Accusys ACS-8960 User manual

Preface
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Notice
Product features and specifications described in this manual are subject to change without
notice.
The manufacturer shall not be liable for any damage, or for the loss of information resulting
from the performance or use of the information contained herein
Trademarks
Accusys and the names of Accusys products and logos referred to herein are either
trademarks and/or service marks or registered trademarks and/or service marks of Accusys,
Inc.
Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT, MS-DOS are either trademarks or registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation.
Intel and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation.
Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or service
marks of their respective owners.
All contents of this manual are copyrighted by Accusys, Inc.
The information contained herein is the exclusive property of Accusys, Inc. and shall not be
copied, transferred, photocopied, translated on paper, film, electronic media, or
computer-readable form, or otherwise reproduced in any way, without the express written
permission of Accusys Inc.
© Copyright 2004 Accusys, Inc.
All rights reserved.
This manual version V1.0c

ACS-8960 User’s Manual
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Regulatory information
For Europe
This drive is in conformity with the EMC directive.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Statement
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B
digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Those limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However,
there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this
equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which
can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try
to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antennas.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circlet different from that to which the
receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
Warning:
A shielded-type power cord is required in order to meet FCC emission limits and also
to prevent interference to the nearby radio and television reception. It is essential that
only the supplied power cord be used.
Use only shielded cables to connect I/O devices to this equipment.
You are cautioned that changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void your authority to operate the equipment.

Preface
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About this manual
Intended user
This manual is designed and written for users of the ACS-8960 RAID controller. The user
should ideally be familiar with RAID planning and data storage operations and have
experience in electronic or computer engineering.
Organization of the manual
This manual contains the following sections:
Chapter 1: Introduction provides details of key features, checklists of package contents
and user requirements, and an overview of the controller box and its features.
Chapter 2: Installation guides you through process of installing DRAM in ACS-8960 and
integrating the controller into a system. This chapter also details procedures for
replacing components.
Chapter 3: Quick Setup explains how to set up an array in seconds.
Chapter 4: Accessing the Monitor Utility tells you how to access and start using the
firmware-based Monitor Utility on the host terminal.
Chapter 5: Configuration details and explains the rich configuration options available for
ACS-8960 arrays, using either the control panel or Monitor Utility.
Appendix A: Troubleshooting helps you deal with encountered problems in the form of
Q&A.
Appendix B: Introduction to RAID levels contains all the information you need to
understand the features of different RAID levels.
Appendix C: Introduction to Serial ATA gives a full introduction to the disk interface
standard used by ASS-8960.
Appendix D: Control Panel Messages defines the status and error messages of the control
panel LCD display.
Appendix E: Glossary defines relevant technical terms used in this manual.
Appendix F: Specifications list technical specification of ACS-8960.
Appendix G: Record of Settings provides tables for you to record all ACS-8960 settings
and parameters.
Appendix H: Contact Us lists contact details of Accusys business units around the world.

ACS-8960 User’s Manual
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Using this manual
This guide contains all the information you need to set up and start using your RAID controller
and to monitor its performance in real time. It is intended to be read in a linear manner, though
some instructions may not be applicable to all users. Users may also prefer to skip more
familiar sections, but each of the steps below must be completed.
The setup process will follow these steps:
Prepare: Familiarize yourself with the features and capabilities
of ACS-8960 (Chapter 1)
Make sure you have everything (Chapter 1)
Install: Install SODIMM cache memory and attach the
necessary cables (Chapter 2)
Turn on (Chapter 2)
Configure: Perform Quick Setup (Chapter 3, optional)
Open Monitor Utility (Chapter 4, recommended)
Configure (Chapter 5)
ACS-8960 is available in two configurations differing in their host interfaces:
 SCSI (host) to Serial ATA (disk)
 Fibre (host) to Serial ATA (disk)
This manual contains the information necessary to set up both configurations.
Where procedures for the two configurations differ, they are described
separately and clearly marked.

