Dolphin MXH94 Series User manual

MXH94x / MXH95x Transparent Adapter User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 1
Dolphin
MXH94x / MXH95x Transparent
Adapter Users Guide
Version 1.0
Date: 20th January 2021

MXH94x / MXH95x Transparent Adapter User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 2

MXH94x / MXH95x Transparent Adapter User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 3
Table of Contents
DISCLAIMER.......................................................................................................................................................................4
TERMS AND ACRONYMS....................................................................................................................................................5
HIGH LEVEL SPECIFICATION ...............................................................................................................................................6
PCIE GEN4LINK TRANSPARENT PRODUCT VARIANTS....................................................................................................................6
PCIE GEN3LINK TRANSPARENT PRODUCT VARIANTS....................................................................................................................6
DETAILED SPECIFICATIONS......................................................................................................................................................6
MXH94x Maximum DC current across input voltage ranges..........................................................................................7
MXH95x Maximum DC current across input voltage ranges..........................................................................................7
PACKAGING.......................................................................................................................................................................8
PRE-INSTALLATION QUESTIONS.........................................................................................................................................8
PCIE SLOT DETERMINATION...................................................................................................................................................8
ADAPTER CARD CONFIGURATION ............................................................................................................................................8
OPERATING ENVIRONMENT ...................................................................................................................................................8
CABLE CONNECTIONS ...........................................................................................................................................................8
INSTALLATION ...................................................................................................................................................................9
STEP 1-UNPACK BOARD.......................................................................................................................................................9
STEP 3-CONFIGURE THE BOARD FOR PROPER OPERATION ............................................................................................................9
STEP 4-INSTALL THE ADAPTER CARD .......................................................................................................................................9
STEP 5-INSTALLING AND REMOVING CABLES.............................................................................................................................9
Connecting Cables .......................................................................................................................................................9
Disconnecting Cables...................................................................................................................................................9
STEP 6-INSTALLING THE DOLPHIN MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE .......................................................................................................9
STEP 7–VERIFY INSTALLATION &LEDS..................................................................................................................................10
OPERATION .....................................................................................................................................................................11
CONFIGURATION AND DIP SWITCHES .....................................................................................................................................11
DIP Switch Bank –Configuration................................................................................................................................11
DIP Switch settings for Transparent Host operation....................................................................................................12
DIP Switch settings for Transparent Target operation.................................................................................................12
TRANSPARENT USE CASES ...............................................................................................................................................12
TRANSPARENT USE CASE A-1HOST –SINGLE EXPANSION CONFIGURATION ...................................................................................12
Connecting the cables for single expansion, x16 link...................................................................................................12
Connecting the cables for single expansion, x8 link.....................................................................................................13
TRANSPARENT USE CASE B–1HOST -DUAL EXPANSION CONFIGURATION .....................................................................................13
TRANSPARENT USE CASE C–1HOST -QUAD EXPANSION CONFIGURATION.....................................................................................13
EEPROM AND FIRMWARE UPGRADE.....................................................................................................................................14
IDENTIFYING THE CARD .......................................................................................................................................................14
SUPPORT.........................................................................................................................................................................15
TECHNICAL INFORMATION ..............................................................................................................................................16
BOARD REVISION HISTORY....................................................................................................................................................16
SIMPLIFIED SCHEMATICS......................................................................................................................................................16

MXH94x / MXH95x Transparent Adapter User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 4
PENDING COMPLIANCE AND REGULATORY TESTING.......................................................................................................17
LIMITED WARRANTY........................................................................................................................................................18
WARRANTY PERIOD ...........................................................................................................................................................18
COVERAGE.......................................................................................................................................................................18
SERVICE PROCEDURE ..........................................................................................................................................................18
DISCLAIMER
DOLPHIN INTERCONNECT SOLUTIONS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES WITHOUT FURTHER NOTICE TO ANY OF ITS PRODUCTS
TO IMPROVE RELIABILITY, FUNCTION, OR DESIGN.
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, DOLPHIN WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, LOST DATA, OR LOSS OF USE) ARISING OUT OF ANY USE OF DOLPHIN’S
PRODUCTS, SOFTWARE OR SERVICE PROVIDED. DOLPHIN’S MAXIMUM LIABILITY WILL NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL AMOUNT PAID FOR THE
PRODUCT BY THE PURCHASER.
LIFE SUPPORT POLICY
DOLPHIN INTERCONNECT SOLUTIONS’ PRODUCTS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED FOR USE AS CRITICAL COMPONENTS IN LIFE SUPPORT
DEVICES.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
Dolphin is minimizing the amount of printed documentation and software CDs in its shipments; please download additional
documentation and software from www.dolphinics.com.

