National Instruments MXI PCIe-8375 User instructions

Setting Up Your Fiber-Optic
MXI -Express x4 for PXI Express
This document explains how to set up your Fiber-Optic MXI-Express for
PXI Express system.
What You Need to Get Started
To set up and use your PXI Express MXI system, you need the following:
❑One NI PCIe-8375 and one or more NI PXIe-8375 modules
❑One or more Fiber-Optic MXI-Express x4 cables
❑A host PC with an available x4 (or wider) PCI Express slot
Note Using a PCI Express slot wider than x4 may result in negotiation down to x1 width.
Note The NI PCIe-8375 requires a host computer with a PCI Express clock that complies
with the PCI Express Specification. The NI PCIe-8375 may not be compatible with
systems using noncompliant clocks, particularly systems with clocks whose frequency
peaks at more than 100 MHz. Refer to the NI PCIe-8375 Web page on ni.com for more
information.
❑An expansion chassis—the PXI Express/CompactPCI Express chassis
that you control with MXI-Express
Note Your PXI Express Fiber-Optic MXI-Express card will work in any standard
CompactPCI Express chassis adhering to the PICMG CompactPCI Express EXP.0 R1.0
specification, or in PXI Express chassis that are compatible with the PXI Express
Hardware Specification, Revision 1.0 or later. Your PCI Express Fiber-Optic MXI-Express
card will work in systems compliant with the PCI Express Base Specification,
Revision 1.0a and PCI Express Card Electromechanical Specification, Revision 1.0a or
later.
™

Setting Up Your Fiber-Optic MXI-Express for PXI Express 2 ni.com
Unpacking
Your PXI Express Fiber-Optic MXI-Express cards are shipped in antistatic
packages to prevent electrostatic damage (ESD) to the devices. ESD can
damage several components on the device.
Caution Never touch the exposed pins of connectors. Doing so may damage the device.
To avoid such damage in handling the device, take the following
precautions:
• Ground yourself using a grounding strap or by holding a grounded
object.
• Touch the antistatic package to a metal part of the computer case
before removing the device from the package.
Remove the device from the package and inspect the device for loose
components or any sign of damage. Notify NI if the device appears
damaged in any way. Do not install a damaged device into the computer
or PXI Express/CompactPCI Express chassis.
Store the device in the antistatic envelope when not in use.
Installing an NI PCIe-8375
Complete the following steps to install the NI PCIe-8375 in your computer.
1. Power down the computer and remove the top cover to have access to
the PCI Express expansion slots.
2. Touch the metal part of the power supply case inside the computer to
discharge any static electricity that might be on your clothes or body.
Adhere to proper ESD precautions described in the Unpacking section.
3. Unplug the computer.
Caution To protect both yourself and the computer from electrical hazards, your computer
should remain off until you finish installing the NI PCIe-8375.
4. Select any available PCI Express expansion slot (x4 or wider).
Note Using a PCI Express slot wider than x4 may result in negotiation down to x1 width.
Note The BIOS or motherboard may not support the NI PCIe-8375 in a slot intended for
a graphics card.

©National Instruments Corporation 3 Setting Up Your Fiber-Optic MXI-Express for PXI Express
Note The NI PCIe-8375 requires a host computer with a PCI Express clock that complies
with the PCI Express Specification. The NI PCIe-8375 may not be compatible with
systems using noncompliant clocks, particularly systems with clocks whose frequency
peaks at more than 100 MHz. Refer to the NI PCIe-8375 Web page on ni.com for more
information.
5. Locate the metal bracket that covers the cut-out in the back panel of
the computer for the slot you have selected. Remove and save the
bracket-retaining screw and the bracket cover.
6. Line up the NI PCIe-8375 with the slot on the back panel. Slowly lower
the NI PCIe-8375 until its card-edge connector is resting on the
expansion slot receptacle. Using slow, evenly distributed pressure,
press the NI PCIe-8375 straight down until it seats in the expansion
slot, as shown in Figure 1.
7. Reinstall the bracket-retaining screw to secure the NI PCIe-8375 to the
back panel rail.
8. Replace the computer cover.
Figure 1. Installing the NI PCIe-8375
1 NI PCIe-8375
2 PCI Express x4 Card-Edge Connector
3 PCI Express Slot
1
3
2