Preface
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Guide to conventions
Important information that users should be aware of is indicated with the following icons:
This icon indicates the existence of a potential hazard that could result in
personal injury, damage to your equipment or loss of data if the safety
instruction is not observed.
This icon indicates useful tips on getting the most from your RAID controller.
Important terms, commands and programs are put in Boldface font.
Screen text is given in screen font.
Related documents for reference
ACSView/AccuSet User’s Manual: A guide to the GUI applications designed for use with
Accusys 8 series and 9 series RAID controllers. The applications serve as handy and
effective tools for remote, cross-platform monitoring and control of RAID Controllers.

ACS-8960 User’s Manual
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PREFACE....................................................................................................................... 1
NOTICE....................................................................................................................... 1
TRADEMARKS ............................................................................................................ 1
REGULATORY INFORMATION...................................................................................... 2
ABOUT THIS MANUAL................................................................................................. 3
Intended user........................................................................................................ 3
Organization of the manual ................................................................................. 3
USING THIS MANUAL.................................................................................................. 4
GUIDE TO CONVENTIONS............................................................................................ 5
RELATED DOCUMENTS FOR REFERENCE ..................................................................... 5
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................. 11
OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................... 11
KEY FEATURES ........................................................................................................ 12
Serial ATA Compatible...................................................................................... 12
Three Operating Modes..................................................................................... 12
Self-Diagnostic Mode......................................................................................... 12
Configuration Mode........................................................................................... 13
Operation Mode................................................................................................. 13
Two Configuration Utilities............................................................................... 13
Control Panel..................................................................................................... 13
Monitor Utility................................................................................................... 13
Array Management ............................................................................................ 14
Hard Drive Hot Swapping ................................................................................. 14
Automatic Global Hot Spare.............................................................................. 14
Automatic Drive Rebuild.................................................................................... 14
Instant Remote Notification ............................................................................... 14
UPS Support ...................................................................................................... 14
BEFORE YOU BEGIN.................................................................................................. 15
What’s in the box ............................................................................................... 15
ACS-8960 SCSI-SATA package ......................................................................... 15
ACS-8960 FC-to-SATA (copper version) package............................................. 15
ACS-8960 FC-to-SATA (optical version) package............................................. 15
What else you need............................................................................................. 16

Table of Contents
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FAMILIARIZING YOURSELF WITH THE RAID CONTROLLER....................................... 17
Overview............................................................................................................ 17
Control Panel..................................................................................................... 17
Rear view ........................................................................................................... 18
SUPPLIED ACCESSORIES............................................................................................ 18
3-in-1 Combo Cable........................................................................................... 18
RS232 Connection for VT-100/ANSI Terminal-Emulation................................ 18
Default Serial Port Settings ............................................................................... 19
Modem Connection............................................................................................ 19
UPS Connection................................................................................................. 19
CHAPTER 2 INSTALLATION.................................................................................. 20
INSTALLATION FLOWCHART..................................................................................... 20
PRE-INSTALLATION NOTICES.................................................................................... 21
HARDWARE CONFIGURATIONS ................................................................................. 22
SCSI to Serial ATA............................................................................................. 22
Fibre to Serial ATA (copper version)................................................................. 22
Fibre to Serial ATA (optical version)................................................................. 22
CHANGING HARDWARE CONFIGURATIONS................................................................ 23
Removing / replacing control panel................................................................... 24
Removing / replacing the daughterboard........................................................... 24
Removing / replacing backplane........................................................................ 25
Removing / replacing controller board.............................................................. 26
INSTALLING / UPGRADING SODIMM ...................................................................... 27
SODIMM specifications:.................................................................................... 27
Architecture of supported SODIMM:................................................................. 27
Installing SODIMM ........................................................................................... 28
Removing SODIMM........................................................................................... 28
HOST CONNECTION................................................................................................... 29
SCSI configuration............................................................................................. 29
Fibre configuration (copper version)................................................................. 29
Fibre configuration (optical version)................................................................. 29
CABLING .................................................................................................................. 30
TURNING ON FOR THE FIRST TIME............................................................................. 31
TURNING OFF ........................................................................................................... 31
RESTARTING............................................................................................................. 31