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Terms and acronyms
Important terms and acronyms used in this manual
BMC Board Management Microcontroller on the adapter card.
eXpressWare Dolphins software stack for PCIe clustering and IO. Please visit http://www.dolphinics.com/software for
more information.
FireFly™ Optical fiber solution for PCIe over cable from Samtec Inc
Transparent Host mode The card is installed in a root complex / Host PC and configured for Transparent operation.
Transparent Hot Add Attaching an IO Expansion system after the server is booted.
Target mode The card is installed in an expansion chassis or backplane for Transparent IO expansion.
Lane One PCI Express Lane contains a differential pair for transmission and a differential pair for reception.
Link A collection of one or more PCI Express Lanes providing the communication path between an Upstream
and Downstream Port.
NTB mode The card is configured for Non Transparent Bridge operations. Requires Dolphin eXpressWare or custom
NTB drivers.
Port PCIe Cable port. The adapter card, depending on the model, has up four x4 ports, named P1, P2, P3, P4 or
up to two x8 ports, named P1 and P2. The physical ports are identified by text on the PCIe brackets.

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High Level Specification
The MXH94x and MXH95x are a family of low profile, half-length PCIe adapters utilizing the Samtec FireFly™ optical transceivers. It is
available in several variants to support various use cases and configurations. All boards are using a Gen4 PCIe switch from Microchip.
The MXH94x boards are equipped with Samtec FireFly™ PCIe Gen4 optical transceivers. The MXH95x boards are equipped with the
Samtec FireFly™ PCIe Gen3 optical transceivers.
This manual covers all transparent variants of these cards. Please reference the tables below for details. Some variants come with NTB
enabled firmware and are bundled with Dolphins eXpressWare. Please reference the Dolphin
MXH94x / MXH95x NTB Adapter Users Guide if you have one of the NTB enabled variants.
Each card operates at the highest common speed shared between the slot and the card (Gen4) and the widest common link-width
(x16).
PCIe Gen4 Link Transparent Product variants
The variants in the table below support PCIe Gen4 link speed, Transparent Host and Target operations and come with a license to use
the eXpressWare Board Management Software. Each Model has different FireFly™ optical engines mounted depending on your use case
and requirements:
SKU / Model
#FireFly™
PCIe Configurations
Required Fiber cable
MXH942
2 x8
Transparent x16 / 2 x8
2 units 24 fiber MPO
MXH945
4 x4
Transparent x16 / 2 x8 / 4 x4
4 units 12 fiber MPO
MXH946
1 x8
Transparent x8
1 unit 24 fiber MPO
MXH947
2 x4
Transparent x8 / 2 x4
2 units 12 fiber MPO
MXH948
1 x4
Transparent x4
1 unit 12 fiber MPO
NOTE: Please note that cards utilizing 24 fiber MPO cannot be connected to cards utilizing 12 fiber MPO.
PCIe Gen3 Link Transparent Product variants
The variants in the table below support PCIe Gen3 link speed, Transparent Host and Target operations and come with a license to use
the eXpressWare Board Management Software. Each Model has different FireFly™ optical engines mounted depending on your use case
and requirements:
SKU / Model
#FireFly™
PCIe Configurations
Required Fiber cable
MXH952
2 x8
Transparent x16 / 2 x8
2 units 24 fiber MPO
MXH955
4 x4
Transparent x16 / 2 x8 / 4 x4
4 units 12 fiber MPO
MXH956
1 x8
Transparent x8
1 unit 24 fiber MPO
MXH947
2 x4
Transparent x8 / 2 x4
2 units 12 fiber MPO
MXH948
1 x4
Transparent x4
1 unit 12 fiber MPO
NOTE: Please note that cards utilizing 24 fiber MPO cannot be connected to cards utilizing 12 fiber MPO.
Detailed specifications
•PCI Express Base Specification, Rev. 4.0.
•PCI Express CEM Specification, Rev. 4.0.
•PCI Express Gen4 16 GT/s per lane signaling –256 GT/s total signaling. Variants utilizing Gen3 FireFly™ modules are
limited to PCIe Gen3 8 GT/S signaling rate on the optical link.
•PCI Express Gen4 x16 edge connector. The card installs in any PCI Express slot that has a physical x16 connector.
•Compliant with PCI Express Gen1 through Gen4 computers and IO systems, auto detection.
•MPO cable connector

