Dolphin PXIe MXP924 User manual

MXP924 User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 1
Dolphin PXIe System Switch Module MXP924
MXP924 Users Guide
Version 1.5
Date: 4th March 2022

MXP924 User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 2

MXP924 User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 3
Table of Contents
DISCLAIMER................................................................................................................................................................ 4
TERMS AND ACRONYMS............................................................................................................................................. 5
MXP924 HIGH LEVEL SPECIFICATION .......................................................................................................................... 6
PACKAGING................................................................................................................................................................ 6
PXIE SYSTEM SWITCH SLOT ............................................................................................................................................ 6
MXP924 CONFIGURATION ............................................................................................................................................ 6
Thermal Shutdown ............................................................................................................................................... 6
PCIe Wake............................................................................................................................................................ 7
AIRFLOW -OPERATING ENVIRONMENT .............................................................................................................................. 7
CABLE CONNECTIONS .................................................................................................................................................... 7
PCI Express 4.0 Cables........................................................................................................................................... 7
Active Optical PCIe Cables (AOC)........................................................................................................................... 7
INSTALLATION ............................................................................................................................................................ 8
STEP 1-UNPACK BOARD................................................................................................................................................ 8
STEP 2-CONFIGURE THE BOARD FOR PROPER OPERATION ..................................................................................................... 8
STEP 3-ENSURE PROPER AIRFLOW................................................................................................................................... 8
STEP 4-INSTALL THE MXP924....................................................................................................................................... 8
STEP 5-INSTALLING AND REMOVING THE CABLE.................................................................................................................. 8
Connecting the Cable............................................................................................................................................ 8
Cable stain relief................................................................................................................................................... 8
Supported cable lengths ....................................................................................................................................... 8
Disconnecting the Cable ....................................................................................................................................... 9
STEP 7-VERIFY INSTALLATION &LEDS............................................................................................................................. 9
OPERATION ...............................................................................................................................................................10
CONFIGURATION AND DIP SWITCHES ...............................................................................................................................10
DIP Switches........................................................................................................................................................10
DIP-Switch SW1 settings......................................................................................................................................10
DIP-Switch SW2 settings......................................................................................................................................10
DIP Switch settings for MXP924 operation –DIP-Switch-1 ....................................................................................11
USE CASES.................................................................................................................................................................12
Use Case A - 1 Host –Single PXIe Configuration - PCIe x16....................................................................................12
Use Case B –1 Host –Single or Dual PXIe Configuration –PCIe x8 ........................................................................13
Use Case C –1 Host –Daisy chain PXIe Configuration –PCIe x8............................................................................14
EEPROM AND FIRMWARE UPGRADE...............................................................................................................................14
IDENTIFYING THE PXIE MODULE ......................................................................................................................................14
SUPPORT...................................................................................................................................................................15
TECHNICAL INFORMATION ........................................................................................................................................16
BOARD REVISION HISTORY..............................................................................................................................................16
PCIE CABLE PORT SIGNALS ............................................................................................................................................16
EXTERNAL PCIE X4CABLE CONNECTOR PIN-OUT ................................................................................................................16
PCIE CABLE PORT MAPPING ..........................................................................................................................................16
COMPLIANCE AND REGULATORY TESTING.................................................................................................................17
LIMITED WARRANTY..................................................................................................................................................18
WARRANTY PERIOD .....................................................................................................................................................18

MXP924 User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 4
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.
DO NOT USE INFORMATION IN THIS GUIDE TO DESIGN YOUR OWN PCI-SIG COMPLIANT PRODUCT, ALWAYS REFERENCE THE
ORIGINAL PCI-SIG SPECIFICAITON FOR DETAILS.
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.
PCI Express External Cabling specification 4.0 is, as of the release of MXP924, not completed and ratified by the PCI-SIG. The
MXP924 is designed to the new specification, but Dolphin cannot guarantee the card will be compliant to the final 3.0 version.
Dolphin firmware tools can update the CMI implementation.
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.
Scope
This version of the MXP924 Users Guide is valid for BMC firmware version 2.4 and newer.

MXP924 User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 5
Terms and Acronyms
Important terms and acronyms used in this manual
AOC Active Optical Cable. PCIe fiber cable assembly available from Dolphin.
CMI Cable Management Interface. The 2-wire management interface for communication between subsystems
connected by a PCIe 4.0 cable. Details can be found in the PCI-SIG External Cabling Specification 4.0 (draft).
BMC Board Management Controller - Microcontroller on the MXP924 used to manage and implement the CMI
communications.
eXpressWare Dolphin’s software stack for PCIe clustering and IO. Please visit http://www.dolphinics.com/software for more
information.
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.
PCIe 4.0 cable Cable compliant to the preliminary PCI-SIG External Cabling Specification 4.0. Support for CMI.
Port PCIe Cable port. The MXP924 has four x4 ports, named P1, P2, P3, P4. These ports can be merged to two x8
ports, or one x16 port. The physical ports are identified by text on the PCIe brackets.
Wake A mechanism used by a downstream device to request the reapplication of PC main power when in the L2 Link
state / Power mode.

