Pci Card Placement Rules; Configuration Rules - IBM AS/400e User Handbook Manual

PCI Card Placement Rules

The implementation of new PCI technologies in the 9406 Model 270 and 8xx servers changes
the configuration rules associated with the various features of the AS/400 system. Prior
AS/400 models required input/output processors (IOPs) to be in specific slots in the system
and expansion towers. The Model 270 and 8xx product family provides more flexibility in the
placement of IOPs and IOAs. This can result in more efficient use of card slots, potentially
resulting in a lower cost of implementation. For example, a specific PCI IOP may be able to
support two high-performance IOAs, or four slower IOAs, but may not have the capacity to
support one high-performance IOA and two slower IOAs. Increased flexibility of configuration
also adds, in certain cases, an increased requirement to understand the detailed

configuration rules.

This chapter applies to 270 and 8xx systems only. For more detailed communications
restrictions, refer to the communications chapter for communications and the feature
description in the companion manual, AS/400e System Builder , SG24-2155.
The following sections describe the configuration and card placement rules that must be
understood to develop valid configurations. This chapter helps you understand when to add
IOPs to avoid saturation of a present configuration.
Note: This chapter is current at the time of this publication. Refer to the AS/400 Information
Center at
http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/pubs/html/
Configuration Rules
There are a series of "hard" and "soft" rules that define the combinations of IOPs and IOAs
supported in an AS/400e system. What is meant by hard and soft rules?
• Hard rules are rules and restrictions automatically enforced by the AS/400 Marketing
Configurators. The hard rules are documented in "Hard Rules: IOA Capabilities" on
page 286, as well as with the individual feature descriptions later in this document.
• Soft rules are rules and restrictions on combinations of IOAs that are allowed under a
single IOP based on how the IOAs are used. Since these rules are entirely usage
dependent, the AS/400 Marketing Configurators cannot enforce them. The soft rules
are documented in "Soft Rules: IOA Requirements" on page 289.
There are only certain situations where the soft rules need to be used. Those situations
are:
– High Speed Lines: On the Two-Line WAN IOA (#4745) or the Two-Line WAN IOA with
Modem (#9771) running synchronous PPP, SDLC, Frame Relay, or X.25 where the
line speed will be greater than 64 Kbps.
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2000
PCI Card Placement Rules
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