MXH94x / MXH95x Transparent Adapter User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 7
•Transparent Cable port configurations, up to
oOne x16
oTwo x8
oFour x4 (Supported using MXH946 and MXH956 only)
•Pre-loaded firmware configurations, DIP switch selectable. Please reference the adapter card firmware release note for
details.
•Microchip / Microsemi Switchtec PM40036B PFX PCI Express Gen4 chipset. (PM40052B used in Rev A and B cads)
•100 nanosecond cut-through latency port to port.
•Support for optical patch cables up to 100 meters.
•Low profile, Half-length - PCI Express Electromechanical Specification, Rev 4.0.
•Dimensions 167.65mm (6.600 inches) x 68.90 mm (2.731 inches)
•Host clock isolation. Automatic support for host running CFC or SSC mode.
•VAUX powered board management controllers for flexible configuration and cable management.
•Flash recovery option. PFX Multi configuration support.
•Operating Temperature: 0°C - 55°C (32°F - 131°F), Air Flow: 700 LFM
•Relative Humidity: 5% - 95% (non- condensing)
•Regulatory
oRoHS
oEMC testing for CE and FCC in progress
•One year warranty
MXH94x Maximum DC current across input voltage ranges
MXH94X
#FireFly™
12V
3.3V
VAUX
1
1.97 A
0.84 A
0.35 A
2
2.30 A
0.84 A
0.35 A
3
2.62 A
0.84 A
0.35 A
4
2.95 A
0.84 A
0.35 A
MXH95x Maximum DC current across input voltage ranges
MXH95X
#FireFly™
12V
3.3V
VAUX
1
1.76 A
0.84 A
0.35 A
2
1.88 A
0.84 A
0.35 A
3
2.00 A
0.84 A
0.35 A
4
2.12 A
0.84 A
0.35 A
Note:
25 W Slot specification for +12V rail is 2.1 A max.
75 W slot specification for +12 V rail is 5.5 A max.

MXH94x / MXH95x Transparent Adapter User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 8
Packaging
The products are delivered includes the following components.
•Adapter Board with pre mounted FireFly™ modules and standard profile bracket.
•Anti-static bag
•Getting started guide with serial number for quick download of Dolphins PCIe software.
Pre-Installation Questions
Certain steps should be taken prior to installing the adapter card. You should determine the following configuration requirements.
•Which PCIe slot will the card be installed?
•What is the speed and link width of the installation slot?
•What is the operating environment around the installed card?
•What quantity, type, and length of patch cable will be used?
•Are the operational conditions proper - temperature and air-flow?
PCIe Slot Determination
The adapter card supports PCIe Gen1, Gen2, Gen3 and Gen4 speeds. The adapter card must be installed in physical x16 connector but
supports x1, x2, x4, x8 and x16 electrical slot-widths. The slot width and speed will affect the performance of the adapter card. The
adapter card will auto configure to the slot speed and width.
NOTE:
•Install the adapter card in a slot connecting directly to the CPU for optimal IO latency.
•Install the adapter card behind a PCIe switch in the IO system for optimal PCIe peer to peer performance (e.g. between GPUs,
FPGAs)
Adapter Card Configuration
The adapter card has a DIP switch bank to control the main configuration of the card. The DIP switch labeled SW1 can be found close to
the upper edge of the board. The default DIP switch setting is Transparent Host operation, singe, full width link.
Operating Environment
To maximize lifespan for the product and maintain the warranty, please honor the specified operating temperature and make sure the
specified air flow is present. Special care should be considered when the adapter card is used in office type cabinets in combination with
other high energy consuming PCIe devices, e.g. not active cooled GPUs:
Operating Temperature: 0°C - 55°C (32°F - 131°F), Airflow: 700 LFM
Relative Humidity: 5% - 95% (non- condensing)
TIP: After installing the Dolphin management software, you can use the tool dis_diag to determine the actual adapter card
temperatures (PCIe switch, FireFly™ etc.).
Cable Connections
The adapter cards are designed for 12 or 24 fiber MPO optical patch cables. Please carefully select the 12 or 24 fiber path cables
specified for each product variant.
NOTE: Please note that all cards utilizing 24 fiber MPO cannot be connected to cards utilizing 12 fiber MPO.

