Overview: Install the Expansion Cards

Note: DO NOT install or change the installation order of the pre-installed expansion cards in slots 2 and 3 for Xcellis Foundation systems, which are pre-installed in the factory. Only install cards for slot 1 if part of your configuration (optional). If you do not need to install expansion cards in slot 1, continue to Install the Server Memory

Before configuring the system, install the expansion cards and memory (one or more optional memory kits may have been purchased) in the server.

For dual-server (HA) systems, you will install expansion cards and memory in both servers. Complete installation on node 1 before beginning installation of node 2. Make sure to keep the nodes separated during installation so that node 1 remains distinct from node 2 and to help keep the correct parts with its server.

IMPORTANT

  • Be sure to install expansion cards in the slots as described in this section. If you do not install the cards into the correct location, the server airflow can be affected, leading to premature component failure.
  • Images in this section are representative of PCIe expansion cards, generally. Keep in mind that specific PCIe cards vary in size from the cards depicted here. However, the procedures and the positions of the cards are as described here.
  • If there are SFPs for a card, use them ONLY for the specific card being installed. Only install SFPs in the expansion card they came with. Keep QXS SFPs separate from the SFPs used for the server expansion cards.
  • For dual-server (HA) systems, install cards into the identical locations on both servers, since failover operations require the server hardware to be identical in both servers.

Expansion Card Options and Installation Sequence

Install expansion cards in the reverse sequence of their slot number, as indicated below.

Caution: While both tape and disk SAN may be supported on this FC HBA in some storage environments, in others, the storage configuration may require separate/dedicated tape and disk SAN FC HBA cards (Example: IBM LTO drives using the lin_tape driver). See the documentation for your specific disk and/or tape storage to determine if you must have separate FC HBA cards for disk and tape.

Note: Because cards installed in Slot 2 on Expansion Card Riser 1 overlap with cards to be installed in Slot 3, install expansion cards on Expansion Card Riser 3 (Slot 3) FIRST, before installing expansion cards for Slots 2 and 1 on Expansion Card Riser 1.

Figure 1: Expansion Card Installation Order

The following tables display the different card options by installation sequence and expansion slot number.

Continue to Install the Expansion Cards >>

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