MXP924 User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 6
MXP924 High Level Specification
The MXP924 is PXIe system switch module and support a PCIe uplink to a standard PC for PXIe software control. The PC must use a
compliant MXH932 card. Up to two MXP924 can be connected to a single MXH932. The MXP924 also support daisy chaining PXIe
Chassis. The MXP924 supports PCIe Gen1, Gen2, Gen3 and Gen4 speeds and x1, x2, x4, x8 and x16 link-widths. The module will
operate at the highest common speed shared between the slot and the card (Gen4) and the widest common link-width (x16).
•PCI Express Base Specification, Rev. 4.0
•PCI Express External Cabling specification 4.0 (draft)
•PCI Express Gen4 16.0 GT/s per lane signaling –256 GT/s total signaling.
•PCI Express Gen4 x16 edge connector.
•Compliant with PCI Express Gen1 through Gen4 computers and IO systems, auto detection
•The MXP924 supports transparent connections to IO systems (Host and Target operation)
•Quad SFF-8644 cable connector
oDurability max total 250 mating cycles
•Microchip Switchtec PM40052 PFX PCI Express Gen4 chipset
•100 nanosecond cut-through latency port to port.
•Support for PCIe Wake functionality.
•Automatic Thermal Shutdown to avoid hardware damages (can be disabled)
•Support for PCIe 4.0 SFF-8644 copper cables.
•Support for active optical PCIe complaint fibers (AOC)
•Single System Slot 3U PXI Express, compliant to PXI -5 PXI Express Hardware Specification rev 1.1
•SRNS clocking, Prepared for SRIS clocking
•VAUX powered board management controllers for flexible configuration and cable management
•Flash recovery option. PFX Multi configuration support
•Relative Humidity: 5% - 95% (non- condensing)
•CE and FCC markings
Packaging
The MXP924 product is delivered in a retail box includes the following components.
•MXP924 module
•Anti-static bag
•Getting started guide
PXIe System Switch Slot
The MXP924 must be placed in the PXIe system switch slot. The MXP924 supports PCIe Gen1, Gen2, Gen3 and Gen4 speeds. The
default PXIe backplane configuration is x16 + x8. The module will auto configure to the slot speed and width.
MXP924 Configuration
The MXP924 cable ports can either be configured as a single x4 / x8 / x16 PCIe target for connecting to a MXH932 configured for
host opeation or in daisy-chanin mode for connecting x4 / x8 to the host and a single x4 / x8 to a downstream MXP924.
The default DIP switch setting is transparent target x4 / x8 / x16 operations.
Thermal Shutdown
The MXP924 module includes an overtemperature overheat protection. The BMC will automatically shut down the MXP924 if a
PCIe switch temperature beyond 105°C (221°F) is detected. Similar, if an AOC is plugged in, the MXP924 module will automatically
shut down if the max operating temperature announced by the connected AOC is reached. Please consult the AOC data sheet for
details.
NOTE: The MXP924 link LEDs will start flashing yellow when a PCIe switch temperature of 95°C (203°F) is reached or when the AOC
reports a temperature 5°C (41°F) lower than the max operating temperature.
NOTE: The automatic shutdown can be disabled by setting DIP switch SW2-4. Prior to disabling the automatic shutdown, please
ensure you have established proper airflow.

MXP924 User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 7
PCIe Wake
The MXP924 supports PCIe Wake functionality. To utilize this functionality, you need to set the PXH924 DIP-SW2-2 / Enable Wake
to ON position and use PCIe 4.0 cables to connect to the MXH932. PCIe Wake must also be enabled in the System BIOS.
Airflow - Operating Environment
To maximize lifetime for the product and maintain the warranty, please honor the specified operating temperature, and make sure
the specified air flow is present.
TIP: After installing the Dolphin eXpressWare board management software, you can use the tool dis_diag to determine the actual
board temperatures.
Cable Connections
The MXP924 is designed to support both long and short PCIe copper cables as well as PCIe active optical cables (AOC).
The MXP924 cable ports are compliant to the SFF-8644 industry specification and supports PCIe cables compliant to the PCIe
External Cabling Specification 4.0. Four x4 cables are needed for full PCIe x16 connectivity.
PCI Express 4.0 Cables
When used with cables compliant to the new PCIe External Cable standard 4.0, the MXP924 module will transmit a CMI Reset
message downstream. The module can be connected to a MXP924 in Target mode or any PCIe device compliant to the new cable
standard.
CMI Functionality
The MXP924 BMC firmware release 2.4 and newer supports the following CMI operations when used with PCIe 4.0 cables:
•Publishes card and CMI status information in readable memory map
•Supports sending and receiving CMI reset, wake and power status messages
•Supports receiving indicators (LED/messages).
Active Optical PCIe Cables (AOC)
Dolphin offers active optical PCIe fiber cables up to 100 meters for the MXP924 module. CWAKE and CPOWERON is not supported
using standard PCIe AOC cables.

