Dell Kvm 1082Ds Users Manual Dell™ Remote Console Switch Software User's Guide

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Dell™ Remote Console Switch

Software User's Guide

Notes

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you

make better use of your computer.

Third Party Software. You acknowledge that the SOFTWARE PRODUCT may

contain or be provided with copyrighted software of Dell's suppliers as identified in

associated documentation or other printed or electronic materials (“Third Party

Software”) which are obtained under a license from such suppliers. Your use of any

such Third Party Software shall be subject to and you agree to comply with the

applicable restrictions and other terms and conditions set forth in such documentation

or materials as set forth in any “Third-Party Licenses ReadMe” file or similar file

located in the installation directory for the SOFTWARE PRODUCT.

Any open source software is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but is

provided “as is” without any expressed or implied warranty; including but not limited

to the implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. In no

event shall Dell, the copyright holders, or the contributors be liable for any direct,

indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, or consequential damages (including, but not

limited to, procurement of substitute goods or services; loss of use, data or profits; or

business interruption) however caused and on any theory of liability, whether in

contract, strict liability, or tort (including negligence or otherwise) arising in any way

out of the use of this software, even if advised of the possibility of such damage.

Reproduction of these materials in any manner whatsoever without the written

permission of Dell Inc. is strictly forbidden.

Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, and OpenManage are trademarks

of Dell Inc.; Intel Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation in the U.S.

and other countries; Microsoft,Windows, and Windows Vista are either trademarks or

registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other

countries; Avocent is a registered trademark of Avocent Corporation or its affiliates

in the US and other countries; Red Hat and Red Hat Enterprise Linux are registered

trademarks of Red Hat, Inc. in the United States and other countries; SUSE is a

registered trademark of Novell, Inc., in the United States and other countries;

VMware is a registered trademark or trademark (the “Marks”) of VMware, Inc. in

the United States and/or other jurisdictions. Other trademarks and trade names may

be used in this publication to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names

or their products. Dell Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade

names other than its own.

590-1022-501C

Remote Console Switch

July 2012

Contentsxxx |xxx3

Contents

Product Overview 7

Features and Benefits 7

Powerful Customization Capabilities 7

Extensive Remote Console Switch Management 8

Authentication and Authorization 8

System Components 9

RCS Explorer Window 9

Video Viewer 9

Interoperability with Avocent® Products 10

Operating Features 10

Target Device Naming 11

Target Device Name Displays 11

Sorting 12

IPv4 and IPv6 Network Address Capabilities 12

Installation 15

Supplied with the Software 15

Supported Operating Systems 15

Hardware Configuration Requirements 16

Supported Browsers 17

JRE Requirements 17

Installing the Software 17

Uninstalling the Software 18

Starting the Software 19

Contentsxxx |xxx4

Configuring Switches and Target Devices 20

Web Interface Installation and Setup 22

Basic Software Operation 25

Viewing Your System in the Explorer 25

Customizing the Window Display 27

Adding a Remote Console Switch (Dell or Avocent) 28

Accessing Your Remote Console Switch 37

Launching the VNC or RDP Viewer 39

Changing Server and Switch Properties 39

General Properties 39

Server Network Properties 41

Switch Network Properties 41

Information Properties 42

Server Connections Properties 43

VNC Properties 44

RDP Properties 45

Accessing a Server via a Browser Window 47

Changing Server and Switch Options 47

General Options 47

Default Browser 48

Changing DirectDraw Support (Windows OS Only) 49

HTTP/HTTPS Options 50

VNC Options 50

RDP Options 51

Organizing Your System 52

Modifying Custom Field Names 53

Creating Folders 54

Assigning a Unit to a Site, Location, or Folder 55

Deleting and Renaming 56

Customizing the Explorer Window 57

Contentsxxx |xxx5

Modifying the Selected View on Startup 58

Changing the Default Browser 58

Managing Your Local Databases 59

Saving a Database 59

Loading a Database 60

Exporting a Database 60

Using the Viewer 63

Accessing Servers from the RCS Software 63

Interacting With the Server Being Viewed 65

Viewer Window Features 66

Adjusting the Viewer 68

Adjusting the Viewer Resolution 71

Adjusting the Video Quality 72

Minimizing Remote Video Session Discoloration 75

Improving Screen Background Color Display 76

Setting Mouse Scaling 77

Minimizing Mouse Trailing 78

Improving Mouse Performance 78

Reducing Mouse Cursor Flickering 79

Viewing Multiple Servers Using the Scan Mode 79

Scanning Your Servers 80

Thumbnail View Status Indicators 82

Navigating the Thumbnail Viewer 82

Using Macros to Send Keystrokes to the Server 83

Session Options - General Tab 85

Screen Capturing 86

Session Sharing Options 87

Automatic Sharing 87

Exclusive Mode 90

Stealth Connection 91

Preemption Mode 93

Virtual Media 96

Sharing and Preemption 97

Launching Virtual Media 98

Mapping Virtual Media Drives 98

Contentsxxx |xxx6

Virtual Media Connection Status 100

Virtual Media Sessions 100

Appendix A: Updating RCS Software 105

Appendix B: Keyboard and Mouse 107

Appendix C: TCP Ports 111

Appendix D: Technical Support 113

1

Product Overviewxxx |xxx7

Product Overview

The Dell™ Remote Console Switch (RCS) software is a cross-platform

management application that allows you to view and control the switches and all

attached servers. The cross-platform design ensures compatibility with most

popular operating systems and hardware platforms. The RCS software provides

secure switch-based authentication, data transfers, and username/password

storage. Each switch handles authentication and access control individually for

more decentralized system control.

The RCS software utilizes Explorer-like navigation with an intuitive split-screen

interface, providing you with a single point of access for your entire system.

From here, you can manage your existing switches, install a new switch, or

launch a video session to a system server. Built-in groupings such as Servers,

Sites, and Folders provide an easy way to select the units to view. Powerful

search and sort capabilities allow you to easily find any unit.

Features and Benefits

The RCS software is designed for easy installation and operation. Auto-discovery

of managed switches enables you to install new units in minutes. Wizard-based

installation and online help simplify initial system configuration. The intuitive

graphical interface makes managing and updating switches simple and

straightforward.

Powerful Customization Capabilities

You can tailor the RCS software to fit your specific system needs. Take

advantage of built-in groups or create your own. Customize unit and field names

8xxx |Product Overviewxxx

and icons for maximum flexibility and convenience. Using names that are

meaningful to you makes it easy to quickly find any system unit.

Extensive Remote Console Switch Management

The RCS software allows you to add and manage multiple switches in one

system. Once a new switch is installed, you can configure switch parameters,

control and preempt user video sessions, and execute numerous control

functions, such as rebooting and upgrading your switch. The RCS software is

designed to be compatible with the Dell OpenManage™ IT Assistant Event

Viewer, allowing system administrators to consolidate system event reports. You

can enable Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) traps, configure

target devices, and manage user databases.

You can use the software to manage the following Dell switches:

• 4322DS

• 2162DS

• 1082DS

• 2161DS

• 2321DS

• 4161DS

• 2161DS-2

• 1081AD

• 2161AD

NOTE: For Dell 1081AD and 2161AD switches, the Dell Remote Access Key

(RAK) is required for the switches to be added/managed through the RCS.

Authentication and Authorization

The RCS software allows permissions for multiple Remote Console Switches to

be managed through a single interface rather than individually on each Remote

Console Switch. For increased security and efficiency, the Lightweight Directory

Product Overviewxxx |xxx9

Access Protocol (LDAP) feature eliminates the need to update access

permissions in individual Remote Console Switches by drawing permissions

from a single network-wide authentication source.

The Remote Console Switch can authenticate using the standard Active

Directory schema, or the Dell Extended Schema in order to maximize

compatibility with all of your Dell hardware.

NOTE: Dell 1081AD and 2161AD switches do not support LDAP.

System Components

The software contains the following major components.

RCS Explorer Window

The RCS Explorer window is the primary point of control for accessing the

software features and functionality. From the Explorer window, you can view the

switches and target devices defined in the local database. Built-in groupings such

as Appliances and Devices provide different ways to list units. You can create

custom groups of units by adding and naming folders. Other groupings are also

available, based on custom fields that you can assign to units.

