Logical Solutions Secure Console Servers SCS-R - Manual (Page 12)

Introduction
SCS160 / SCS320 / SCS480 Page 12 www.thinklogical.com
SCS160R / SCS320R
Figure 1.4 SCS480, 48-Port Secure Console Server, front and rear views
The SCS can help you troubleshoot your networking environment. The SCS is a
"listening" system that monitors the messages (ASCII data, server error information,
etc.) from the serial port of the device to which each Port is connected. The SCS cap-
tures the data by writing it to a port buffer, each of which can hold 256K bytes of data.
This buffered data gives the sysadmin a history of console port messages which can be
reviewed to help troubleshoot a problem with the connected device. After you’ve had
a networking device problem, and have access to its console port messages, the prob-
lem with your network equipment is easier to fix. Downtime in your network site can
be minimized by reviewing the buffered information, and then eliminating the cause
of the error messages.
In most cases, the sysadmin has a method of saving the buffered data from each
port buffer to some other server (e.g., via NFS) in your network. This is important to
note since the Port data (buffered) is stored in RAM and will be lost if the SCS power
is turned off.
1.4.1 SCS160R / SCS320R Hardware
The SCS ‘R’ models offer hardware redundancy for AC Power, Network and Con-
sole Ports. Having hot-swappable AC Power Supplies with discrete AC inputs allows
the customer to use redundant AC Power Sources to the SCS system, and if necessary,
they can field-replace a power module. The SCS-R models provide power supply status
to alert the system administrator in the event of a power failure from one of the power
supplies.
With Dual NIC inputs and Dual Console Port Inputs, the SCS160R and SCS320R
also provide additional benefits for sites needing these capabilities.