MXP924 User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 8
Installation
Step 1 - Unpack board
The MXP924 module is shipped in an anti-static bag to prevent static electricity damage. The module 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 MXH924 module or your PXIe components. Always wear a grounded anti-static wrist strap while
the MXP924 is removed from the anti-static bag until it is properly installed in the PXIe chassis.
Unpack the MXP924 from the anti-static bag using proper anti-static procedures.
Step 2 - 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 10 for details.
Step 3 - Ensure proper Airflow
Please pay proper attention to ensure the selected server / slot position provides the minimum required airflow.
TIP: Immediately after software installation, please use the dis_diag tool to verify the temperature. If the chip temperature
reported by dis_diag exceeds 95°C, it is strongly recommended to improve the airflow.
Step 4 - Install the MXP924
Before installing the module, make sure you are properly grounded to avoid static discharges that may destroy your computer or
the PXIe module. Ensure you are properly grounded before opening your PXIe chassis or the anti-static bag
containing the MXP924. Please follow your PXIe chassis manual on how to install a PXIe System switch module.
The MXP924 supports PCI Express Gen1, Gen2, Gen3 and Gen4 backplanes. Please review the list of supported and
approved PXIe chassis
Step 5 - Installing and Removing the Cable
Installing and removing cables should be done with the PXIe chassis powered off.
Connecting the Cable
Please carefully install the cable connector into the connector housing on the MXP924 module. Cable port 1 is located at the top of
the face plate bracket. To install the cable, match the cable house with the connector on the MXP924. Use even pressure to insert
the connector until it is secure. Adhere to ESD guidelines when installing the cables to ensure you don’t damage the board.
Computer 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.
Cable stain relief
Strain-relief on the PCIe cables are important to protect the PCIe card from fatigue loading and damages. The cable should be
mechanically connected to the rack or cabinet. This is especially important for long heavy cables and cables going between cabinets
and racks.
Supported cable lengths
The MXP924 supports both copper and active optical PCIe cables (AOC). Maximum lengths between two MXP924 modules can be
found in Table 1 below. The maximum distance may change when connecting to other PCIe products.
Cable
Speed
Max Distance
Copper PCIe 4.0 cables
Gen4
3 meters (4-5 meters being qualified)
PCIe Active Optical cables (AOC)
Gen4
100 meters
Table 1: Cable Specifications

MXP924 User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 9
Disconnecting the Cable
Please carefully pull the release tab to release the cable from the locking latches and gently pull the cable out of the connector
guides.
Step 7 - Verify Installation & LEDs
The MXP924 comes with 4 RGB LEDs which show the corresponding cable port status according to Table 2: LED below.
The LEDs are visible through cut-outs in the front panel below each port.
LED color
Function
Off
No cable installed, or PXIe not powered
Yellow
Cable installed, no link
Yellow blink
Temperature overheat warning, please immediately improve cooling to
avoid thermal damages or system shutdown.
White
Cable installed, link operational Gen1 speed
Blue
Cable installed, link operational Gen2 speed
Green blinking
Cable installed, link operational Gen3 speed
Green
Cable installed, link operational Gen4 speed
Red blink
Link Reset
Table 2: LED behavior

MXP924 User’s Guide – Dolphin Interconnect Solutions Page 10
Operation
Configuration and DIP Switches
The MXP924 has two banks of 8 DIP switches. The default factory setting for the MXP924 is Transparent Target mode, single (up to
x16) link connection.
The MXP924 has DIP switches for setting special modes or operations, the meaning of each DIP switch depends on the loaded
firmware. Please carefully read the documentation shipped with the module before modifying any DIP switch settings. Please pay
close attention to ON and OFF positions written on the DIP switch.
DIP Switches
Figure 1: DIP Switch shows the DIP switch for the MXP924. It is used to configure the PXIe
module. Please leave all undocumented DIP switches in the default position. Table 3: DIP
SW1 settings and Table 4: DIP-SW2 settings below shows all the various DIP switch settings
for the MXP924.
Note: DIP switch configuration options may be changed in the future versions.
Please always consult the latest user guide for details. The table above is valid for
version 1.5.
DIP-Switch SW1 settings
SW1 DIP
no.
Description
ON
OFF
Default
1-8
Configuration selector, details
below
OFF
Table 3: DIP SW1 settings
DIP-Switch SW2 settings
SW2 DIP
no.
Description
ON
OFF
Default
1
Reserved, leave in Default OFF
OFF
2
Enable Wake
Enable PCIe WAKE
PCIe Wake Disabled
OFF
3
Reserved, leave in Default OFF
OFF
4
Disable thermal shutdown
Thermal shutdown
disabled
Shut down the switch if
critical temperature
reached.
OFF
5-8
Reserved, leave in Default OFF
OFF
Table 4: DIP-SW2 settings
Figure 1: DIP Switch