From the Explorer Devices list, you can select a device from the list of target

devices and start a KVM session with the device. Starting a keyboard, video, and

mouse (KVM) session brings up a Video Viewer. From the Explorer Appliances

list, you can select a switch to configure.

Video Viewer

Users access and manage target devices through the Video Viewer. You can use

predefined macros and choose which macro group is displayed on the Video

Viewer Macros menu. You can open the Video Viewer to connect to target

devices on the Remote Console Switch. For more information, see "Using the

Viewer" on page 63.

10xxx |Product Overviewxxx

The Video Viewer also provides access to the Virtual Media window. You can

use the Virtual Media window to map a physical drive such as a disk, CD-ROM,

or DVD-ROM data drive, onto a target device so that the media device is

available to the target device even though it is not directly connected. For more

information on the Virtual Media window, see "Using the Viewer" on page 63.

Interoperability with Avocent® Products

The RCS software can be used to access some Avocent switches. You can also

manage those Avocent switches, allowing increased flexibility in the

management of systems.

In addition, the RCS software includes support for Avocent IQ modules,

expanding the range of server types that can be accessed/managed. The addition

of support for Avocent IQ modules means that the following connections are

now supported:

• PS/2 modules (Dell and Avocent modules available)

• USB modules, including Virtual Media and Smart Card/Common

Access Card (CAC) versions (Dell and Avocent modules available)

• VT100 Serial modules (Avocent modules available)

• True Serial modules (Dell and Avocent modules available)

• Sun modules (Avocent modules available)

• PS2M modules (Avocent modules available)

NOTE: Dell SIP modules are supported on directly connected Avocent

switches.

NOTE: Dell 1081AD and 2161AD switches do not support true serial

modules.

Operating Features

The RCS software features include target device naming, target device name

displays, sorting, and IPv4 and IPv6 network address capabilities. "Keyboard and

Product Overviewxxx |xxx11

Mouse" on page 107 lists the Explorer navigation shortcuts. Other components

also support full keyboard navigation in addition to mouse operations.

Target Device Naming

The software requires that each switch and target device have a unique name.

To minimize the need for operator intervention, the software uses the following

procedure to generate a unique name for a target device whose current name

conflicts with another name in the database.

During background operations (such as an automated operation that adds or

modifies a name or connection), if a name conflict occurs, the conflicting name

is automatically made unique. This is done by appending a tilde (~) followed by

an optional set of digits. The digits are added in cases where adding the tilde

alone does not make the name unique. The digits start with a value of one and

are incremented until a unique name is created.

During operations, if you or another user specifies a non-unique name, a

message informs the corresponding user that a unique name is required.

Target Device Name Displays

When a switch is added, the target device names retrieved from the switch are

stored in the software database. The operator can then rename the target device

in the Explorer. The new name is stored in the database and used in various

component screens. This new target device name is not communicated to the

switch.

Since the software is a decentralized management system, you can change the

name assigned to a target device on the switch at any time without updating

the software database. Each operator can customize a particular view of the list

of target devices being managed.

Since you can associate more than one name with a single target device - one on

the switch and one in the software - the software uses the following rules to

determine which name is used:

12xxx |Product Overviewxxx

• The Explorer only shows the target devices listed in its database, with

the name specified in the database. In other words, the Explorer does

not talk to the switch to obtain target device information.

• The Resync Wizard overwrites locally-defined target device names only

if the switch target device name has been changed from the default

value. Non-default target device names that are read from the switch

during a resynchronization override the locally-defined names.

Sorting

In certain displays, the software component displays a list of items with columns

of information about each item. If a column header contains an arrow, you can

sort the list by that column in ascending or descending order.

To sort a display by a column header, click the arrow in a column header. The

items in the list are sorted according to that column. An upward-pointing arrow

indicates the list is sorted by that column header in ascending order. A

downward-pointing arrow indicates the list is sorted by that column header in

descending order.

IPv4 and IPv6 Network Address Capabilities

The RCS software is compatible with systems using either of the currently

supported Internet Protocol Versions, IPv4 (default) or IPv6, or both the IPv4

and IPv6 modes simultaneously.

NOTE: Dell 1081AD and 2161AD switches do not support IPv4 and IPv6

modes simultaneously.

The IPv4 mode connection can be either a stateful (configuration and IP

addresses are provided by the server) or a stateless (the switch normally receives

the IP address and router address dynamically from the router) auto-

configuration. Switch firmware upgrades and emergency boot firmware upgrades

are supported for both TFTP and FTP servers while in IPv4 mode.

The IPv6 mode is a stateless, auto-configuration connection. While in IPv6

mode, switch firmware upgrades are only facilitated in FTP mode and emergency

Product Overviewxxx |xxx13

boot firmware flash downloads cannot be performed. To perform a flash

download, you must temporarily connect to an IPv4 network with a TFTP

server.

NOTE: For Dell 1081AD and 2161AD switches, IPv6 mode is a stateful

connection.

14xxx |Product Overviewxxx

2

Installationxxx |xxx15

Installation

Before you install the RCS software on a client computer, make sure that you

have all the required items and that the target devices and RCS client

computers are running the supported operating systems, browsers, and Java

Runtime Environment.

Supplied with the Software

The software is shipped with appliances on a Remote Console Switch Software

CD. The user documentation is available as an option on the Help menu from

the Remote Console Software Explorer window.

Supported Operating Systems

Client computers running the RCS must be running one of the following

operating system versions:

• Microsoft® Windows® 2003 Server with Service Pack 3 Web,

Standard, and Enterprise

• Microsoft Windows Server® 2008 Web, Standard, and Enterprise

• Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 3

• Microsoft Windows Vista™ Business with Service Pack 1

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional with Service Pack 4

• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium and Professional

• Red Hat® Enterprise Linux® 4.0 and 5.0 WS, ES, and AS

16xxx |Installationxxx

• SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server 10 and Server 11

• Ubuntu 8 Server and Workstation

Target devices must be running one of the following operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows 2000 Server (32-bit) and Advanced Server

• Microsoft Windows XP Professional and Standard with Service Pack 3

• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Web, Standard, and Enterprise

• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Web, Standard, and Enterprise

• Microsoft Windows Vista Standard, Business with Service Pack 1, and

Enterprise

• Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium and Professional

• Netware 6.5 (32-bit)

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.0 and 5.0 with WS, ES, and AS

• Solaris Sparc 10 (64-bit)

• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 and Server 11

• Ubuntu 8 Server and Workstation

• VMware® ESX 3 and ESX 4 (32-bit)

Hardware Configuration Requirements

The software is supported on the following minimum computer hardware

configurations:

• 500 MHz Intel® Pentium® III

• 256 MB of RAM

• 10 or 100BaseT NIC (100 recommended)

• XGA Video with graphics accelerator

• Desktop size must be a minimum of 800 x 600

Installationxxx |xxx17

• Color palette must be a minimum of 65,536 (16-bit) colors

Supported Browsers

Computers used to access the Web interface and client computers running the

software must have one of the following browsers installed:

• Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6.x SPI or later

• Firefox version 2.0 or later

JRE Requirements

Computers used to access target devices using client computers running the

software must have Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 1.6.0_11 or higher

installed. The switch will attempt to detect if Java is installed on your PC. If

Java is not installed, download it from http:// www.java.com, then associate the

JNLP file with Java WebStart.

Installing the Software

The software can be installed on Microsoft Windows and Linux operating

systems. Follow these instructions to install RCS software on the desired

system.

To install on a Microsoft Windows system:

1Insert the RCS software CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive.

2Execute the following command to start the install program (replace “drive”

with your CD-ROM drive letter):

drive:\WIN32\SETUP.EXE.

3Follow the on-screen instructions.

To install on a Linux system:

1Insert the RCS software CD-ROM into your CD-ROM drive.

18xxx |Installationxxx

2If AutoMount is supported and enabled, proceed to step 3.

