KZMSA Adapter Installation Guide

This document is the KZMSA Adapter Installation Guide (Order Number EK-KXMSX-IN.001) for installing the KZMSA SCSI I/O adapter in DEC 7000 AXP and DEC 10000 AXP systems.

The guide covers:

1. SCSI Background and Prerequisites: Explains SCSI terminology, including "fast synchronous transfer option" (Fast SCSI) and the difference between single-ended and differential SCSI transmission, noting their impact on maximum cable length. It details the required KZMSA-AB and CK-KZMSA-LA kits, and other necessary Digital equipment like XMI PIUs, SCSI PIUs, DWZZA bus converters, and compatible SCSI devices (disks, tapes, CD-ROMs). It also provides guidance for connecting to non-Digital SCSI devices, including supported SCSI-2 protocol features and limitations.
2. Installation Procedure: Provides step-by-step instructions for physically installing the KZMSA adapter. This involves turning off system power, observing ESD precautions, opening the front of the XMI Plug-in Unit (PIU), installing the adapter into an XMI card cage slot, attaching the SCSI cable connector assembly to the XMI bulkhead, and connecting the cables to the XMI backplane, ensuring terminators are properly installed.
3. Verification: Describes how to verify the adapter's basic functionality after installation using its power-up self-test, indicated by a yellow LED. It includes troubleshooting steps if the self-test fails.
4. Enabling "Fast Synchronous Transfer" Option: Explains how to use the Loadable Firmware Update (LFU) utility to enable the "fast SCSI" setting for KZMSA channels, which can increase transfer rates. This section emphasizes that enabling Fast SCSI is dependent on cabling length and type (single-ended vs. differential with DWZZA converters) and provides instructions on how to check configuration and modify the setting.
5. Grounding Rules: An appendix highlights the critical importance of proper grounding in multi-cabinet or multi-enclosure SCSI configurations for safety and to prevent data corruption and performance degradation due to ground offset voltages. It provides methods to check and correct grounding issues.