Yawarra ALIX 2 User manual

Dual rack mount ALIX 2
Quick Start Guide
Thank you for purchasing a dual rack mount ALIX 2 server.
Your package should contain:
1 U rack mount server case
Cover plate and hex screws for empty board slots
ack mounting screw set
Optional Extras
1 or 2 x slide rail kits to suit the ALIX 2-2 or ALIX 2-3 boards
➢4 x wide and 2 x narrow aluminium strips, 1 locator strip, 4 x nylon spacers,
4 x M3 x12 screws, punched cover plate, 2 x hex screws, hex key, 2 x
optional thumb screws
1 or 2 x ALIX 2-2 or ALIX 2-3 boards
Please read the following instructions to begin using your dual rack mount ALIX 2.
© Yawarra Tiny Computers April 2014

Rack mount ALIX 2 – Quick Start Guide 2
Things you will need
Tools
Anti-static wrist strap
2mm hex key (supplied)
Phillips head screwdriver
Compact Flash card reader
(optional)
Null modem cable (optional)
Materials
If you don't have them already, you'll need:
1 or 2 x ALIX 2-2 or ALIX 2-3 boards
Compact Flash Card (1 per board)
miniPCI cards (optional) e.g. wireless
adapter, VPN accelerator
Power supply (1 per board)
Operating system image
Instructions
Safety Note
The ALIX boards, like all electronic equipment, are sensitive to damage from static discharge.
To avoid damage caused by static discharge, we strongly recommend that you use an anti-
static wrist strap when handling the boards.
Step 1 Install the boards into the rack mount case (optional
If your boards are not installed in the rack mount case, you may need to do the following:
1. emove the five (5) screws from the top of the case and remove the top of the case.
2. Place the nylon spacers over the four standoffs in the base of the case.
3. Sandwich one (1) of the narrower aluminium strips between two (2) of the wider
aluminium strips, ensuring that the holes are aligned.
4. For the set of strips that goes on the right hand side, place the locator strip on the top,
with the bent end at the rear, pointing downwards.
5. Insert one M3 x12 screw through each set of holes in the assembled aluminium strips.
6. Place the screws into the standoffs, through the nylon spacer, ensuring that the channel
created by the strips is toward the centre of the board slot, and tighten the screws.
7. epeat for the other side.
8. eplace the top of the case and tighten the screws.
Note: Leave the case top off if installing ALIX boards for the first time.
9. emove the serial port screws from the board.
10. Locate the cover plate on the front of the board, ensuring it is the right way around
(power hole closer to the bottom).
11. einsert the serial port screws loosely, to hold the cover plate onto the board.
12. Holding the cover plate by the top and bottom, slot the edges of the ALIX board into the
channels in the slide rails.
13. [First time installation only] Loosen the right hand slide rail screws to allow the locator
strip to slide back and forth.
14. [internal PSU only] Connect power plug to header on front right corner of board.
15. Slide the board into the case, ensuring that the cover plate sits flush against the case front.
16. Insert and tighten the cover plate screws.
Note: For easy access to the board, we recommend using the optional thumb screws.
For infrequent access to the board, the hex screws provide a more secure option.
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Rack mount ALIX 2 – Quick Start Guide 3
17. [First time installation only] Push on the rear of the locator strip with one hand while
pushing on the right-hand end of the cover plate with the other hand so that the right-
hand front edge of the ALIX board is hard up against the cover plate. While holding this
pressure with one hand, tighten the slide rail screws to lock the locator strip in place.
You should still be able to insert and remove the board by sliding, but the ports should
not move when pushed. eplace the top of the case and tighten the screws.
Note: If the board seems tight, you can adjust the thickness of the centre (narrow) slide
rail strip by disassembling the rails, attaching a piece of adhesive tape to the underside of
the narrow rail and re-assembling the rails.
18. Tighten the serial port screws.
Step 2 Slide the board out from the case
To install the Compact Flash (CF) and/or miniPCI cards into the boards in the rack mount
ALIX 2, you will need to slide the board out of the front of the case:
1. Disconnect power and all cables.
Note: The CF socket on this machine is not hot-swappable.
2. Using a hex key, remove the two hex head screws from the cover plate on the front of
the case. If you are using the optional thumb screws, remove them by hand.
3. Holding the cover plate by the top and bottom, slide the board out of the case.
Note: You can insert a network cable into an ethernet port and use it as a handle instead.
Step 3 Configure and install a Compact Flash card
To use your rack mount ALIX 2, you will need to have a CF card with a suitable operating
system installed in the CF socket on the board.
If your CF card does not already have an operating system installed, you can either mount the
CF card in another machine (e.g. via a flash card reader or a CF to IDE adapter) and copy a
boot image onto it, or network boot the board. The ALIX boards support many operating
systems including BSD, Linux and a number of proprietary O/S's
Installation
Insert the CF card into the socket, label up. Ensure the CF card is fully engaged in the socket.
The card should not extend past the edge of the board.
Removal
To remove the CF card from the board, grasp the CF card firmly between thumb and index
finger and pull straight out, taking care not to lift or twist the card as this may damage the
connector pins.
Step 4 Install the miniPCI card(s (optional
Insert your miniPCI card into the miniPCI slot at an angle of about 45° to the board. If you
are installing a radio card, attach the u.fl end of the pigtails to the connectors on the wireless
card. Ensure that the card is firmly seated in the slot and then lay it onto the board, pressing
down until the locking tabs on either side of the card click into place.
© Yawarra Tiny Computers April 2014

Rack mount ALIX 2 – Quick Start Guide 4
Step 5 Slide the board back into the case
Before you can begin using your ALIX 2, you will need to slide the board back into the case.
1. Ensuring that the edges of the ALIX board are properly engaged in the slide rails, slide the
board back into the case.
2. eplace the cover plate screws and tighten.
Note: For easy access to the board, we recommend using the optional thumb screws.
For infrequent access to the board, the hex screws provide a more secure option.
Step 6 Connect to the serial console (optional
If you want to configure your operating system via the console, you will need to connect to
the serial port via a null modem cable.
Terminal emulator settings
ALIX board: 38400 baud, 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, no flow control.
Step 7 Apply power
External PSU
Plug the power supply into the DC jack on the rack mount ALIX 2.
Internal PSU
Connect IEC cable to socket st rear of case and turn switch to on.
The board will go through its boot up cycle, which you can watch if you are connected to the
serial console.
Your rack mount ALIX 2 is ready to use!
More information
For more detailed instructions on using your rack mount ALIX 2, please visit our website at
www.yawarra.com.au and download the manufacturer's user guides for the boards.
Contact us
Please feel free to contact us if you have any queries regarding your rack mount ALIX 2.
Yawarra Tiny omputers
Website www.yawarra.com.au
Email [email protected]
Phone [phone]
Mail PO Box 606, Boronia VIC 3155, Australia
© Yawarra Tiny Computers April 2014