-or-

If your system does not support AutoMount:

Mount the CD-ROM volume by executing the following command:

mount -t iso9660 -ro mode=0555 <device> <mount point>

Replace “device” with the name of the CD-ROM on your machine and

mount point with the name of the desired mount point. For example,

to mount a CD-ROM which is the second IDE unit on /mnt, execute

the command:

mount -t iso9660 -ro mode=0555 /dev/hdb /mnt

3At the command-line, execute the following command to change the

working directory to the mount point:

cd /mnt

4Execute the following command to start the install program:

sh ./linux/setup.bin

5Follow the on-screen instructions.

Uninstalling the Software

To uninstall the software on Microsoft Windows operating systems starting at

the Control Panel, complete the following steps:

1Open the Control Panel and select Add/Remove Programs. A sorted list of

currently installed programs opens.

2Select the RCS entry.

3Click the Change/Remove button. The uninstall wizard starts.

4Click the Uninstall button and follow the on-screen instructions.

To uninstall the software on Microsoft Windows operating systems using a

command window, complete the following steps:

Installationxxx |xxx19

1Open a command window and change to the RCS install directory used

during installation. The default path for Windows 32-bit operating systems

is the program files directory.

2Change to the UninstallerData subdirectory and enter the following

command (the quotation marks are required):

“Uninstall Dell Remote Console Software.exe”

The uninstall wizard starts. Follow the on-screen instructions.

To uninstall the software on Linux operating systems, complete the following

steps:

1Open a command window and change to the RCS install directory used

during installation. The default path for Linux systems is /usr/lib.

2Change to the UninstallerData subdirectory and enter the following

command:

% sh ./Uninstall_Dell_Remote_Console_Software

The uninstall wizard starts. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Starting the Software

To launch the software on Microsoft Windows systems:

Select Start - Programs - Dell RCS software. The RCS software will launch.

To launch the RCS software on Linux:

From the application folder (/usr/lib/Dell_Remote_Console_Switch_Software by

default), enter the following command:

./Dell_Remote_Console_Switch_Software

-or-

From (/user/bin), enter the following link:

./Dell_Remote_Console_Switch_Software

-or-

20xxx |Installationxxx

If the product was installed in a directory other than the default, then execute

the following command from a shell:

<path>/Dell_Remote_Console_Switch_Software

-or-

If a desktop shortcut was created on installation, double-click the shortcut.

Configuring Switches and Target Devices

This section provides an overview of configuration steps for the switch and for

user access to target devices. For switch-specific information, see the

Installation and User Guide

for the switch.

To add switches, complete the following steps:

1Install the software on one or more client computers.

2Open the software on a client computer.

3Use the Explorer to set unit properties, options, and other customization as

needed.

4Configure the names of all target devices using the local GUI interface.

5Repeat steps 3 through 6 for each switch you want to manage.

6After one software environment is set up, select File - Database - Save to

save a copy of the local database with all the settings.

7From the software on a second computer, select File - Database - Load and

browse to find the saved file. Select the file and then click Load. Repeat this

step for each client computer that you want to setup.

8To access a target device attached to an switch, select the target device in

the Explorer and click the Connect Video or Browse button to open a

session (only the corresponding button for the selected target device is

visible).

Installationxxx |xxx21

You can configure user accounts using the RCS software or through the Remote

Console Switch integrated Web interface. For more information see the

Dell

Remote Console Switch Installation and User’s Guide

.

To configure the Remote Console Switch, complete the following steps:

1Connect a terminal or PC running the terminal emulation software to the

configuration port on the back panel of the switch using the supplied serial

cable. The terminal should be set to 9600 baud, 8 bits, 1 stop bit, no parity,

and no flow control.

2Plug the supplied power cord into the back of the switch and then into an

appropriate power source.

3When the power is switched on, the Power indicator on the rear of the unit

will blink for 30 seconds while performing a self-test. Press the <Enter> key

to access the main menu.

To configure the Remote Console Switch hardware:

1You will see the Main menu with eleven options. Select option 1, Network

Configuration.

2Select option 1 to set your network speed. Once you enter your selection,

you will be returned to the Network Configuration menu.

3Select option 2 to open the IP Configuration menu.

4Type the appropriate number to select one of the following types of IP

addresses: 1: None, 2: IPv4 Static, 3: IPv4 Dynamic, 4: IPv6 Static, or 5:

IPv6 Dynamic.

5Select options 3-5 from the Terminal Applications menu, in turn, to finish

configuring your Remote Console Switch for IP address, Netmask, and

Default Gateway.

6Once this is completed, type Ø to return to the main menu.

To configure the HTTP and HTTPS ports:

22xxx |Installationxxx

1You will see the Main menu with eleven options. Select the option number

for Set Web Interface Ports to open the Web Interface Port

Configuration Menu.

2Select option 1 to set the port numbers. Type the port numbers you wish to

use for the HTTP port and the HTTPS port.

3If the values are correct for your network, type <Y> and press the <Enter>

key.

4At the local user station, input the target device names.

Mouse Acceleration

If you are experiencing slow mouse response during a remote video session,

deactivate mouse acceleration in the operating system of the target device and

adjust mouse acceleration on each target device to Slow or None.

Web Interface Installation and Setup

Once you have installed a new appliance, you can use the web interface to

configure unit parameters and launch video sessions.

Supported Browsers

The web interface supports the following browsers:

• Microsoft Internet Explorer® version 6.x SP1 or later

• Firefox version 2.0 or later

Launching the On-board Web Interface

To launch the web interface:

1Open a web browser and type the IP address of the appliance using the local

Web interface.

Installationxxx |xxx23

NOTE: If you changed the default HTTP/HTTPS ports in the serial console

and are using an IPv4 address, use IP address format:

https://<ipaddress>:<port#>, where “port#” is the number you specified in the

serial console. If you are using an IPv6 address, use format: https://

[<ipaddress>]:<port#>, where “port#” is the number you specified in the serial

console. If you are using an IPv6 address, you must enclose the address in

square brackets.

2The log in window opens. Type your username and password and click OK.

NOTE: The default username is Admin and the password has no entry.

3The web interface opens and displays the Connections tab.

NOTE: To use the Web interface, Java Runtime Environment (JRE) version

1.6.0_11 or higher must be installed on your computer. The KVM Switch will

attempt to detect Java on your PC. If Java is not installed, download it from

http://www.java.com, then associate the JNLP file with Java WebStart.

NOTE: Once you have logged in to the web interface, you will not have to log

in again when launching new sessions unless you have logged out or your

session has exceed the inactivity timeout specified by the administrator.

24xxx |Installationxxx

3

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx25

Basic Software Operation

The RCS software Explorer (which is called Explorer from here on) is the main

GUI interface for the software. You can view, access, manage, and create custom

groupings for all supported units.

Viewing Your System in the Explorer

When you start the software, the main Explorer window opens. The Explorer is

divided into several panes: the View Selector tabs, the Group Selector pane, and

the Unit Selector pane. The content of these areas changes, based on whether a

target device or an appliance is selected or what task is to be completed. Figure

3.1 highlights these navigation features.

Click one of the View Selector tabs to view your system organized by categories:

Remote Console Switches,Servers,Sites, or Folders. The Explorer's default

display is user-configurable. You can have it automatically open to any one of

these four tabs. For more information, see "Viewing Your System in the

Explorer" on page 25. If you do not customize the default display, the Explorer

will open to the Server view once you have added your first Remote Console

Switch.

26xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

Figure 3.1: Explorer Window

1 Menu bar: Allows you to access many of the features in the RCS software.

2 View Selector tabs: Contains four View Selector tabs for choosing the

Explorer view.

3 Group Selector pane: Contains a tree view representing the groups that are

available for the current View Selector tab. The selected group controls what

is displayed in the Unit Selector pane when the Remote Console Switches,

Sites or Folder tabs are selected.

4 Status bar: Displays the number of units shown in the Unit list.

5 Unit Selector pane: Contains the Search bar, Unit list, and Task buttons

appropriate for the selected view or group.

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx27

6 Search bar: Allows you to search the database based on the text entered in

the search box.

