Where can I get a copy of the MIB for Dominion SX?
Click HERE to get the SNMP MIB for Dominion SX - supported in Dominion SX version 2.2 and higher. (MIB last updated on 12/2/04)

I just upgraded my Dominion SX firmware. Why doesn't the console window pop up after logging in through the web interface and clicking on a port?
The Dominion SX firmware upgrade is comprised of 2 components, the server portion (MpAdmin) and console portion (Raritan Console). Check if the Raritan Console portion of the upgrade was completed. Apply the Raritan Console upgrade to resolve this issue.

When I SSH into Dominion SX, I am unable to log in, even when I use a local account that I know works through the web/GUI interface.
The initial login name for Dominion SX over SSH interface is dominion (no password). Once this account is accessed you will see the "Welcome to Raritan Dominion Server" message and be prompted to enter a username. At this prompt, type the account that exists locally on the SX or the remote account (this assumes that the SX unit is configured with remote authentication information).

My Dominion SX has just been configured with a network address and I can successfully ping the SX IP, but when I try to access it using a Web browser, the message reads "Page cannot be found or server error, please contact System Administrator."
Check your Web browser settings and confirm that a proxy server is being used. If so, click on the checkbox to 'Bypass local addresses or configure DSX IP in the exception list.' Next, make sure the Web browser has 128-bit cipher strength. From the Help menu, click on "About" to find this information.

When I select the "Send Break" option from the Emulator menu in Raritan Console (on my DSX), it does not send a break to my Sun server. What could be wrong and how can I address it?
If the SUN machine does not respond to the break signal, verify that the line 'KEYBOARD_ABORT=disable' is commented out in the /etc/default/kbd file (on the Sun machine). If this line is not commented out, it will disable a keyboard abort sequence; comment out this line to enable the sequence.

Is there any software requirement for PCs connected to Dominion SX?
Depends. For access using a web-browser, the Dominion SX does not require any software to be loaded on the client; the browser does have to be Java enabled. it is 100% software independent. When using an SSH client, the customer has to provide an SSH client. In some operating systems, like Linux, an SSH client is included in the distribution. Also, OpenSSH.org has an SSH client.

How can I consolidate the sites where I have a Dominion SX installed?
Raritan's CommandCenter is designed specifically to provide centralized management. It is the ideal solution if you are looking to consolidate management of devices such as Dominion SX and other Raritan network-based products.

Is Raritan new to the secure console server market?
No. On the contrary, Raritan has been in the secure console server business since August 2002, following our acquisition of Arula Systems from Hewlett-Packard.

Will there be other models in the Dominion SX family?
Yes. Additional models of the Dominion family will be available in the future.

Is the Ethernet port on the Dominion SX unit 10/100MBPS auto sensing?
Yes.

Does Dominion SX support RS422 and RS485?
No. Currently Dominion SX supports only asynchronous RS232 (also commonly called serial, even though serial is a broad term that covers more than RS232). RS 422 and RS485 are used in industrial automation and other markets. Dominion SX is currently designed for connection to serially managed servers and other devices typically found in the data-center and server rooms. This includes serially controlled power strips like Raritan's line of remote power control units.

Do I need to be a Unix expert to sell or install a Dominion SX? Is it easy to install?
Not at all. Dominion SX is the easiest to install of all the secure console servers on the market. From power-up, typical time for installation is less than 3 minutes, with no need to edit files and use the command-line. Dominion SX does not require an external server to operate.

I have a server/serially managed device that is more than 300 feet from the Dominion SX - how do I connect?
You will need to purchase a 3rd party RS232 to RS422/485 converter for each end (two units total)-one at the Dominion end and one connected to the device.

Does Dominion SX provide an integrated interface that allows you to view all the Serial devices that are connected?
Yes, Dominion SX provides a single, consolidated view of all serial devices via one-sign-on. A single IP address gives access to all connected serial devices while any Java-enabled Web browser provides VT100/ANSI terminal emulation. Or, use an SSH client.

Can I open multiple windows and "tile" to monitor multiple servers and other IT equipment?
Yes, you may monitor and "tile" as many windows as there are serial ports on the Dominion SX. For example, up to 32 serial ports per Dominion SX32 unit.

I manage many servers. How do I select a server to connect to?
From a browser, a simple menu provides the user-assigned name of each server. Users simply click on a server to connect to its console port. When using SSH/telnet, the user gets a list of ports they are authorized to connect with when they log in.