ACS-8960 User’s Manual
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CHAPTER 3 QUICK SETUP..................................................................................... 32
QUICK SETUP WITH THE CONTROL PANEL ................................................................ 33
QUICK SETUP WITH THE MONITOR UTILITY .............................................................. 34
CHAPTER 4 ACCESSING THE MONITOR UTILITY ......................................... 36
ESTABLISHING A TERMINAL CONNECTION................................................................ 36
USING THE MONITOR UTILITY ................................................................................. 38
Monitor utility control keys................................................................................ 39
Menu area controls............................................................................................ 39
Output area controls.......................................................................................... 39
CHAPTER 5 CONFIGURATION.............................................................................. 40
CONFIGURATION OVERVIEW .................................................................................... 40
System configuration.......................................................................................... 40
RAID configuration............................................................................................ 41
How to configure ACS-8960.............................................................................. 42
FINDING YOUR WAY AROUND THE MENUS................................................................ 43
ACCESSING THE MAIN MENU .................................................................................... 44
Using Monitor Utility......................................................................................... 44
Control Panel..................................................................................................... 45
SETTING ARRAY PARAMETERS ................................................................................. 46
RAID params menu............................................................................................ 47
SETTING SCSI PARAMETERS.................................................................................... 49
SCSI params menu............................................................................................. 49
SETTING FIBRE PARAMETERS.................................................................................... 51
Fibre params menu............................................................................................ 52
SETTING PORT PARAMETERS .................................................................................... 53
RS232 Params menu.......................................................................................... 53
Modem Port menu.............................................................................................. 54
Terminal Port menu........................................................................................... 54
PASSWORD SECURITY............................................................................................... 55
Password Info menu........................................................................................... 55
ENTERING AND EDITING ALERT SETTINGS ................................................................ 55
PAGER ALERT SETTINGS ........................................................................................... 56
Pager Info menu................................................................................................. 56
FAX ALERT SETTINGS ............................................................................................... 57
Fax Info menu.................................................................................................... 57
Company Info menu........................................................................................... 58

Table of Contents
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MODEM SETTINGS .................................................................................................... 58
Modem Init St menu ........................................................................................... 58
SAVING CONFIGURATIONS........................................................................................ 59
NVRAM menu .................................................................................................... 59
ADVANCED SETTINGS............................................................................................... 60
RAID Functions menu........................................................................................ 60
UPDATING THE FIRMWARE....................................................................................... 62
APPENDIX A TROUBLESHOOTING ..................................................................... 64
APPENDIX B INTRODUCTION TO RAID LEVELS ............................................ 67
RAID 0 ............................................................................................................... 68
RAID 1 ............................................................................................................... 69
RAID 0+1........................................................................................................... 70
RAID 3 ............................................................................................................... 71
RAID 5 ............................................................................................................... 72
APPENDIX C INTRODUCTION TO SERIAL ATA............................................... 73
Cabling............................................................................................................... 73
Simplicity of configuration................................................................................. 73
Hot-Swap capability........................................................................................... 73
Performance....................................................................................................... 74
Cost effectiveness............................................................................................... 74
APPENDIX D CONTROL PANEL MESSAGES ..................................................... 75
APPENDIX E GLOSSARY......................................................................................... 80
APPENDIX F SPECIFICATIONS............................................................................. 82
APPENDIX G RECORD OF SETTINGS.................................................................. 83
HDD INFORMATION................................................................................................. 83
RAID PARAMETERS................................................................................................. 83
Array Parameters............................................................................................... 83
RAID system parameters.................................................................................... 85
SCSI PARAMETERS.................................................................................................. 86
FIBRE PARAMETERS ................................................................................................. 87
San mask parameters......................................................................................... 89
PORT PARAMETERS.................................................................................................. 89
Modem Port ....................................................................................................... 89
Terminal Port..................................................................................................... 89

