Expansion Tower - IBM eserver i5 Handbook

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Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI). PCI standards can refer to the I/O
bus, the I/O card slots, and the I/O cards themselves. Vendors can, and do,
implement extensions to these standards where the standard hasn't evolved to
cover the function, or other customer benefits are seen. IBM tends to implement
the standards, adding extensions for function, performance, and reliability.
Like any good set of standards in a dynamic environment, PCI standards
continue to evolve. A second generation of PCI standards was implemented in
2000 on the iSeries Model 270, 820, 830, and 840 I/O, and the I/O towers, such
as the #5074 PCI Expansion Tower. A number of new PCI I/O cards (IOAs) were
also introduced. Excellent investment leverage was provided, as most of the first
generation PCI cards worked in the new PCI slots. Most second generation PCI
cards worked in the first PCI slots.
PCI-X
In 2002 and 2003, the third generation of PCI standards for iSeries was
implemented, called
PCI standard and enables function and performance for iSeries servers beyond
that of PCI. This new standard keeps pace with the demands of high-bandwidth
business-critical applications such as Fibre Channel, RAID, networking and
SCSI. PCI-X adapters also run in PCI slots, but a the slower PCI speed.
Several PCI-X IOAs are introduced with i5/OS, again providing an excellent
investment leverage. PCI-X slots are provided in iSeries Models 520, 550, 570,
595, 825, 870, and 890 and in I/O towers such as the #5094 and #5095 PCI-X
Expansion Towers. Second generation PCI cards work in the PCI-X slots, and
some of the first generation PCI cards work in the PCI-X slots. PCI-X cards can
work in the second generation PCI slots.
Hot-plugging
Hot-plugging
disk, tape, or optical drives, or I/O cards. Hot-plugging allows a customer to
remove or add an I/O device or card without taking the server down. This
improves availability of the system and allows you to perform upgrades,
maintenance, or repair without impacting the users of the system.
Driven by the demand for the highest possible availability, the iSeries advanced
technology enables concurrent install of new IOPs, adapters, and devices by
allowing the user to select a specific device, powering it down and removing it
safely from the system. The server can add hardware to deactivated slots or bays
and after insertion and powerup recognize this new hardware, load the correct
internal code, and make the functions of the newly installed hardware available
without interrupting normal operations.
IBM Eserver i5 and iSeries System Handbook
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PCI-X
. PCI-X is a higher speed version of the conventional
is an industry phrase which can apply to either I/O devices such as
Draft Document for Review October 18, 2004