As a user, do I see all servers connected to a Dominion SX?
No. Each user sees only a list of servers they are authorized to manage/view. The administrator of the Dominion SX sets up the access privileges to each server.

Does Dominion SX work with Raritan's CommandCenter™?
Yes, Dominion SX is deployable as part of an enterprise-wide management solution with Raritan's CommandCenter™. Hundreds of Dominion SX units can be managed via CommandCenter.

Is the modem used only for administering the Dominion SX itself?
No. Unlike other products in its category, Dominion SX offers modem access to administer the box AND get to the target servers.

Is a modem standard on any Dominion SX models?
Typically, Dominion SX Models with 16 or more serial ports include a built-in 56K modem. Competitors charge for an additional PCMCIA modem. Other models have a dedicated modem port via a DB9-Male connector.

What level of control does Dominion SX have over attached target servers?
The remote user has direct command line access and total control of target devices for maintenance, administration, troubleshooting, and even rebooting. User rights are only restricted by their log-on privileges on Dominion SX and the server itself.

What is the MTBF for the power supply in the Dominion SX?
350,000 hours. But, keep in mind that the life of a power supply depends on environmental factors like temperature, humidity, variation in power, and other factors.

What is the ESD (electro-static discharge) protection on the Dominion SX serial ports?
15KV (Kilo volts)

Why do I need to use a serial adapter to connect to some servers?
While EIA published a standard for RS232 on DB25 and DB9 connectors, there is no standard for RS232 on RJ45. Also, some manufacturers have chosen not to follow the pin out assignments of the EIA on DB25 and DB9 connectors.

Is the Dominion SX unit SUN "break-safe"?
All Dominion SX units are SUN "break-safe" for use with SUN Solaris.

I have lost my Admin password to the Dominion SX. Is there a back door or secret password?
For security reasons, Dominion SX does not have any factory default username or password. There is no back-door password. The only option is to restore the unit to its factory default settings and create the Admin username and password again. A hardware reset function to restore the unit to factory default facility is provided.

Does Dominion SX include the 19" rack mount kit or is there an extra charge for this option?
Dominion SX comes standard with a complete ready-to-install 19" rack mount kit on the models with 16 or greater serial ports. Some competitors charge extra for a rack mount kit. On models with less than 16 ports a rack mount kit is available as an option.

What remote access connection methods can Dominion SX accommodate?
Dominion SX provides multiple choices for remote access. These include: Internet, LAN/WAN, or dial-up modem. That means servers can be accessed both in and out of band so remote access to mission critical target servers is always available-even if the network is down.

Which ports need to be open on the corporate firewall for a secure console session using Dominion SX?
Port 443 (for https); optionally port 80 (http) for user sessions. For units running software version 2.2 or higher, port 51000 (or other port between 1024-65536). On software releases PRIOR to firmware 2.2 (2.0Bx or 2.1.x) either port 23 or a user-designated port between 2000 and 2400. When using SSH, port 22 needs to be open.

How do I get access to the operating system of the Dominion SX?
Dominion SX is a secure appliance. Therefore, NO access is possible to the operating system.

I have a few serial devices located a distance away from my server closet and the Dominion SX. Can I connect these devices to my Raritan switch?
Yes. EIA RS232 specifications defined in the 1970s recommend that the maximum distance serial devices be 30 feet (10 meters). However, with good cables, no patch panels, and lower baud rates, customers report success up to 200 feet.

How do I upgrade the software on my Dominion SX?
Use the Administrator option for Upgrade from a menu. The upgrade is done over the Ethernet port of the Dominion SX. Access to an FTP server is required.

Are updates to Dominion SX software free?
Yes. Currently all software upgrades are free.

Does Dominion SX require any additional client software?
No. Dominion SX is truly "Plug-and-Play" making installation quick and set-up easy. It is not necessary to buy any additional client software or hardware. In addition, no special networking equipment or design is necessary.

What code-sets does the terminal emulator in Dominion SX support?
Dominion SX supports VT100/ANSI with the following code-sets:

• US-ASCII ((ISO 646)
• ISO 8859- (Latin-1)
• ISO-8859-15— (Latin -9)

What is the name of the terminal emulation package included with Dominion SX?
RaritanConsole

Can I use Dominion SX over a VPN connection?
Yes, Dominion SX fits into most any network configuration utilizing TCP/IP. Set up the VPN (typically IPSec) connection then start the web-browser and enter the URL for the Dominion unit. The session to the Dominion runs transparently over the VPN tunnel.