ACS-8960 User’s Manual
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PASSWORD SETTINGS............................................................................................... 90
PAGER SETTINGS...................................................................................................... 90
FAX SETTINGS.......................................................................................................... 90
Modem Settings.................................................................................................. 90
APPENDIX H CONTACT US.................................................................................... 91
ACCUSYS, INC.......................................................................................................... 91
ACCUSYS U.S.A., INC.............................................................................................. 91
ACCUSYS GERMANY............................................................................................. 91
ACCUSYS KOREA, INC.............................................................................................. 91
ACCUSYS CHINA, INC. ............................................................................................. 92

Chapter 1 – Introduction to ACS-8960
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This chapter introduces the features and capabilities of
ACS-8960.
You will find:
 A full introduction to your ACS-8960 RAID controller
 Details of key features and supplied accessories
 A checklist of package contents



A checklist of what else you need to start installation
Overview
Congratulations on your selection of the Accusys 8960 (ACS-8960) – a high-performance and
extremely flexible RAID (Redundant Array of Independent/Inexpensive Disks) controller.
RAID is a storage technology used to improve the processing capabilities of the storage
system, providing a combination of reliability and performance.
ACS-8960 is designed to meet today’s demand for higher storage solutions. Ideally suited for
integration with databases, e-mail, web servers and imaging systems, ACS-8960 provides
maximum data protection and exceptional performance. ACS-8960 is designed for easy
integration, smooth data expansion and server migration.
ACS-8960 is the ultimate flexible RAID solution. It can manage five different RAID levels,
providing functions including
 Striping (RAID 0)
 Striping with Mirroring (RAID 0+1)
 Mirroring and Duplexing (RAID 1)
 Striping with Parity on Dedicated Disk (RAID 3)
 Striping with Interspersed Parity (RAID 5)
As a result, the ACS-8960 RAID Controller offers a higher range of choices and better
security.
ACS-8960 is available in two configurations differing in their host interfaces:
 SCSI (host) to Serial ATA (disk)
 Fibre (host) to Serial ATA (disk)
This manual contains the information necessary to set up both configurations.
Where procedures for the two configurations differ, they are described
separately and clearly marked.

ACS-8960 User’s Manual
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Key Features
ACS-8960 features the following:
 Support for RAID Levels 0, 1, 0+1, 3 and 5
 Independence from host system
 Independence from operating system
 Intel i80303 64-bit RISC high performance processor
 Supports high performance Serial ATA hard disk drives
 Supports Dual Ultra160 SCSI or 2G fibre channel
 Supports 16 Serial ATA1 channels
 Superior Accusys Array Management Firmware
 Flexible cache size of up to 512MB
 Supports up to 16 logical units
 Supports on-line capacity expansion.
 Automatic Hot Swap, Hot Spare and Drive Rebuild Support
 Bad sector reassignment
 Programmable FAX event notification
 Remote monitoring through RS232 terminal interface
 UPS support through standard UPS interface
Serial ATA Compatible
ACS-8960 is designed for use with the latest generation of high performance HDDs. The
serial ATA disk interface offers 150 MByte/s data transfer, the capacity for hot-plugging, and
compatibility with parallel ATA standards. Serial ATA cables can reach up to 1 meter (2.5 times
the maximum length of IDE ribbon cables) and are far narrower than ribbon cables. This leads
to improved ventilation inside system cases and wider options for disk placement. For further
details of Serial ATA, turn to Appendix C.
Three Operating Modes
ACS-8960 operates in three modes: Self-Diagnostic Mode, Configuration Mode and
Operation Mode.
Self-Diagnostic Mode
To ensure flawless operation, ACS-8960 has a built-in self-diagnostic utility. Self-diagnostic
Mode is entered automatically upon power up, or after the ACS-8960 has been reset. In this
mode, all components are tested, and any potential problems are reported. Once the tests are
complete, ACS-8960 switches automatically to Operation Mode.
Self-Diagnostic Mode runs three major tests. The first diagnostic test covers the CPU and
supporting core logic chips, the internal bus, memory, SCSI controller, Serial ATA controllers,
and RS-232 controllers. The second diagnostic test checks for the presence of disks on each
individual disk channel and the functionality of each disk found. The final diagnostic test
checks RAID functionality.