7 Unit list: Displays a Unit list of units contained in the currently selected

group, or the results of the search executed from the Search bar.

8Task buttons: Contains buttons representing tasks that can be executed.

Some buttons are dynamic based on the type of unit(s) selected in the Unit

list while other buttons are fixed and always present.

If a selected switch is enabled for the Web interface, two additional buttons:

Resync and Configure Appliance appear at the bottom of the Explorer window.

The Resync button allows you to search for unpowered SIPs or Avocent IQ

modules. The Configure Appliance button allows you to upgrade the Remote

Console Switch. If a selected switch is not enabled for the Web interface, the

Resync and Configure Appliance buttons do not appear.

Customizing the Window Display

You can resize the Explorer window at any time. Each time you start the

application, the Explorer window opens to its default size and location.

A split-pane divider that runs from top to bottom separates the Group Selector

pane and the Unit Selector pane. You can move the divider left and right to

change the viewing area of these two panes. Each time the Explorer is opened,

the divider returns to its default location. See "Keyboard and Mouse" on page

107" for divider pane and tree view control shortcuts.

You can specify which view (Appliances, Devices, Sites, or Folders) is visible on

startup or you can let the Explorer determine it. For more information, see

"Customizing the Window Display" on page 27.

You can change the order and sorting of the Unit list by clicking the sort bar

above the column. An upward-pointing arrow in a column header indicates that

the list is sorted by that field name in ascending order. A downward-pointing

arrow indicates the list is sorted by that field name in descending order.

28xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

Adding a Remote Console Switch (Dell or

Avocent)

In addition to the Dell Remote Console Switch, the RCS software can also be

used to manage Avocent switches. Therefore, as part of the process of adding a

Remote Console Switch to your RCS software database, you will be prompted

to select the vendor and product type for the switch you want to add. Once a

Remote Console Switch or Avocent switch is added, it appears in the Unit list.

You may either manually add or discover a Remote Console Switch. You may

add a unit with either an IPv4 or an IPv6 address.

To add a new Remote Console Switch with an assigned IP address:

1Select File - New - Remote Console Switch from the Explorer menu.

-or-

Click the New Remote Console Switch task button. The New Remote

Console Switch Wizard appears.

2Click Next to continue. The Product Type dialog box appears and prompts

you to select the Remote Console Switch vendor and product.

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx29

Figure 3.2: Product Type Dialog Box

3Select a Vendor. For each vendor, the supported product names appear in

the Product list. Select a product.

If the Remote Console Switch model you wish to add is not available

in the Product list, select Other. Once this switch is discovered, it will

be available in the Product list the next time you add a Remote

Console Switch.

NOTE: Each dialog box in the New Remote Console Switch Wizard indicates

the type of switch you have selected from the Product list.

4Click Next.

5You are prompted to indicate whether the Remote Console Switch has an

assigned IP address or not. Click Yes and then click Next.

30xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

6The Locate window appears. Type the hostname or IP address, the HTTP

port, and the HTTPS port, and click Next. IPv4 addresses are entered in

xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx dot notation. IPv6 addresses are entered in hexadecimal

FD00:172:12:0:0:0:0:33 notation or compressed FD00:172:12::33 notation.

7The RCS software searches for the indicated unit as well as all the powered

SIPs, Avocent IQ modules, and server names, if any. If you want to search

for unpowered SIPs or Avocent IQ modules, you can access the Resync

feature in the software and click to enable the Include Offline SIPs check

box.

8Click Next.

9The Configure Tiered Switches dialog box appears if the RCS software

detects an attached legacy switch. This dialog box contains a list of all SIP

EIDs retrieved from the Remote Console Switch and the tiered switches to

which they are connected, if any. When this dialog box first displays, all the

switches will be set to None. Switches detected will have an icon next to

the drop-down list.

a. The Existing Tiered Switches field contains a list of all the current

switches defined in the database. Click Add,Modify, or Delete to alter

the list.

b. Associate the appropriate switch from the drop-down lists for each SIP

or Avocent IQ module that has a switch attached.

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx31

Figure 3.3: Configure Tiered Switches Dialog Box

10 When you reach the final page of the Remote Console Switch Wizard, click

Finish to exit and return to the main window. Your Remote Console

Switch should now appear in the Unit Selector pane.

To add a new Remote Console Switch that does not have an assigned IP

address:

1Select File - New - Remote Console Switch from the Explorer menu.

-or-

Click the New Remote Console Switch task button. The New Remote

Console Switch wizard appears.

2Click Next to continue. The Product Type dialog box appears and prompts

you to select the Remote Console Switch vendor and product.

32xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

Figure 3.4: Product Type Dialog Box

3Select a Vendor. For each vendor, the supported product names appear in

the Product list. Select a product.

If the Remote Console Switch model you wish to add is not available

in the Product list, select Other. Once this switch is discovered, it will

be available in the Product list the next time you add a Remote

Console Switch.

4Click Next.

5You are prompted to indicate if the Remote Console Switch has an

assigned IP address. Click No and then click Next.

6The Network Address window appears. Type the IP address, subnet mask (if

using IPv4 mode) or prefix length (if using IPv6 mode), and gateway you

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx33

wish to assign to the unit and click Next. IPv4 addresses are entered in

xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx dot notation. IPv6 addresses are entered in hexadecimal

FD00:172:12:0:0:0:0:33 notation or compressed FD00:172:12::33 notation.

NOTE: The Remote Console Switch supports DHCP (Dynamic Host

Configuration protocol) and static IP addressing. Dell recommends that IP

addresses be reserved for each unit and that they remain static while the

Remote Console Switch units are connected to the network.

7The Select Remote Console Switch window appears, prompting you to

select the unit to add from the list of new Remote Console Switches that

were found. Select the product and then click Next.

8The Configuring Remote Console Switch window appears to indicate

whether the IP information was successfully configured. If the configuration

was successful, the software will search for the new Remote Console Switch

as well as all SIPs, Avocent IQ modules, and server names associated with it.

Click Next.

9The Configure Tiered Switches dialog box appears if the software detects

an attached legacy switch. This dialog box contains a list of all SIP and

Avocent IQ module EIDs retrieved from the Remote Console Switch and

the tiered switches to which they are connected, if any.

a. The Existing Tiered Switches field contains a list of all the current

switches defined in the database. You may add to, delete, or modify the

list.

b. Associate the appropriate switch from the drop-down lists for each SIP

or Avocent IQ modules that has a switch attached.

34xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

Figure 3.5: Configure Tiered Switches Dialog Box

10 When complete, click Finish to exit the Wizard and return to the main

window. Your Remote Console Switch should now be in the Unit Selector

pane.

To discover a Remote Console Switch:

1Select Tools - Discover from the Explorer menu from the software. The

Discover Wizard appears. Click Next to continue.

2The Address Range page appears. Complete one of the following steps:

If you are using IPv4 mode, select Use IPv4 address range, and type the

range of IP addresses you wish to search on the network in the To

Address and From Address boxes. IPv4 addresses are entered in

xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx dot notation.

- or -

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx35

If you are using IPv6 mode, select Use IPv6 address range, and type the

range of IP addresses you wish to search on the network in the To

Address and From Address boxes. IPv6 addresses are entered in

hexadecimal FD00:172:12:0:0:0:0:33 notation or compressed

FD00:172:12::33 notation.

3You may also change the default HTTP and HTTPS port numbers, if the

Remote Console Switch has changed from the default on the serial console,

by typing the new port numbers in the HTTP Port and HTTPS Port fields.

Click Next to continue.

4The Searching Network progress bar appears. Progress text indicates how

many addresses have been probed from the total number specified by the

range and the number of Remote Console Switches or Avocent switches

found. If one or more new Remote Console Switches or Avocent switches

are discovered, the Wizard shows the Select Remote Console Switches to

Add page. From this page, you can choose the Remote Console Switches to

add to the local database.

-or-

If no new Remote Console Switches were found (or if you clicked

Stop), the Wizard will show the No New Remote Console Switches

Found page and you will need to add the switch manually. For more

information, see the previous procedure.

5Click the Remote Console Switch(es) you wish to add and click the Add

(>) button to move the selection to the Remote Console Switches to Add

list.

36xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

Figure 3.6: Select Remote Console Switches to Add Dialog Box

6Repeat step 5 for all Remote Console Switches you wish to add. Click Next

to continue.

7The Adding Remote Console Switches progress bar appears while the new

switches are being added. Once all of the selected switches have been added

to the local database, the Discover Wizard Completed page appears. Click

Finish to exit the Wizard and return to the main window. Your new

switches should now be in the Unit Selector pane.

8If one or more switches could not be added to the local database for any

reason (including if you clicked Stop during the add process), the Discover

Wizard Not All Remote Console Switches Added page appears. This page

will list all of the switches that you selected and the status for each. The

status will indicate if a Remote Console Switch was added to the local

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx37

database and if not, why the process failed. Click Done when you are

finished reviewing the list.

NOTE: If a Remote Console Switch already exists in the database with the

same IP address as a discovered unit, then the discovered switch will be

ignored and will not display on the next Wizard page.

Accessing Your Remote Console Switch

When you click the Remote Console Switches tab in the software, you will see a

list of the switches currently defined in the local database. To access a Remote

Console Switch, you must first log into it by typing a username and password.

The default username is Admin (case sensitive) with no password. Once you

have logged in to a particular Remote Console Switch, the software will cache

the username and password in memory for the duration of the software session.

NOTE: You can clear the login credentials and re-login under another

username and password by selecting Tools - Clear Login Credentials.

Figure 3.7: Remote Console Switch View Tab Selected

38xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

To log into a Remote Console Switch:

1Click the Remote Console Switches tab in the Explorer.

2Double-click a Remote Console Switch in the Unit Selector pane.

-or-

Select a Remote Console Switch from the Unit Selector pane, and click

the Configure Remote Console Switch task button.

-or-

Right-click on a Remote Console Switch in the Unit Selector pane. A

pop-up menu appears. Select Configure Remote Console Switch.

-or-

Click a Remote Console Switch in the Unit Selector pane and press

<Enter>.

3Cached login credentials are used if available. If not, a login prompt appears.

Type your username and password. If this is the first time you have accessed

the Remote Console Switch or you have not assigned a username and

password, type the default username, Admin (case sensitive), with no

password.

4Click OK to access the Remote Console Switch. This launches the on-board

web interface. For more information about the on-board web interface, see

the

Remote Console Switch Installation and User Guide

.

-or-

Click Cancel to exit without logging in.

To search for a Remote Console Switch in the system:

1Click the Remote Console Switch tab in the software and insert your cursor

in the search text box.

2Type the search information. This can be the Remote Console Switch name

or any information you have entered in the other Unit Selector list headings

such as Type or Location or IP Address.

3Click the Search button. The results appear in the Unit list.

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx39

4Review the results of your search.

-or-

Click the Clear Results button to display the entire list again.

Launching the VNC or RDP Viewer

The RCS software supports user-defined Virtual Network Computing (VNC)

and Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) viewers. To launch either the VNC or

RDP viewer, select the Server tab from the RCS software Explorer. Select a

server from the units list, then click on either the VNC or RDP button at the

bottom right of the screen.

NOTE: The VNC and RDP buttons will only appear when a server has been

set up with a link. See the VNC and RDP Properties and Options sections for

more information.

Changing Server and Switch Properties

From the software, you can alter individual server or switch properties from the

Properties dialog box at the following tabs: General,Network,Information,

Connections (for devices) and for viewer applications, VNC and RDP.

General Properties

The General tab allows you to change the name and display icon for a Remote

Console Switch or connected server. You can also assign the switch or server to a

site, location, or folder. For servers, you can change the type.

To change general properties:

1In the software, click the Remote Console Switch or Server tab and then

select an individual unit in the Unit Selector list.

2Select View - Properties from the Explorer menu.

-or-

Click the Properties task button.

40xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

-or-

Right-click the unit and select Properties. The Properties dialog box

appears.

Figure 3.8: General Properties Tab for a Server

3Type the name of the unit. Duplicate names are not allowed.

4(Servers Only - Optional) Select the server type. If the selection is not in the

drop-down list, type the name of the new server type in the text field. Once

entered, the option becomes available in the drop-down list for future

assignment.

5Select the icon to display for the unit.

6(Optional) Assign a unit to a site, department, or location. If an option is

not in the drop-down list, type the name of the new assignment in the text

field. Once entered, the option becomes available in the drop-down list for a

future assignment.

7Click Apply to save the new settings.

-or-

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx41

Click OK to save the new settings and close the Properties window.

-or-

Click Cancel to exit without saving the new settings.

Server Network Properties

The Network tab lets you set a browser URL for that server if you want to

launch a browser to the server’s web server instead of launching a Viewer session.

To change network properties:

1In the software, click the Server tab and then select an individual server in

the Unit Selector list.

2Select View - Properties from the Explorer menu.

-or-

Click the Properties task button.

-or-

Right-click the unit and select Properties. The Properties dialog box

appears.

3Click the Network tab and type the URL you want to use when establishing

a browser connection to the server. If the field contains a value, then the

Browser button appears in the task bar allowing you to launch the browser

to that specified URL.

4Click Apply to save the new settings.

-or-

Click OK to save the new settings and close the window.

-or-

Click Cancel to exit without saving the new settings.

Switch Network Properties

If you were to reconfigure your network, you can use the Network tab to change

the IP address for a switch.

To change network properties:

42xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

1In the software, click the Remote Console Switches tab and then select an

individual unit in the Unit Selector list.

2Select View - Properties from the Explorer menu.

-or-

Click the Properties task button.

-or-

Right-click the unit and select Properties. The Properties dialog box

appears.

3Click the Network tab and type in the address of the Remote Console

Switch. This field can contain an IP dot notation or a domain name.

Duplicate addresses are not allowed and the field cannot be left blank. You

can enter up to 128 characters, and may use an IPv4 or an IPv6 address, or

dual-stack an IPv4 and IPv6 simultaneously.

NOTE: Dell 1081AD and 2161AD switches do not support IPv4 and IPv6

modes simultaneously.

4Type the HTTP and HTTPS port numbers in the HTTP Port and HTTPS

Port fields, respectively, if you changed the port numbers for the Remote

Console Switch in the serial console. For more information on changing the

port numbers in the serial console, see "HTTP/HTTPS Options" on page 26.

5Click Apply to save the new settings.

-or-

Click OK to save the new settings and close the window.

-or-

Click Cancel to exit without saving the new settings.

Information Properties

The Information tab allows you to enter information about the switch or server

including a description, contact information and any comments you might wish

to add.

To change information properties:

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx43

1In the software, click the Remote Console Switches or Server tab and then

select an individual unit in the Unit Selector list.

2Select View - Properties from the Explorer menu.

-or-

Click the Properties task button.

-or-

Right-click the unit and select Properties. The Properties dialog box

appears.

3(Optional) Click the Information tab and type a description of the unit.

You can enter any information in the following fields.

a. In the Description field, enter 0 to 128 characters.

b. In the Contact field, enter 0 to 128 characters.

c. In the Contact Phone Number field, enter 0 to 64 characters.

d. In the Comments field, enter 0 to 256 characters.

4Click Apply to save the new settings.

-or-

Click OK to save the new settings and close the window.

-or-

Click Cancel to exit without saving the new settings.

Server Connections Properties

The Connections tab displays the physical connection path that is used to

access this server and the connection type, such as video.

To view connection properties:

1In the software, click the Server tab and then select an individual server in

the Unit Selector list.

2Select View - Properties from the Explorer menu.

-or-

44xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

Click the Properties task button.

-or-

Right-click the server and select Properties. The Properties dialog box

appears.

3Click on the Connections tab to view the connections of the server.

Connections properties are available only for servers and are read-only. The

display indicates the physical connection path that is used to access this

device and the connection type, such as video.

4When finished, click OK or Cancel to close the window.

VNC Properties

When you indicate a user-specified VNC application, you may include its

command-line arguments. A selection of macros is available for placement in the

command-line; this may be useful for automatic replacement of variables such as

IP address, port number, user name and password. For VNC commands that do

not provide their own GUI, such as those for computers running Windows,

Linux, and UNIX® operating systems, you may have the VNC application

launch from within an OS command window.

