CI780 User's Guide

This document is the CI780 User's Guide, published by Digital Equipment Corporation, providing instructions for the CI780 interface.

Key aspects summarized:

1. Purpose of CI780: It's an intelligent, buffered communications port designed to connect a VAX-11/780 system to a Computer Interconnect (CI) cluster.
2. The Computer Interconnect (CI): Described as a high-speed, serial data bus used to link computer subsystems (nodes) to form a cluster, featuring dual signal paths and a 70 megabit/sec bandwidth.
3. Specifications: The CI780 supports a 5 MB/Sec maximum data transfer rate and 3 MB/Sec sustained throughput, among other technical details.
4. Installation: The guide provides step-by-step procedures for unpacking, mounting the CI780's power supply and backplane in either a standard CPU cabinet or an expansion cabinet, connecting all necessary cables (power, SBI, TX/RX), and configuring backplane jumpers and module switches (crucially, setting the unique node address and SBI arbitration level). It specifies host VAX-11/780 hardware (revision 4+, 2MB+ memory) and software (VAX/VMS 3.1+) prerequisites.
5. Acceptance Testing: Details a two-phase testing process:
   • Stand-alone: Running VAX-11/780 microdiagnostics and C1780 Level 3 diagnostics (e.g., ESCGA-ESCGD) with loopback connections.
   • On-line: Connecting to the CI cluster, updating system software/microcode, and running the CI Exerciser (EVXCI) and User Environmental Test Package (UETP).
6. Appendices: Include technical references for backplane jumper configurations and a summary of CI780 registers.