Setting Up Your Fiber-Optic MXI-Express for PXI Express 4 ni.com
Installing an NI PXIe-8375
Complete the following steps to install the NI PXIe-8375 in your
PXI Express or CompactPCI Express chassis.
Note The NI PXIe-8375 must be installed in the controller slot (slot 1 in PXI Express).
1. Touch a metal part of the chassis to discharge any static electricity that
might be on your clothes or body.
2. Power off your PXI Express or CompactPCI Express chassis and
unplug the computer cord.
Caution To protect both yourself and the chassis from electrical hazards, leave the chassis
off until you finish installing the NI PXIe-8375.
3. Remove or open any doors or covers blocking access to the slot in
which you intend to install the NI PXIe-8375.
4. Make sure the injector/ejector handle is in its downward position.
Be sure to remove all connector packaging and protective caps from
retaining screws on the module. Align the NI PXIe-8375 with the card
guides on the top and bottom of the system controller slot.
Caution Do not raise the injector/ejector handle as you insert the NI PXIe-8375. It will not
insert properly unless the handle is in its downward position so that it does not interfere
with the injector/ejector rail on the chassis, as shown in Figure 2.
5. Hold the handle as you slowly slide the module into the chassis until
the handle catches on the injector/ejector rail.
6. Raise the injector/ejector handle until the module firmly seats into the
backplane receptacle connectors. The front panel of the NI PXIe-8375
should be even with the front panel of the chassis.
Note The LEDs on the back side of the PCB will light up when the board is plugged in.
This indicates that 5 V auxiliary power is present.
7. Tighten the bracket-retaining screws on the top and bottom of the front
panel to secure the NI PXIe-8375 to the chassis.
8. Replace or close any doors or covers to the chassis.

©National Instruments Corporation 5 Setting Up Your Fiber-Optic MXI-Express for PXI Express
Figure 2 shows an NI PXIe-8375 just before installation in the system
controller slot of a National Instruments chassis.
Figure 2. NI PXIe-8375 Card Before Installation
Cabling
Connect the Fiber-Optic MXI-Express x4 cable to the NI PCIe-8375 and
PORT 1 of the NI PXIe-8375. The cables have no polarity, so either end
may be connected to either card.
Note If daisy chaining additional chassis, connect PORT 2 of the NI PXIe-8375 closer to
the system controller to PORT 1 of the NI PXIe-8375 of the daisy chained chassis.
Caution Do not remove the cable after the system is powered on. Doing so can hang
or cause errors in applications communicating with devices behind MXI-Express. If a
cable becomes unplugged, plug it back into the system. You must reboot before you can
continue using your hardware.
Note For more information about cables, refer to the Fiber-Optic MXI-Express Cable
Options section of Chapter 3, Hardware Overview, of the Fiber-Optic MXI-Express x4 for
PXI Express Series User Manual.
1 PXI Express/CompactPCI Express Chassis
2 NI PXIe-8375
3 Ejector Handle in Up Position
4 Injector/Ejector Rail
2
3
1
4
NI PXIe-1062Q

Setting Up Your Fiber-Optic MXI-Express for PXI Express 6 ni.com
Powering On the Fiber-Optic MXI-Express x4 System
Complete the following steps to power on the system.
1. Power on all of the expansion chassis in any order you choose.
2. Power on the host.
Standard PCI-PCI bridges and switches are used to add PCI devices to a
PCI hierarchy in which all the bridges and devices are contained within a
single chassis. Because of this, BIOSes and operating systems make the
assumption that all PCI devices in the entire hierarchy will be available as
soon as code execution begins at power-up time. This assumption means
that all of the expansion chassis must be turned on before the host PC for
the BIOS and OS to correctly configure a MXI-Express system.
Note There are no requirements on how MXI-Express expansion chassis are powered up
relative to each other, as long as they are all on before the computer is powered on.
Checking LEDs for Status
After powering on the system, you should check the LEDs for status to
ensure that all connected systems have linked.
The front-panel LEDs on the NI PCIe-8375 and NI PXIe-8375 indicate the
following:
Note A red blinking LED indicates that the power is out of spec. This can be due to the
NI PCIe-8375/NI PXIe-8375 device not receiving appropriate power from the host
computer or backplane, or because the NI PCIe-8375/NI PXIe-8375 device is damaged.
If possible, try installing the NI PCIe-8375/NI PXIe-8375 device in a different host
computer or PXI Express chassis to narrow down the problem. If the problem appears to
be the NI PCIe-8375/NI PXIe-8375 device, contact NI to arrange for repair.
Table 1-3. NI PCIe-8375 and NI PXIe-8375 Status LED Messages
LED Meaning
Off Power is off
Red, Blinking Power is out of spec
Amber Power is within spec; link not established
Green Power is within spec; link established

©National Instruments Corporation 7 Setting Up Your Fiber-Optic MXI-Express for PXI Express
Powering Down the Fiber-Optic MXI-Express x4 System
Because operating systems and drivers commonly make the assumption
that PCI devices will be present in the system from power-up to
power-down, it is important not to power off the expansion chassis until
after the host PC is powered off. Powering off the expansion chassis while
the host is still on can cause crashes or hangs.
After the host computer has powered down, the order in which expansion
chassis are powered off relative to each other is not important. However, to
power down a chassis that still has its upstream link active, the power
button must be pressed for at least 4 seconds.

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© 2009 National Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved. 372941B-01 Nov09