To change VNC properties:

1Select a server in the unit list.

2Select View - Properties from the Remote Console Switch Explorer menu.

- or -

Click the Properties task button.

- or -

Right-click on the unit. Select Properties from the pop-up menu. The

Properties dialog box appears.

3Click the VNC tab.

4For servers only, in the IP Address field, enter an IP address in dot notation

or a 1-128 character domain name. Spaces are not allowed. Duplicate

addresses are allowed. You may use IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx45

5In the Port field, enter a port number in the range 23-65535. If blank, port

23 is used.

6Mark to enable or clear to disable the Use Default check box. When this

setting is enabled, the default global setting specified in Options will be

used and all other portions of the Application to Launch area are disabled.

7Enter the directory path and name or click the Browse button to locate the

path and name.

8Enter command-line arguments in the box below the path and name.

- or -

To insert a predefined macro at the cursor location in the command-

line, click the Insert Macro list box and select a macro from the drop-

down menu. The RCS software will automatically replace these variables

when the application runs.

9Enable/disable the Launch in command window check box. When enabled,

the user-specified VNC application will be launched from within an OS

command window.

10 Click OK.

RDP Properties

When you indicate a user-specified RDP application, you may include its

command-line arguments. A selection of macros is available for placement in the

command-line; this may be useful for automatic replacement of variables such as

IP address, port number, user name and password. For RDP commands that do

not provide their own GUI, such as those for computers running Windows,

Linux, and UNIX® operating systems, you may have the RDP application

launch from within an OS command window.

To change RDP properties:

1Select a server in the unit list.

2Select View - Properties from the Remote Console Switch Explorer menu.

- or -

46xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

Click the Properties task button.

- or -

Right-click on the unit. Select Properties from the pop-up menu. The

Properties dialog box appears.

3Click the RDP tab, as appropriate.

4For servers only, in the IP Address field, enter an IP address in dot notation

or a 1-128 character domain name. Spaces are not allowed. Duplicate

addresses are allowed. You may use an IPv4 or an IPv6 address, or both an

IPv4 and IPv6 address, simultaneously.

NOTE: Dell 1081AD and 2161AD switches do not support IPv4 and IPv6

modes simultaneously.

5In the Port field, enter a port number in the range 23-65535. If blank, port

23 is used.

6Mark to enable or clear to disable the Use Default check box. When this

setting is enabled, the default global setting specified in Options will be

used and all other portions of the Application to Launch area are disabled.

7Enter the directory path and name or click the Browse button to locate the

path and name.

8Enter command-line arguments in the box below the path and name.

- or -

To insert a predefined macro at the cursor location in the command-

line, click the Insert Macro list box and select a macro from the drop-

down menu. The RCS software will automatically replace these variables

when the application runs.

9Enable/disable the Launch in command window check box. When enabled,

the user-specified RDP application will be launched from within an OS

command window.

10 Click OK.

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx47

Accessing a Server via a Browser Window

As a convenience, you can configure the software to open a connection to a

server in a web browser. First, select a server and define the web server network

in the Properties dialog box. Then, when you select the server, the Browse task

button appears.

NOTE: You can select the browser to use in the Explorer’s Options dialog

box.

NOTE: While the browser will connect to any URL, if the Browser Network

property is set for the server, this feature is particularly applicable for servers

configured with a service processor management interface, such as the

integrated Dell Remote Access Card (iDRAC).

To launch the server network in a browser window:

1Select a server in the Unit Selector pane in the software.

2If you have defined a Browser URL on the Network tab for this server in the

Properties dialog box, the Browse task button appears. Click the Browse

task button. The network you identified will launch in a browser window.

Changing Server and Switch Options

From the RCS software, you can alter individual server or switch options from

the Options dialog box including General,HTTP/HTTPS Ports,VNC, and

RDP.

General Options

To modify a custom field label:

1Select Tools - Options from the Explorer menu. The Options dialog box

appears.

48xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

Figure 3.9: Options Dialog Box - Custom Field Labels

2Select the field label you wish to modify and click the Modify button. The

Modify Custom Field Label dialog box appears.

3Type the singular and plural versions of the field label. The length can be

from 1 to 32 characters. A blank value is not allowed. Spaces are permitted

in the middle but leading and trailing spaces are not allowed.

4Click OK to save the new field label.

-or-

Click Cancel to exit without saving changes.

Default Browser

The Browser option specifies the browser application that opens when you click

the Browse button for a target device that has URL defined, or when the RCS

online help is opened. You can either enable the default browser application of

the current computer or select among other available browsers.

To view or change the default browser, complete the following steps:

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx49

1Select Tools - Options from the Explorer menu. The General Options

window opens.

2Complete one of the following steps:

• In the Browser field, select the Launch Default Browser check box to

specify the default browser.

• Clear the Launch Default Browser check box. Click the Browse button

and select a browser executable on the computer. You can also enter the

full path name of the browserexecutable.

3Complete one of the following steps:

• Click another tab to change additional properties.

• If finished, click OK to save the new settings.

• Click Cancel to exit without saving the new settings.

Changing DirectDraw Support (Windows OS Only)

The software supports DirectDraw, a standard that allows direct manipulation of

video display memory, hardware overlays, and page flipping without the

intervention of the Graphical Device Interface (GDI). This can result in

smoother animation and improvement in the performance of display-intensive

software.

However, if your machine has a software cursor or pointer shadow enabled, or if

your video driver does not support DirectDraw, you may experience a flicker in

your mouse cursor when over the title bar of the Viewer.

You can disable the software cursor or pointer shadow, load a new driver for your

video card, or you can disable DirectDraw.

To disable DirectDraw:

1Select Tools - Options from the Explorer menu. The Options dialog box

appears.

2Click to disable the DirectDraw check box.

3Click OK.

50xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

NOTE: The DirectDraw check box will only appear for Windows based

Operating Systems.

HTTP/HTTPS Options

The Remote Console Switch and software use port 80 as the default HTTP port

and port 443 as the default HTTPS port. You can change the default port

numbers used in the HTTP/HTTPS Ports tab of the Options dialog box.

1Select Tools - Options from the Explorer menu. The Options dialog box

appears.

2Click the HTTP/HTTPS Ports tab.

3Type the new default HTTP and HTTPS port numbers.

4Click OK.

VNC Options

The software supports user-defined VNC viewers via the properties page. In the

VNC tab you can search for a user-specific VNC application and you may

include its command-line arguments. A selection of macros is available for

placement in the command-line; this may be useful for automatic replacement

of variables such as IP address, port number, user name, and password. For VNC

commands that do not provide their own GUI, such as those for standard

Windows, Linux, and UNIX, you may have the VNC application launch from

within an OS command window.

To change VNC options:

1Select Tools - Options from the Explorer menu. The Options dialog box

appears.

2Click the VNC tab.

3In the Application to Launch field, enter the directory path and name or

click the Browse button to locate the path and name.

4Enter command-line arguments in the box below the path and name.

- or -

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx51

To insert a predefined macro at the cursor location in the command-

line, click the Insert Macro list box and select a macro from the drop-

down menu. The RCS software will automatically replace these variables

when the application runs.

5Enable/disable the Launch in command window check box. When enabled,

the user-specified VNC application will be launched from within an OS

command window.

6Click OK.

RDP Options

The software supports user-defined RDP viewers via the properties page. In the

RDP tab you can search for a user-specific RDP application and you may

include its command-line arguments. A selection of macros is available for

placement in the command-line; this may be useful for automatic replacement

of variables such as IP address, port number, user name, and password. For RDP

commands that do not provide their own GUI, such as those for standard

Windows, Linux, and UNIX, you may have the RDP application launch from

within an OS command window.

To change RDP options:

1Explorer menu. The Options dialog box appears.

2Click the RDP tab.

3In the Application to Launch field, enter the directory path and name or

click the Browse button to locate the path and name.

4Enter command-line arguments in the box below the path and name.

