Black Box SW543A User manual

Connect multiple RS-232 devices for
on-site and dial-up remote communications.
Connect multiple RS-232 devices for
on-site and dial-up remote communications.
Serial Console Port Manager
© 2007. All rights reserved. Black Box Corporation.
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FEATURES
• Any-to-any port switching.
• Available with 7, 8, or 16 RS-232 ports.
• Access each port individually by port
number or by assigned name.
• Password protection on each port.
• Data throughput up to 115 kbps.
• Use with external modems or order
a switch that has the modem built in.
• Full modem and data flow control.
OVERVIEW
For reliable high-speed connections between PCs, modems,
and other devices that use dissimilar baud rates, parity, and
handshaking, order the Serial Console Port Manager.
Depending on the model you order, up to 8 or 16 different
devices can be connected to the Serial Console Port Manager
without the need to select a common baud rate
or parity. This flexibility means each port can be individually
configured for specific baud rates, parity, handshaking, and
various other parameters and options. Its fast 115.2-kbps
throughput makes the port manager a great serial data
matrix switch for high-speed communications applications.
You’re also given flexibility in how you control the Serial
Console Port Manager; it can be controlled directly via an
attached local PC or remotely through a modem. A network
administrator, for instance, needs only a single line with a
single modem to communicate with numerous hardware
devices at a remote site. As long as the remote device has an
RS-232 port, it can be reached. And no software is required!
You can use the Serial Console Port Manager a number of
ways. You can perform local or remote console port switching,
manage a UNIX
®
serial console, establish dial-up access to
consoles at remote locations, set up out-of-band network
management, or share multiple console ports via a single
VT100
™
terminal or PC.
Available with or without a modem.
The compact Serial Console Port Manager takes only one
unit (1.75", 4.4 cm) of vertical rack space and is available in
three versions. We offer 8- and 16-Port Serial Console Port
Managers (SW542A and SW543A) and an 8-Port Serial Console
Port Manager with Integral Modem (SW544A-M-R3).
The SW544A-M-R3, as its name implies, has a built-in
33.6-kbps V.34 modem and an internal processor that ensures
that the internal modem is always set to answer. Just use a
standard RJ-11 cable to connect your telco outlet to the RJ-11
modem line port on its back panel, and you’re ready to set up
easy, convenient out-of-band access control and configuration
of the Serial Console Port Manager. This model also has security
enhancements including dial-back security and invalid attempt
lockdown. (NOTE: The SW544A-M-R3 is for North American use
only.)
The other two models are designed to work with external
modems. Just plug the modem into any of its serial ports.
The RS-232 serial ports on all three models are standard
DB9 connectors that work as DTE ports, just like a standard
serial port on a PC. These jacks provide quick, easy connection
to PCs, modems, and other networking hardware. To connect
a device to the Serial Console Port Manager, run a DB9 cable
between the two.
Easy to configure, manage, and monitor.
The Serial Console Port Manager can be easily adapted
to the requirements of almost any data communications
application, and configuring it is easy. Menus guide you
through selecting communications parameters and enabling
or disabling options; use rear-panel DIP switches to configure
the RS-232 ports.
By default, the Serial Console Port Manager ships with port
baud and parity configured to allow its operation in most
applications, but you can reset them to match the parameters
of your control device.
You can also configure the way ports communicate with
one another. The Serial Console Port Manager offers several
modes of operation for doing this:
Port 1: System-setup port,
reserved for service
connections
Port 2: System-
setup port
16-Port Serial Console Port
Manager (SW543A)
Server, router, tape or
CD-ROM archive, etc.
Remote user
Remote
administrator
Service tech’s
laptop
Modems
Modems
PSTN
PSTN
Port 4:
User port
In this application, a serial connection to a major data source is maintained at all times.
Remote management is done through Port 2, remote use through Port 3, local
troubleshooting through Port 1, and all remaining ports are available for local use.

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Any-to-Any Mode enables communication between
connected ports. If you need to connect a modem, terminal
server, or local PC to a number of asynchronous control ports,
you’d use this mode.
Passive Mode enables connection to other ports but doesn’t
allow access to command functions.
