Adapters - (NF 8500R - Type 8681)

Adapters

You can add adapters to extend the capabilities and power of the server.

You add the adapters to the expansion connectors, called slots, on the I/O board of the server.
All slots are PCI expansion slots. The server supports up to 12 adapters in the PCI slots.
There are two additional dedicated slots for the I/O function card and the Advanced System Management PCI adapter.

You can install a new PCI adapter or replace an existing PCI adapter with the same type of adapter without turning the server power off and restarting the system.
These slots are called hot-pluggable  PCI slots. They are also referred to as hot-plug PCI slots.

A PCI adapter comes with built-in identification and configuration specifications (set in memory on the device) that provide installation information to the server during startup.
This information is read by the input/output (I/O) bus and interpreted by the server BIOS.
The BIOS routines automatically configure the adapter around the resources already in use by other devices.

The server comes with a video controller.
This video controller is an integrated component on the I/O function card.
The integrated video controller has super video graphics array (SVGA) technology.

The following illustration shows the location of the expansion slots and other components referred to in these steps.

PCI slot LED descriptions: Each PCI slot has two lights associated with it - one Attention/Fail light and one Power On light.

•  Power On Light: This light is on when the PCI slot is active and has power.
   Do not add or remove an adapter from the PCI slot when the Power On light is on.
   When this light is off, the PCI slot is inactive and has no power applied.
   You can install or remove an adapter when the Power On light is off.
   Refer to the operating-system documentation to determine if the operating system supports hot-plug PCI adapters.
•  Attention/Fail Lights: These are bi-color lights.
   When an Attention/Fail light flashes green, it indicates the PCI Hot-Plug Attention function.
   The meaning of the Attention light is defined by the operating system.
   Refer to the operating-system documentation to determine if the operating system supports hot-plug  PCI adapters and, if so, what the Attention light indicates.
   When this light is solid amber, it indicates a failure on the PCI adapter installed in the slot.

Adapter considerations: Before you continue with the adapter-installation procedure:

•  Review and follow the instructions that come with the adapter and the operating system in addition to the  instructions given in this chapter.
   If you need to change the switch or jumper settings on the adapter, follow the instructions that come with the adapter documentation.
•  Manual assignment of interrupts is never required with operating systems that use the Advanced  Programmable Interrupt Controller (APIC) interrupt structure.
   Although you can manually assign interrupts through the Configuration/Setup utility  program, most adapters designed for PCI slots are auto-configuring.
   If the required resources are available, the BIOS software automatically configures  an adapter around the resources already in use by other devices.
   The default setting is generally the most appropriate. If you choose to manually assign  interrupts, be sure that these interrupts do not conflict with existing values.
   If a conflict does occur, see 'Resolving configuration conflicts'.
•  For a list of compatible RAID adapters, and installation requirements, refer to

  http://www.ibm.com/pc/us/compat/

   on the World Wide Web.
   If you install a RAID adapter, configure the adapter using the RAID adapter documentation.

•  The I/O function card slot can support only the I/O function card. It is not an expansion slot.
•  The Advanced System Management PCI adapter slot can support only the Advanced System Management PCI Adapter.
   It is not an expansion slot.

    -Attention- You must have the Advanced System Management PCI  Adapter installed for proper operation of the server and to use the system-management functions that the  adapter provides.
   See 'Understanding the Netfinity 8500R server design' for more information about the Advanced System  Management PCI Adapter.

   The integrated video controller is not removable.  If you want to disable this controller and use a video adapter instead, you can install a video adapter in an expansion slot.
   If you want a monitor to be the startup monitor, install a video adapter in slot 10, 11, or 12.
   When you install a PCI video adapter in one of these slots, the server BIOS automatically disables the integrated video controller.

Table 1 contains information on the requirements for the PCI adapter slots and PCI buses in the server.

Table 1. PCI adapter information 

Bus	Slots	Speed	PCI slot keying
A	10-12	33 MHz	5.0 V
B	8-9	66 MHz	3.3 V
C	6-7	66 MHz	3.3 V
D	1-5	33 MHz	5.0 V

Notes:

1.  All expansion slots are hot-plug, 64-bit, PCI slots.
2.  You can install:
   1.  A full-length or half-length, 32-bit or 64-bit, 5 V or Universal,
       hot-plug or non-hot-plug PCI adapter in slots 1-5 or 10-12.
       66 MHz PCI adapters plugged into these slots will operate at 33 MHz.
   2.  A full-length or half-length, 32-bit or 64-bit, 3.3 V or Universal,
       hot-plug or non-hot-plug PCI adapter in slots 6-7 and 8-9.
       A 33 MHz PCI adapter installed in one of these slots limits a 66 MHz
       PCI adapter installed on the same bus to 33 MHz.
3.  To optimize performance, spread the installation of high-speed adapters,
    such as 66 MHz Ethernet adapters, between the two 66 MHz PCI buses.

Configuring adapters: PCI devices automatically communicate with the server configuration information.
This usually results in automatic configuration of a PCI device.
From the Configuration/Setup utility program, you can select available resources for the adapter that you are installing.
If a conflict does occur, see 'Resolving configuration conflicts'.

Refer to the documentation that comes with the adapter for information about required system resources.
Then, make the appropriate jumper or switch settings on the adapter.

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