- or -

To insert a predefined macro at the cursor location in the command-

line, click the Insert Macro list box and select a macro from the drop-

down menu. The RCS software will automatically replace these variables

when the application runs.

52xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

5Enable/disable the Launch in command window check box. When enabled,

the user-specified RDP application will be launched from within an OS

command window.

6Click OK.

Organizing Your System

The Sites and Folders view tabs in the RCS software allow you to organize and

manage your Remote Console Switches and servers by custom groups. Site

organization is based on where your servers are located and refers to the column

headings Site and Department, which can be customized to suit your needs. See

"Modifying Custom Field Names" on page 53. Folders are a way to create a

customized organizational system for individual servers. For example, you might

want to create a folder for critical servers or for remote servers.

You may change the order and sorting of the Unit Selector list by clicking in the

column header. An upward-pointing arrow in a column header indicates that the

list is sorted by that field name in ascending order. A downward-pointing arrow

indicates the list is sorted by that field name in descending order.

You can customize the column headings. Figure 3.10 shows an example of how

you might use the default field name values. You may change them to fit your

own organization. Figure 3.11 shows an example of customized field names.

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx53

Figure 3.10: Sites View Tab Selected

Modifying Custom Field Names

Custom field names allow you to change the Site,Department, and Location

column heading names that appear in the Group and Unit Selector panes in the

software. This allows you to group Remote Console Switches and servers in ways

that are meaningful to you. The Department field is a subset of Site. If you

customize these field names, you should keep this hierarchy in mind.

Figure 3.11: Example of Modified Custom Fields

54xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

To create a new site, department, or location:

1Select View - Properties from the Explorer menu.

-or-

Click the Properties task button. The Properties dialog box appears.

2Click the General tab and select the drop-down list for Site,Department,

or Location. If a name is not in the drop-down list, type the name you want

in the text field. The name can be from 1 to 32 characters long. Names are

not case sensitive and can consist of any combination of characters entered

from the keyboard. Spaces are permitted in the middle but leading and

trailing spaces are not allowed. Duplicate names are not allowed.

3Click OK. The new site, department, or location appears in the Group

Selector pane.

Creating Folders

To create a new folder:

1Select the Folders View Selector tab.

2Click the Folders node and select File - New - Folder.

-or-

Right-click the Folders node and select New Folder. The New Folder

dialog box appears.

3Type a name for the folder from 1 to 32 characters long. Folder names are

not case sensitive and can consist of any combination of characters entered

from the keyboard. Spaces are permitted in the middle but leading and

trailing spaces are not allowed. Duplicate folder names are not allowed at

the same level but are allowed across different levels.

4Click OK. The new folder appears in the Group Selector pane.

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx55

Assigning a Unit to a Site, Location, or Folder

You can assign a Remote Console Switch or server to a Site,Department,

Location or Folder in the software. This menu item is only enabled when a

single Remote Console Switch or server is selected in the Unit Selector pane.

These custom targets are defined in the General Properties dialog box.

To assign a unit to a site, location, or folder:

1Select a unit in the Unit Selector pane.

2Select Edit - Assign from the Explorer menu.

-or-

Click the Assign To task button.

-or-

Right-click a unit and select Assign To. The Assign To dialog box

appears.

3Select the site, location, or folder category from the drop-down list.

4Select the target from the list of available targets to which the unit can be

assigned within the chosen category. This could be empty if no site,

location, or folder has been defined in the local database.

5Click OK to save the assignment.

-or-

Click Cancel to exit without saving changes.

To drag and drop a unit into a site, department, location, or folder:

1Click and hold on a unit in the Unit list in the software.

2Drag the item to the node in the tree view of the Group Selector pane.

3Release the mouse button. The item now appears in the Unit list when you

click that node.

NOTE: A unit cannot be moved to All Departments, All Units, or the root Sites

node. Units can only be moved one at a time.

56xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

Deleting and Renaming

The delete function is context-sensitive based on what is currently selected in

the Group and Unit Selector panes in the software. When you select and delete

a unit in the Unit list, the unit is removed from the local database. When you

select and delete an item in the tree view of the Group Selector pane, you will

delete Server Types,Sites,Departments, and Folders. However, none of the

actions result in units being deleted from the local database.

The rename function is also context-sensitive. You can select and rename a

Remote Console Switch or a server from the Unit list. You can select and

rename server types, sites, departments, and folder names in the tree view of the

Group Selector pane.

To delete a Remote Console Switch or server:

1Select the unit(s) you wish to delete from the Unit Selector pane.

2Select Edit - Delete.

-or-

Press the <Del> key on your keyboard. A dialog box appears

confirming the number of units to be deleted. If you are deleting a

Remote Console Switch, the dialog box includes a Delete Associated

Servers check box. Click to enable/disable the check box as desired.

3Click Yes to confirm the deletion. Additional message prompts may appear

depending on your configuration. Respond as appropriate. The Remote

Console Switch or server is deleted.

-or-

Click No to cancel.

To delete a server type, site, department, or folder:

1Select the server type, site, department, or folder you wish to delete from

the Group Selector pane.

2Select Edit - Delete.

-or-

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx57

Press the <Del> key on your keyboard. A dialog box appears

confirming the number of units that will be affected by this deletion.

3Click Yes to confirm the deletion. Additional message prompts may appear

depending on your configuration. Respond as appropriate. The element is

deleted.

-or-

Click No to cancel.

To rename a unit, site, department, or folder:

1Select the server type, site, department, or folder you wish to delete from

the Group Selector pane in the RCS software.

2Select Edit - Rename. The Rename dialog box appears.

3Type a name from 1 to 32 characters long. Names are not case sensitive and

can consist of any combination of characters entered from the keyboard.

Spaces are permitted in the middle but leading and trailing spaces are not

allowed. Duplicate names are not allowed, with two exceptions: department

names can be duplicated across different sites and folder names can be

duplicated across different levels.

4Click OK to save the new name.

Customizing the Explorer Window

The RCS software Explorer window can be resized at any time. Each time you

launch the application, the Explorer window opens to its default size and

location. You can manually resize the window while the application is running,

but the information is not saved. The next time Explorer is started, it will come

up in its default size and location.

A split-pane divider that runs from top to bottom separates the Group Selector

pane and the Unit Selector pane. You can move the divider left and right to

change the viewing area of the Group Selector pane and the Unit Selector pane.

Each time Explorer is started the divider will appear in its default location.

58xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

Modifying the Selected View on Startup

When Default is checked under the Selected view on startup option, the

Explorer will determine which view to display. If you have one or more servers

defined, the Servers tab will appear by default. If you do not, the Remote

Console Switches tab will appear.

When Default is unchecked, the Explorer will display the view selected in the

drop-down list shown below the check box. The drop-down list contains the

following values: Remote Console Switches,Servers,Sites, and Folders. The

drop-down list is only enabled when the check box is disabled.

To modify the selected view on startup:

1Select Tools - Options from the Explorer menu in the RCS software. The

Options dialog box appears.

2Select Remote Console Switches,Servers,Sites, or Folders from the drop-

down list.

3Click OK to save the new startup view.

-or-

Click Cancel to exit without saving changes.

Changing the Default Browser

You can specify which browser launches when viewing a server URL in a browser

window. You have the option of using the default browser for your system, or

you can select a specific browser to launch for that server.

To change the default browser:

1Select Tools - Options from the Explorer menu. The Options dialog box

appears.

2Click to disable the Launch Default Browser check box. The Browse

button is enabled.

3Click the Browse button and navigate to the browser.

4Click OK to save the new browser selection.

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx59

-or-

Click Cancel to exit without saving changes.

Managing Your Local Databases

Each client workstation running the software contains a local database that

records the information that you enter about your units. If you have multiple

client workstations, you may wish to configure one station and then save a copy

of this database and load it into the other stations to avoid having to

reconfigure each station. You might also wish to export the database for use in

another application.

Saving a Database

The RCS software allows you to save a copy of the local database. The saved

database can then be loaded back to the same computer where it was created, or

it can be loaded onto another client workstation. The saved database is

compressed into a single Zip file.

