KFESA DSSI Adapter Installation and User's Guide

This document, the "KFESA DSSI Adapter Installation and User's Guide" (First Printing, May 1994), is intended for system administrators familiar with OpenVMS AXP and OpenVMS VAX operating systems.

It provides comprehensive instructions and information for the KFESA EISA-to-DSSI host adapter module, covering:

1. Installation:

   • Details the process for installing the KFESA adapter, distinguishing between "end-node" (single host) and "middle-node" (multiple hosts in a DSSI VMScluster) configurations.
   • Emphasizes the need to shut down the system, unplug power, and use anti-static precautions.
   • Explains the use of the EISA Configuration Utility (ECU) to allocate system resources, set interrupt requests (IRQs), and assign DSSI bus node IDs for the adapter, ensuring a conflict-free configuration.

2. DSSI Device Parameters:

   • Describes how to set and examine parameters for DSSI devices (adapters and storage devices), which is crucial when adding new buses or devices to a cluster.
   • Introduces the console commands cdp (for most devices) and set host -dup -dssi (specifically for HSD05 array controllers) to manage these parameters.
   • Outlines five principal DSSI parameters:
     • Bus Node ID: A unique identifier (0-7) for each DSSI device/adapter on a bus.
     • ALLCLASS (or DISK_ALCS for HSD05): A numeric allocation class (0-255) used by OpenVMS AXP to create path-independent device names, vital for VMSclusters.
     • UNITNUM: A unique unit number for the device. Critical for multi-bus configurations and nonzero allocation classes to prevent duplicate device names.
     • NODENAME: An alphanumeric node name for the device.
     • SYSTEMID: A number uniquely identifying the device to the operating system, used during warm-swapping.
   • Explains how OpenVMS AXP uses these parameters for device naming, especially the implications of allocation class and the importance of unique unit numbers in complex DSSI VMScluster environments to avoid duplicate device names.

3. Troubleshooting:

   • Offers tips for resolving common DSSI-related hardware problems.
   • Highlights frequent issues such as loose/missing terminators, incorrect bus node ID plugs (leading to duplicate device names), and loose or damaged cables/connectors, along with their corrective actions.

4. KFESA Specifications (Appendix):

   • Provides technical details, including maximum electrical lengths of DSSI interconnects and DSSI adapter characteristics (e.g., cluster traffic support, I/Os per second, power requirements).

In essence, the guide empowers system administrators to properly install, configure, and troubleshoot the KFESA DSSI Adapter within Digital's OpenVMS AXP/VAX environments, with a particular focus on its use in DSSI VMScluster systems and the critical importance of correct device parameter settings.