Chapter 1 – Introduction to ACS-8960
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Configuration Mode
Configuration Mode enables the RAID administrator to configure and modify the settings of
ACS-8960 and fine-tune the configuration. Configuration Mode is entered from Operation
Mode:
1. When the Enter button on the control panel is pressed, or:
2. When the Monitor Utility is invoked from the remote terminal.
ACS-8960 should be off-line and not being accessed by any application when
Configuration Mode is run.
ACS-8960 will automatically switch from Configuration Mode to Operation
Mode after 3 minutes if no buttons are pressed on the controller box control
panel and no action is taken on the Monitor Utility
Full details on changing configurations are given in Chapter 5
Operation Mode
Operation Mode is the default state of ACS-8960. In this mode, the controller box front panel
LCD continuously displays the current status of ACS-8960. A typical display looks like the
following:
ACS-8960
111111111111111 S 1 [Raid No.]
A full explanation of control panel LCD messages is given in Appendix C.
Two Configuration Utilities
There are three ways to configure ACS-8960:
Control Panel
ACS-8960 can be configured directly using the LCD control panel.
Monitor Utility
This embedded menu-based configuration utility is accessed through the host computer
terminal.

ACS-8960 User’s Manual
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Array Management
The unique ACS-8960 array management firmware utilizes multitasking real-time kernel
technology to manage the controller. Additional features are real-time I/O load analysis,
on-line diagnostics, event logging and broadcasting, and device inventory management.
These features can be accessed locally or via modem to allow centralized monitoring and
control of the ACS-8960.
Hard Drive Hot Swapping
Hot Swapping allows for the removal and installation of disk drives without interruption of data
access while the ACS-8960 system is in use. This is usually performed when there is no Hot
Spare drive configured. There is no need to power down the system.
The Hard Drive Hot Swapping facility is not supported by all brands of disk
rack. Contact your vendor for details
Automatic Global Hot Spare
Hot Spare allows for the automatic replacement of a failed drive without requiring intervention
from the administrator. When a disk fails the ACS-8960 will automatically replace the faulty
drive with the configured hot spare disk.
The Global Spare Drive does not serve only a specified logical drive. When a member drive
from any of the logical drives fails, the Global Spare Drive will join that logical drive and
automatically start to rebuild.
Automatic Drive Rebuild
If a member drive in a logical drive fails, the controller will first check whether there is a Local
Spare Drive assigned to this logical drive. If yes, it will automatically start to rebuild.
If there is no Local Spare Drive available, the controller will search for a Global Spare Drive.
If there is a Global Spare Drive, it will automatically rebuild the logical drive.
If neither Local Spare Drive nor Global Spare Drive is available, the controller will not try to
rebuild unless the user applies a manual forced-rebuild.
Instant Remote Notification
ACS-8960 supports but does not require additional software for system monitoring and
analysis. The ACS-8960 array management firmware continuously monitors the system
activity and immediately launches the fax event notification feature if any failure occurs. Up to
two pager numbers and two fax numbers can be notified instantaneously and repeatedly for
extra insurance.
UPS Support
ACS-8960 supports the use of an uninterruptible power supply. In the event of a power
breakdown, a UPS will keep the RAID controller online long enough for its internal cache
memory to be saved to a hard drive.

Chapter 1 – Introduction to ACS-8960
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Before you begin
What’s in the box
Some vendors may ship certain components as standard, while other vendors treat the same
component as optional. In its most basic configuration, your package should include the
following:
ACS-8960 SCSI-SATA package
 ACS-8960 Controller Box ×1 with:
– ACS-7482 SCSI daughter board
 ACS-8960 Controller User’s Manual ×1
 Serial ATA cables ×16
 3-in-1 Combo Cable ×1
 Mounting screws (bag) ×1
ACS-8960 FC-to-SATA (copper version)
package
 ACS-8960 Controller Box ×1 with:
– ACS-7140 daughter board
 ACS-8960 Controller User’s Manual ×1
 Serial ATA cable x 16
 3-in-1 Combo Cable ×1
 3-pin to HSSDC cable x 2 (optional)
 HSSDC to HSSDC cable x 2 (optional)
 Mounting screws (bag) ×1
ACS-8960 FC-to-SATA (optical version)
package
 ACS-8960 Controller Box ×1 with:
– ACS-7141 daughter board
– ACS-5160 bridge board
 ACS-8960 Controller User’s Manual ×1
 Serial ATA cable x 16
 3-in-1 Combo Cable ×1
 HSSDC2 to DC2 cable (50cm) x 2
 10-pin power cable x 1
 Mounting screws (bag) ×1