While the database is being saved, no other activity is allowed, and all other

windows must be closed. If other windows are open, a message will appear

prompting you to either continue and close all open windows or quit and cancel

the database save process.

To save a database:

1Select File - Database - Save from the RCS Explorer menu. The Database

Save dialog box appears.

2Select a database to save.

3Type a file name and browse to a location to save the file.

4Click Save. A progress bar appears during the save. When finished, a

message appears indicating that the save was successful and you are returned

to the main window.

60xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

Loading a Database

This function allows you to load a database that was previously saved. No other

activity is allowed, and all other windows must be closed. If other windows are

open, a message appears prompting you to either continue and close all open

windows or quit and cancel the database save process.

To load a database:

1Select File - Database - Load from the Explorer menu. The Database Load

dialog box appears.

2Browse to select the database you wish to load.

3Click Load. A progress bar appears during the load. When finished, a

message appears indicating that the load was successful and you are returned

to the main window.

Exporting a Database

This function allows you to export fields from the local database to an ASCII

Comma Separated Value file (CSV) or Tab Separated Value file (TSV). The

following database fields will be exported.

Remote Console Switch Flag

Type

Name

Address

Site

Department

Location

Description

Contact Name

Contact Phone #

Comments

Basic Software Operationxxx |xxx61

Browser URL

Telnet Port

NOTE: The Address field only applies to Remote Console Switches and the

Browser URL field only applies to servers. In the exported file, the Address

field data will be empty for servers and the Browser URL field data will be

empty for Remote Console Switches.

The first line of the exported file contains the column names for the field data.

Each additional line contains the field data for a Remote Console Switch or

server. The file will contain one line for each Remote Console Switch and server

defined in the local database.

To export a database:

1Select File - Database - Export from the Explorer menu. The Database

Export dialog box appears.

2Type a file name and navigate to the location where you wish to save the

exported file.

3Select the type of export format you wish from the Files of Type drop-down

list.

4Click Export. A progress bar appears during the export. When finished, a

message appears indicating that the export was successful and you are

returned to the main window.

62xxx |Basic Software Operationxxx

4

Using the Viewerxxx |xxx63

Using the Viewer

You can connect to a server in the Remote Console Switch system using the

Viewer. The Viewer allows you full keyboard, monitor, and mouse control over a

server. You can also scan through a customized list of servers by enabling

individual servers to appear in the Thumbnail Viewer. This view contains a

series of thumbnail frames, each containing a small, scaled, non-interactive

version of a server's screen image. For more information, see "Viewing Multiple

Servers Using the Scan Mode" on page 79.

Accessing Servers from the RCS Software

The Servers tab in the RCS software displays a list of servers defined in the

database. The Group Selector pane appears displaying a tree view containing all

of the unique server types that are defined in the database. The Group Selector

pane only appears if two or more server types are defined. You can either click

All Servers or click on a folder to view all the servers of a particular type. When

you select a server and click the Connect Video task button, the Viewer

launches.

64xxx |Using the Viewerxxx

Figure 4.1: RCS Software - Servers Tab

To access a server:

1Click the Servers tab in the Explorer.

2Select a server in the Unit Selector pane.

3Click the Connect Video task button.

-or-

Right-click on the server. A pop-up menu appears. Select Connect

Video.

-or-

Double-click the server name.

-or-

Press <Enter>. The Viewer launches in a new window.

To search for a server in the system:

1Click the Servers tab and insert your cursor in the search text box.

Using the Viewerxxx |xxx65

2Type the search information. This can be the server name or any

information you have entered in the other Unit Selector list headings such

as Type or Location.

3Click the Search button. The results appear in the Unit list.

4Review the results of your search.

-or-

Click the Clear Results button to display the entire list again.

Interacting With the Server Being Viewed

Once you have connected to a server, you will see the desktop window of the

server on your screen. This opens in a separate window. You will see two cursors,

the local cursor and the server’s cursor. You may need to align these if they do

not move together or adjust the video if they seem to jump about. From this

window, you will be able to access all the normal functions of this server as if

you were sitting right in front of it. You may also perform Viewer-specific tasks

such as sending special macro commands to the server.

NOTE: If you are experiencing slow mouse response during a remote video

session, deactivate mouse acceleration in the operating system of the target

device and set mouse speed to 50%.

66xxx |Using the Viewerxxx

Viewer Window Features

Figure 4.2: Viewer Window

1Menu bar: Access many of the features in the Viewer.

2Accessed server desktop: Interact with your server through this window.

Using the Viewerxxx |xxx67

Viewer Menu Bar

Figure 4.3: Viewer Menu Bar

1 Thumbtack: Click to lock the menu bar in place. This prevents the menu

bar from hiding once you have moved the mouse cursor away from the

menu bar.

2 Menu Options: The menus provides access to functions available through

the Viewer.

3 Toolbar Buttons: You may add up to 10 buttons to the tool bar. These

buttons allow you to provide easy access to defined functions and keyboard

macros. By default, the Align Local Cursor, Refresh Image, and Single Cursor

Mode buttons are displayed.

4 Connection Status Indicator: The connection status indicator indicates

how the user is connected to the appliance for this server. For more

information see "Session Sharing Options" on page 87.

Connection Status Indicator Sharing Mode

Exclusive Mode

Active Connection (normal, non-sharing, non-

exclusive session)

Table 4.1: Connection Status Indicators

68xxx |Using the Viewerxxx

Connection Status Indicator Sharing Mode

Active Sharing (Primary User)

Active Sharing (Secondary User)

Passive Sharing

Stealth Mode

Scanning

5 Smart Card Status Indicator: The smart card status is indicated by the

smart card icon at the far right side of the Video Viewer toolbar.

Icon Description

A smart card is not in the smart card reader, or a smart card reader

is not attached.

A smart card is in the smart card reader but has not been mapped.

A smart card is mapped.

Table 4.2: Smart Card Status Indicators

Adjusting the Viewer

You can adjust the Viewer settings to match your requirements. This includes

adjustment of the video resolution, toolbar settings, and keyboard macro

settings.

Using the Viewerxxx |xxx69

Adjusting the Viewer Toolbar

You may add up to 10 buttons to the toolbar. These buttons allow you to

provide easy access to defined function and keyboard macros. By default, the

Align Local Cursor,Refresh Image, and Single Cursor Mode buttons are

displayed.

To add buttons to the toolbar:

1From the Tools menu in the Viewer, choose Session Options. The Session

Options toolbar is displayed.

2Click the Toolbar tab.

3Click to select the items you want to add to the Viewer toolbar.

4Click OK to accept the changes and return to the Viewer main window.

Figure 4.4: Session Options Dialog Box - Toolbar Tab

Setting the Toolbar Hide Delay Time

Unless the Thumbtack button has been clicked, the toolbar will disappear when

you remove the mouse cursor. You can change the interval between the removal

70xxx |Using the Viewerxxx

of the mouse cursor and the disappearance of the toolbar by adjusting the

Toolbar Hide Delay time.

To change the Toolbar Hide Delay time:

1From the Tools menu in the Viewer, choose Session Options. The Session

Options toolbar is displayed.

2Click the Toolbar tab.

3In the Toolbar Hide Delay field, type the number of seconds for which you

want the toolbar to display, after the mouse cursor is removed.

-or-

Using the Up and Down button, click to increase or decrease the

number of seconds for which you want the toolbar to display, after the

mouse cursor is removed.

4Click OK to accept the change you have made and return to the Viewer

main window.

Expanding and Refreshing Your Viewer

By default, there are three buttons that display on the Viewer toolbar that allow

you to adjust the Viewer display. The first button allows you to set the Viewer

to Single Cursor Mode. This allows you to use the mouse in the Viewer as if it

was the mouse on the server. When the Viewer is set to Single Cursor mode the

local cursor is not displayed.

NOTE: Single Cursor mode operates on Windows platforms only.

The second button allows you to refresh the video and the third allows you to

align the mouse cursors.

Figure 4.5: Viewer Toolbar- Display Adjustment Buttons

To set the Viewer to Single Cursor mode:

In the Viewer toolbar, click the Single Cursor Mode