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Installation
Step 1 - Unpack board
The adapter card is shipped in an anti-static bag to prevent static electricity damage. The card should only be removed from the bag
after ensuring that anti-static precautions are taken. Static electricity from your clothes or work environment can damage
your PCI Express adapter card or your PC. Always wear a grounded anti-static wrist strap while opening the PC and when
the adapter card is removed from the anti-static bag.
Unpack the adapter card from the anti-static bag using proper anti-static procedures.
Step 3 - Configure the Board for Proper Operation
Set the DIP switch settings for proper operation depends on the firmware. Please refer to the section Configuration and DIP Switches on
page 11 for details.
Step 4 - Install the Adapter Card
Before installing the adapter card, make sure you are properly grounded to avoid static discharges that may destroy your computer or
the adapter card. Ensure you are properly grounded before opening your computer or the anti-static bag containing the
adapter card. Please follow your computer’s or expansion chassis manual on how to install a PCI Express card.
The adapter card can only be installed into any PCI Express x16 physical slot. The adapter card supports PCI
Express Gen1, Gen2, Gen3 and Gen4 signaling. The adapter card supports hosts using either spread spectrum or constant
frequency clocking. The card implements clock isolation.
Step 5 - Installing and Removing Cables
Installing and removing cables in NTB or Transparent Hot Add mode can be done while the systems are running. Hot
plugging / removing cables are fully supported. The fiber optic cable(s) are connected to the MPO connector(s) found on
the PCIe bracket. The bracket will have one or two, single or dual MPO connectors depending on the board configuration.
Connecting Cables
Please carefully install the fiber patch cable connector into the connector housing on the adapter card. To install the
cable, remove the protective cover on both the cable and the card, match the cable house keying with the MPO
connector on the adapter card and use light pressure to insert the connector until it is latched. Cables should always use
strain relief to protect the connected equipment from excessive force on the cable. This is especially important for cables
between racks. Please always save the protective covers for future use if the cable is disconnected from the card.
Disconnecting Cables
Please carefully pull the release tab to release the cable from the locking. Always replace the protective cover on both the
card and the cable after disconnecting the cable.
Step 6 - Installing the Dolphin Management Software
The adapter card is compliant with Dolphin’s Board Management Software package for the MX product line. Please visit
http://www.dolphinics.com/mx
to register and download the latest documentation and software. It is recommended to follow the quick installation guide found on the
web page above to install the software for your operating system.
Note to PXH84x users:

MXH94x / MXH95x Transparent Adapter User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 10
If you are migrating from any of the PCIe Gen3 PXH84x adapter cards to the MXH94x or MXH95x cards, you need to uninstall the PX
software and install the MX software.
TIP: Dolphin provides software and documentation for several product families; please remember to select the MX product family
before downloading. The MXH94x and MXH95x requires Dolphin software version DIS 5.18.0 or higher to operate.
The software download requires a password to log in. The password will automatically be emailed to you if you follow the instructions
found on the getting started document bundled with the adapter card. If you fail to provide the correct serial number found on the
getting started document, your request will be managed manually.
Step 7 –Verify Installation & LEDs
The adapter card comes with 4 bi-color LEDs which show the corresponding cable port status according to Table 1: LED below.
The LEDs are visible through cut-outs in the PCIe bracket on each side of the cable connector block.
LED color
Function
Off
No cable installed
Yellow
Cable installed, no link
Green
Cable installed, link operational
Table 1: LED behavior