Functional Overview; Pcie-8371 Overview - National Instruments PCIe-8371 User Manual

Functional Overview

MXI-Express x4 is based on PCI Express technology. A MXI-Express x4 kit uses PCI Express
switches to enable control of a PXI Express or CompactPCI Express chassis from a PC with an
available PCI Express slot, or from a PXI Express chassis with an available PXI Express slot.
The switch architecture is transparent to device drivers, so no additional software is needed for
CompactPCI Express level support for PXI Express devices in connected chassis.
For full PXI/PXI Express functionality such as chassis and controller
Note
identification, trigger routing, and slot detection, install the PXI Platform Services
software included with your kit. You also can find this software at
updates
The link between the PC and the chassis is a x4 cabled PCI Express link. This link is a dual-
simplex communication channel comprised of four low-voltage, differentially driven signal
pairs. The link can transmit at a rate of 10 Gbps in each direction simultaneously.
This port is compatible with the cabled PCI Express specification developed
Note
by the PCI-SIG.
The BIOS of some host machines may not support the extension of the PCI-Express fabric or
PCI bus. Because this is the primary function of MXI-Express x4 products, those systems may
not boot or function correctly. To address this issue, certain MXI-Express x4 products have
additional functionality intended to hide all PCI or PCI-Express resources that are connected
to the host machine, and allow NI MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility Software to handle the
enumeration process of these resources instead of the BIOS.
In the cases where this software is required, there may be a dip switch on the board that needs
to be toggled as instructed by the documentation for the software. The functional block
diagram illustrates the location and availability of the dip switch package. Only the first dip
switch in the package is used for this purpose. The other switches serve no function and should
be left in their default position.
Unless NI MXI-Express BIOS Compatibility Software is installed on the host
Note
machine for use, the BIOS Compat Mode dip switch (switch 1) should remain in the
off position. If this mode is enabled on a MXI-Express x4 product in a host machine
that does not have the software installed, the operating system will not detect
connected devices.

PCIe-8371 Overview

With the PCIe-8371, you can control PXI Express and CompactPCI Express systems from a
x4 or higher PCI Express slot in your desktop or server PC.
The PCIe-8371 includes one x4 PCI Express link that provides up to 798 MB/s of sustained
throughput when cabled to a single PXI Express chassis. The PXIe-PCIe-8371 kit consists of
1
On certain legacy MXI-Express x4 products that contain the dip switch package, the secondary
switches may serve a reserved purpose.
by searching for PXI Platform Services.
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