ACS-8960 User’s Manual
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What else you need
 Serial ATA hard disk drives (different RAID levels requires different numbers of
HDDs. Turn to Appendix B to determine how many HDDs you require)
 Disk array enclosure
 SCSI cable (SCSI host interface only)
 Fibre cable with two 3-pin PTP connectors (fibre host interface only)
 Small form-factor pluggable (SFP) cable (fibre host interface optical version
only)
 SODIMM memory module
 Host computer with SCSI interface (SCSI configuration)
 Host computer with Fibre interface (Fibre configuration)
 External power connector (same type as for HDD)
 Static grounding strap or electrostatic discharge (ESD) safe work area
 Dedicated terminal or PC with third party communication software that supports
ANSI terminal emulation (required for viewing Monitor Utility)
For non-proprietary accessories, such as memory modules, cables, etc., your
vendor may be able to recommend compatible and reliable brands.
The hard drives in a RAID should match in size and speed. All drives in any
array should be identical models with the same firmware versions. RAIDs can
use any size drive, however the smallest drive will determine the size of the
array.
There's no set formula to determine how much cache memory to use, but as a
general rule, a workstation, with mostly very large files, such as for audio or
video editing and playback, graphics or CAD files, can benefit from a large
cache. File servers, with multiple random access of varying file size, generally
have little or no performance improvement with additional cache.
ACS-8960 disk arrays do not require the installation of different drivers for
use with different operating systems. ACS-8960 is independent and
transparent to the host operating system.

Chapter 1 – Introduction to ACS-8960
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Familiarizing yourself with the RAID controller
Overview
Control Panel
The two-line, 16-character LCD displays the
status and configuration information for
ACS-8960.
The Scroll buttons are used to scroll through
screens and highlight menu items
The Enter button is used to select an option
The Escape button is used to cancel a
selection or return to the previous menu
The Power LED lights solid when power is on
The Activity LED indicates that the RAID is being accessed:
Activity LED status Controller status
 Flashing  Data being accessed
 Solid  Unprocessed data still cached in memory
 Unlit  No activity
Full details on configuring with the control panel are given in Chapter 5.
A full list of LCD display messages is given in Appendix C.

ACS-8960 User’s Manual
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Rear view
A
ll ports are located on the rear panel of the
controller.
There are 16 Serial ATA connectors,
numbered one to 16 from right to left.
The Combo connector is for the insertion of
the combo cable introduced below.
The Power connector fits a standard hard
drive power cable head.
Supplied accessories
3-in-1 Combo Cable
The combo cable includes the following connectors:
 An RS232 connector to link to the host terminal COM port enabling use of the
monitor utility
 A modem connector enabling the automatic dispatch of alert faxes
 A monitor connector enabling various monitoring facilities. The default pin
assignments are:
Pins 1+3: Fan failure
Pins 2+4: Temperature failure
Pins 5+7: Power source failure
Pins 6+8: UPS warning
Pins 9 and A are unassigned
RS232 Connection for VT-100/ANSI Terminal-Emulation
The ACS-8960 controller can be configured via a PC running a VT-100 or ANSI
terminal-emulation. In order to connect to a PC, you may need to connect an additional
interface cable to the combo cable, which converts the RS-232 signal of the 10-pin header
connector into a 9-pin D-sub male connector. The pin-layout of the 9-pin D-sub male
connector is similar to that of a PC’s serial power and is set as a DTE device.