A third port operation mode, Buffer Mode, enables you
to collect data from up to 14 different devices and store that
data for later retrieval. Each port on the Port Manager includes
32K of buffer memory. Use this mode, for example, to get a
detailed snapshot of important data or error messages that
are sent to a specific port when you’re not there to monitor
communications.
To configure your modem connections, just access the Serial
Console Port Manager’s Modem Mode. In this mode, you can
define hang-up, reset, and initialization strings. Ports set in
Modem Mode are password-protected and use a data timeout
to reset themselves if the modem line disconnects or locks up.
You can also create hunt groups with the Serial Console Port
Manager by assigning identical or similar names to two or more
ports. The Port Manager can then scan a group of ports and
connect to the first available port in the group.
The Serial Console Port Manager also has a convenient
password feature that can restrict access to specific ports (each
individual port can be assigned its own unique password up
to 16 characters long) or restrict access to command functions.
You can set the Port Manager up so an administrator has access
to all commands and users are afforded access to basic
commands only.
To send commands to connected ports on the Serial Console
Port Manager, simply use a standard communications program.
Through this interface, you can also get detailed infor-
mation on each port. Just go to the Port Manager’s Port
Diagnostic Screen, which shows each port’s user-defined name,
connection status, and baud rate, as well as the data bits,
parity, and stop bits selected for each port. The screen also
shows flow control and mode of operation for each port and
the amount of data currently stored in the buffer for a
particular port.
To go further and learn the specifics of individual ports,
just pull up a Port Parameters Screen, which lists all defined
parameters for each port.
Once you’ve configured the Serial Console Port Manager
to fit your application, parameters and options can be copied
to other Port Managers or sent to an ASCII text file and saved
for future retrieval. If configuration is altered or deleted,
parameters can be reloaded via your communications program.
If AC power to the Serial Console Port Manager is lost or
interrupted, the unit’s nonvolatile memory will retain your
defined parameters and port connections.
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TECH SPECS
Break Handling — Accept Break or Refuse Break (user-selectable)
Communications Chip — 16C654 UART with FIFO and flow control
Data Format — ASCII: 7 or 8 data bits; even, odd, or no parity;
1 or 2 stop bits (user-selectable)
Data Rate — Any standard rate from 300 bps to 115.2 kbps
(user-selectable)
Flow Control — X-ON/X-OFF, RTS/CTS, both, or none (user-selectable)
Memory — 512 KB of statically allocated nonvolatile SRAM buffer
memory stores parameters and captured data
Modem Control — User-defined password, initialization, and hang-up
strings
Processor — Motorola®68EC000, 16-bit, 12-MHz
Protocol — Asynchronous
Timeout — No-activity timeout disconnects port: 1, 5, 10, 15, or
30 seconds, or 1, 5, 15, 30, or 90 minutes (user-selectable)
User Controls — (8) DIP switches (“Setup Switches”) determine default
parameters for baud rate, flow control, response-message format,
and command echo
Ventilation — Through side vents; maintain adequate clearance
at all times
Interface — EIA/TIA RS-232 serial, DTE, pinned according to TIA-574
Connectors — SW542A: (8) DB9 male;
SW544A-M-R3: (8) DB9 male, (1) RJ-11;
SW543A: (16) DB9 male
Indicators — Front-mounted LEDs: (10) for SW542A, (9) for SW544A-M-R3,
and (18) for SW543A: (1) Power On, (1) Ready, and (1) Data Activity
for each port
Temperature Tolerance — 32 to 113°F (0 to 45°C)
Humidity Tolerance — 10 to 95% noncondensing
Power — Through IEC 320 inlet: 115–230 VAC, 50–60 Hz, 5 watts
Size — 1.75"H (1U) x 17"W x 6.5"D (4.4 x 43.2 x 16.5 cm)
Weight — 8 lb. (3.6 kg)
Item Code
Serial Console Port Manager
8-Port SW542A
8-Port with Integral Modem SW544A-M-R3
16-Port SW543A
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Call Black Box Tech Support for help determining your
best options for AC-power backup and protection.
SW542A