From the Data Centre to the Shop Floor: ATEN New 3-in-1 Serial Device Server Supports RS-232, RS-422 and RS-485 Data Transfers

Taipei, Taiwan, September 2nd, 2008. ATEN International, leading designer and manufacturer of advanced connectivity solutions, today announced a new serial device server that enables secure, remote management of IT serial devices such as servers, routers, PBX systems, telecommunications equipment, serial-based power management appliances and more.

The new Serial over the NET (SN3101) 3-in-1 Serial Device Server supports RS-232, RS-422, and RS-485 data transfers, as well as provides Ethernet connectivity for a wide variety of serial devices used in commercial applications. These applications include industrial control, data acquisition, access control, environmental monitoring, banking, telecommunications, remote site management, among others. This all-encompassing serial data transfer system transforms the usability of legacy serial devices by enhancing them with the speed and reliability of the most current communications interfaces.

According to Venture Development Corporation (VDC), a technology market research and strategy firm, serial console servers provide intelligent, secure and easy access to any network equipment with a serial console port. Administrators can securely monitor and configure servers, routers, switches, PBX, firewalls and other secure devices from anywhere on the corporate TCP/IP network, over the Internet, or through dial-up modem connections even when the server is unavailable through the network.

The SN3101 also features Real COM Port support which allows devices connected to this “virtual” port to appear as though they are directly connected to a COM port on a local computer – this feature adds value for users of POS terminals, barcode readers and serial printers.

“Our new SN3101 offers a range of uses for a number of industries including hospitals, manufacturing, retail and digital signage that use serial devices,” said Kevin Chen, President of ATEN International. “With the availability of the SN3101, ATEN gives users the ability to access and control serial devices from any computer connected to the Internet, whether down the hall or half way around the world.”

The SN3101 single-port device is ideal for industrial control of programmable logic controllers (PLCs), meters, and sensors, among others. The SN3101 supports versatile, diversified serial data access operations to meet a broad range of application requirements (console management, Real COM, TCP Server, TCP Client, UDP, Modbus, Serial Tunnel and Virtual Modem). This capability offers direct access from PCs to remote serial devices as if these products were located locally and reduces the typical port number and distance limitations of PC hardware. The provided Windows utility auto-discovers all SN3101 units in a local area network (LAN) and permits configuration/monitoring of one or multiple SN3101s at once – mass employment is simple. In addition, users can receive event notification for proactive monitoring and response due to the unit’s support for SMTP and SNMP traps.

In addition, the unit offers secure data transmission, centralised access control and Modbus Ethernet-to-Serial support. The SN3101 offers a variety of “over IP” methods to control serial devices – from browser login to a stand-alone serial network device management AP programme to Telnet/SSH terminal access. Recognising the importance of secure data transmission to operations, the SN3101 provides 128-bit SSL serial data encryption for TCP Server, TCP Client, Virtual Modem and Serial Tunnel operation modes. Administrators can authenticate user logins and authorise individual user rights via RADIUS, LDAP, LDAPS and Microsoft Active Directory servers. The SN3101’s support for Modbus Ethernet-to-serial data transmission provides a bridge that seamlessly integrates Modbus devices (PLCs, DCSs, HMIs, etc.) into any serial network.

The following are sample application scenarios in which ATEN’s new SN3101 would thrive:

 Climate Controls
 Printers
 Barcode Scanners
 ID Card Readers
 POS Terminals
 Digital Displays and Signs
 Medical Equipment such as telemetry devices
 Manufacturing Controls
 Electronic devices such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, temperature monitoring/control
 Alarm and Surveillance Systems

Other Highlights of the SN3101
 Compatible with Windows 2000, Vista, XP and includes a TTY driver for Linux support
 Support for the ATEN Power over the NET (PON) remote power distribution units

Pricing & Availability
Available now, the new SN3101 is competitively priced at GBP £149, excluding VAT. For more information please contact ATEN U.K. Limited (phone: +44 (0) 1753-539121, fax: +44 (0) 1753-215253, email: sales@aten.co.uk, www.aten.co.uk) or your local ATEN sales representatives or distributor.

ATEN International Co., Ltd. is specialized in connectivity solutions in information technology. Established in 1979, ATEN is today considered the leading manufacturer of KVM Switches worldwide. This prominent position was reached by continuously high investment in research and development, resulting in numerous patents and exemplified by the sophisticated ASIC, developed in the ATEN labs and manufactured by ATEN. The product range today covers hundreds of connectivity products, providing complete KVM solutions from entry level to the enterprise market. Among the customers of ATEN are large companies with global operations, midrange and small businesses, as well as ambitious private users. For further information, please visit http://www.aten.com.

Contact:
ATEN International Co. Ltd.
Marsha Lee: marshalee@aten.com.tw
Sherry Tsai: stsai@aten.com.tw
TEL: +886-2-8692-6789 EXT.1868/1869
FAX: +886-2-8692-6577

Press Contact:
KPR Global Communications Ltd.
Sharon Munday : smunday@kprglobal.com
TEL : +44 (0) 1189 745418;
Mob : +44 (0) 7787 566382
Giorgia Alicandro : galicandro@kprglobal.com
TEL: +49-821-34300-26
FAX: +49-821-34300-77

This release was published on openPR.