Appendix D: FAQs303General QuestionsWhat is the KX II?The KX II is a second generation digital KVM (keyboard/video/ mouse)switch that enables one, two, four or eight IT administrators to accessand control 8, 16, 32 or 64 servers over the network with BIOS-levelfunctionality. The KX II is completely hardware and operating systemindependent. Users can troubleshoot and reconfigure servers even whenservers are down.At the rack, the KX II provides the same functionality, convenience,space savings, and cost savings as traditional KVM switches. However,the KX II also integrates the industry's highest-performing KVM-over-IPtechnology, allowing multiple administrators to access server KVMconsoles from any networked workstation.How does the KX II differ from remote control software?When using the KX II remotely, the interface, at first glance, may seemsimilar to remote control software such as pcAnywhere™, WindowsTerminal Services/Remote Desktop®, VNC, and so forth. However,because the KX II is not a software but a hardware solution, it's muchmore powerful. Specifically: OS- and hardware-independent - The KX II can be used to manageservers running many popular operating systems, including Intel®,Sun™, PowerPC running Windows®, Linux®, Solaris™, etc. State-Independent/Agentless - The KX II does not require themanaged server's operating system to be up and running, nor does itrequire any special software to be installed on the managed server. Out-of-Band - Even if the managed server's own network connectionis unavailable, it can still be managed through the KX II. BIOS-Level Access - Even if the server is hung at boot up, requiresbooting to safe mode or requires system BIOS parameters to bealtered, the KX II still works flawlessly to enable these configurationsto be made.How do the new features of the KX II compare to the KX I?The KX II has many new and exciting features, including virtual media,Absolute Mouse Synchronization™, dual power, dual gigabit Ethernet,common web-based user interfaces, next generation local port, andmore.How do I migrate from the Dominion KX I to KX II?In general, customers can continue to use their existing switches formany years. As their data centers expand, customers can purchase anduse the new KX II models. Raritan's centralized management unit,CommandCenter Secure Gateway, and the Multi-Platform Client (MPC)both support KX I and KX II switches seamlessly.