The Dominion SX uses the Web browser to access serial devices. What are the advantages of Java-enabled Web browser access?
For many Solaris/Unix/Linux system administrators, the de facto standard for accessing serial hosts is SSH. However, the SSH clients available for Unix/Linux do not support Apple Macintosh. Additionally, Java-enabled browsers are available on many platforms, including PDAs and handheld PCs. The easy "point-and-click" access offered by Dominion SX allows administrators secure access from any Java-enabled Web browser.

I need an IP-enabled console switch. Now that Dominion SX support local (direct) Port access, beginning with release 2.2, by using the AUATC, can I connect a Dominion SX to the Paragon network, instead of using an SCS232 Console Switch?
Yes. Connect the AUATC to the Paragon switch, and connect the AUATC (DB-25-Male connector) to the Dominion SX (DB9-Male connector) using a DB25-female to DB9-female cable. Then Enable the local port access feature on the Dominion SX; ensuring that the communication parameters (baud rate, parity, etc.) matches between the AUATC and the Dominion SX.

What Authentication mechanisms does the Dominion SX support?
Local database, RADIUS, LDAP/S, TACACS+, Active Directory.

Can the Dominion SX support Authorization at a per port level?
Yes. Dominion SX can support Authorization at a per port level – via Local database, RADIUS, LDAP/S, TACACS+, Active Directory.

Does Dominion SX support SNMP?
Yes. Dominion SX supports SNMP traps via the Raritan Enterprise MIB.

Does Dominion SX support syslog?
Yes. Dominion SX supports syslog – to primary and secondary servers.

Can I log every keystroke of a session (input from user and response from a server/device) with a server?
Yes. Dominion SX supports logging over NFS.

Does Dominion SX support telnet?
Yes. Dominion SX supports enabling of the telnet daemon on the Dominion SX unit. Because telnet sends all information “in the clear”, enabling telnet is at the customers own discretion, and telnet is disabled by default when the unit ships from the factory. Raritan strongly suggests the use of SSH as a safer alternative to telnet, since all data is encrypted, including the login sequence.

Can I send an intentional “break” signal to the SUN Solaris server when using SSH?
Yes.

Can I send an intentional “break” signal to the SUN Solaris server when using a Web browser?
Yes.

Can I send an intentional “break” signal to the SUN Solaris server when using telnet?
Yes.

Can I get the buffered off-line data from a seral port when using SSH?
Yes.

Can I get the buffered off-line data from a seral port when using telnet?
Yes.

Can I get the buffered off-line data from a seral port when using a Java-enabled web-browser?
Yes.

Does Dominion SX support local (direct) port access for “crash-cart” applications in a data center?
Yes. Beginning with release firmware revision 2.2, Dominion SX supports local port access. Feature is disabled by default from the factory. Default parameters are 9600-N-8-1. The local port on the Dominion SX 4/8/16/32 is a DB9-Male.

Can I upgrade my SX16 or SX32 unit from December 2003 to firmware 2.2 and take advantage of the local port access feature?
Unfortunately not. The local port access feature on the Dominion SX required a hardware modification to the SX16 and SX32 units. A return to factory is required. Please contact Raritan Support to see how the unit can be upgraded to allow you to take advantage of this feature. However, all SX 16/32 units shipped after August 2 2004 have the hardware modifications made to enable use of this feature with Dominion SX firmware revision 2.2 or higher.

Can I upgrade my SX4 or SX8 unit from January 2004 to firmware 2.2 and take advantage of the local port access feature?
Yes. All SX4 and SX8 units, when upgraded to firmware revision 2.2 will allow use of this capability. Just enable the local port access option.

What are the pin-outs of the Dominion SX RJ45 serial ports?
Dominion SX Serial Pinouts

The RJ45 connector on the rear of the unit has the following pinout:

What Web browsers do have you tested with? Note that not all web-browsers and SUN JRE behave the same in all languages and operating system versions, so there may be some differences or compatibility issues in some geographies. Some additional testing has been done with Fedora Core 2. Other browsers, for example Mozilla Firefox may work as well, but are not officially tested.

Browser Requirements

What are the most commonly used cables and adapters?
Connectivity Table:
This table lists the commonly used Dominion SX hardware (adapters and/or cables) to common Vendor/Model combinations: