition, CommandCenter Secure Gateway enables sophisticated server sorting, permissions and access. If deployment of Raritan’s CommandCenter Secure Gateway management appliance isn’t an option, multiple Dominion KX II units still interoperate and scale automatically: The Dominion KX II’s remote user interface and the Multiplatform Client will automatically discover Dominion KX II units. Non-discovered Dominion KX II units can be accessed via a user-created profile.

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Can I connect an existing analog KVM switch to Dominion KX II?
Yes. Analog KVM switches can be connected to one of Dominion KX II’s server ports. Simply use a PS/2 Computer Interface Module (CIM), and attach it to the user ports of the existing analog KVM switch. Please note that analog KVM switches vary in their specifications and Raritan cannot guarantee the interoperability of any particular third-party analog KVM switch. Contact Raritan technical support for further information.

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Computer Interface Modules (CIMs)

Can I use Computer Interface Modules (CIMs) from Paragon, Raritan’s analog matrix KVM switch, with Dominion KX II?
Yes. Certain Paragon Computer Interface Modules (CIMs) may work with Dominion KX II (please check the Raritan Dominion KX II Release Notes on the Web site for the latest list of certified CIMs).

However, because Paragon CIMs cost more than Dominion KX II CIMs (as they incorporate technology for video transmission of up to 1000 feet [300 meters]), it is not generally advisable to purchase Paragon CIMs for use with Dominion KX II. Also note that when connected to Dominion KX II, Paragon CIMs transmit video at a distance of up to 150 feet, the same as Dominion KX II CIMs – not at 1000 feet (300 meters), as they do when connected to Paragon.

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Can I use Dominion KX II Computer Interface Modules (CIMs) with Paragon, Raritan’s analog matrix KVM switch?
No. Dominion KX II Computer Interface Modules (CIMs) transmit video at ranges of 50 to 150 feet (15 – 45 m) and thus do not work with Paragon, which requires CIMs that transmit video at a range of 1000 feet (300 meters). To ensure that all Raritan’s customers experience the very best quality video available in the industry – a consistent Raritan characteristic – Dominion Series CIMs do not interoperate with Paragon.

Security

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What kind of encryption does Dominion KX II use?
Dominion KX II uses industry-standard (and extremely secure) 256-bit AES, 128-bit AES or 128-bit encryption, both in its SSL communications as well as its own data stream. Literally no data is transmitted between remote clients and Dominion KX II that is not completely secured by encryption.

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Does Dominion KX II support AES encryption as recommended by the US Government’s NIST and FIPS standards?
The Dominion KX II utilizes the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption for added security. 256-bit and 128-bit AES is available.AES is a US government approved cryptographic algorithm that is recommended by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the FIPS Standard 197.

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Does Dominion KX II allow encryption of video data? Or does it only encrypt keyboard and mouse data?
Unlike competing solutions, which only encrypt keyboard and mouse data, Dominion KX II does not compromise security – it allows encryption of keyboard, mouse and video data.

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How does Dominion KX II integrate with external authentication servers such as Active Directory, RADIUS or LDAP?
Through a very simple configuration, Dominion KX II can be set to forward all authentication requests to an external server such as LDAP, Active Directory or RADIUS. For each authenticated user, Dominion KX II receives from the authentication server the user group to which that user belongs. Dominion KX II then determines the user’s access permissions depending on what user group to which he or she belongs.

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How are usernames and passwords stored?
Should Dominion KX II’s internal authentication capabilities be used, all sensitive information such as usernames and passwords are stored in an encrypted format. Literally no one, including Raritan technical support or product engineering departments, can retrieve those usernames and passwords.

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Does Dominion KX II support strong passwords?
Yes. The Dominion KX II has administrator-configurable, strong password checking to ensure that user created passwords meet corporate and/or government standards and are resistant to brute force hacking.

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Can I upload my own digital certificate to the Dominion KX II?
Yes, customers can upload to the Dominion KX II (self-signed or certificate authority provided) digital certificates for enhanced authentication and secure communication.

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Manageability

Can Dominion KX II be remotely managed and configured via Web browser?
Yes. Dominion KX II can be completely configured remotely via Web browser. Note that this does require that the workstation have an appropriate JavaTM Runtime Environment J.R.E. version installed. Besides the initial setting of Dominion KX II’s IP address, everything about the solution can be completely set up over the network. (In fact, using a crossover Ethernet cable and Dominion KX II’s default IP address, you can even configure the initial settings via Web browser.)

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Can I backup and restore Dominion KX II’s configuration?
Yes. Dominion KX II’s device and user configurations can be completely backed up for later restoration in the event of a catastrophe.

Dominion KX II’s backup and restore functionality can be used remotely over the network, or through  Web browser.

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What auditing or logging does Dominion KX II offer?
For complete accountability, Dominion KX II logs all major user events with a date and time stamp. For instance, reported events include (but are not limited to): user login, user logout, user access of a particular server, unsuccessful login, configuration changes, etc.

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Can Dominion KX II integrate with Syslog?
Yes. In addition to Dominion KX II’s own internal logging capabilities, Dominion KX II can send all logged events to a centralized Syslog server.

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Can Dominion KX II integrate with SNMP?
Yes. In addition to Dominion KX II’s own internal logging capabilities, Dominion KX II can send SNMP traps to SNMP management systems like HP Openview and Raritan’s CommandCenter-NOC.

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Can Dominion KX II’s internal clock be synchronized with a timeserver?
Yes. Dominion KX II supports the industry-standard NTP protocol for synchronization with either a corporate timeserver, or with any public timeserver (assuming that outbound NTP requests are allowed through the corporate firewall).

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Miscellaneous

What is Dominion KX II’s default IP address?
192.168.0.192

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What is Dominion KX II’s default username and password?
The Dominion KX II’s default username and password are admin/raritan (all lower case). However, for the highest level of security, the Dominion KX II forces the administrator to change the Dominion KX II default administrative username and password when the unit is first booted up.

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I changed and subsequently forgot Dominion KX II’s administrative password; can you retrieve it for me?
Dominion KX II contains a hardware reset button that can be used to factory reset the device, which will reset the administrative password on the device to the default password.