Slots and Bandwidths - Optical Systems
The optical solutions offer a variety of configurations and bandwidths depending on customer
requirements. Each HLink-Optical is capable of transferring up to PCIe Gen.3 x8 bandwidths across
distances up to 100m. To achieve this the HLink-Optical must be installed in a x8 PCIe slot on the host
backplane and connected to the corresponding SLink-Optical card pre-installed in the PICMG 1.3 slot in
the expansion chassis using two ExCable-Optical cables.
A x4 bandwidth can also be achieved by connecting the HLink-Optical (installed in a x8 PCIe slot ) to two
separate SLink-Optical cards. If the HLink-Optical is installed in a PCIe x4 then it can only be connected to
one SLink-Optical card.
HOST
EXPANSION
PCIe Slot
Number
Bandwidth
ExCable-Optical
HLink-Optical
SLink-Optical
X8
X4
1 Cable
2 Cables
Top
Connector
Bottom
Connector
Top
Connector
Bottom
Connector
1
x
x
x
x
x
x (1)
1
x
x
x
x (2)
2
N/A
x
x
x
x
3
N/A
x
x
x
x
4
N/A
x
x
x
x
5
N/A
x
x
x
x
6
N/A
x
x
x
x
7
N/A
x
x
x
x
8
N/A
x
x
x
x
9
N/A
x
x
x
x
(1) SLink-Optical card is pre-installed in the PICMG 1.3 slot in the expansion chassis.
(2) Two ExCables-Optical connecting to two separate SLink-Optical cards (see section: Creating the Link -x4 optical on page 1
5)
Nine Slot System
Eleven Slot System
HOST
EXPANSION
PCIe Slot
Number
Bandwidth
ExCable-Optical
HLink-Optical
SLink-Optical
X8
1 Cable
2 Cables
Top
Connector
Bottom
Connector
Top
Connector
Bottom
Connector
1
x
(3)
x
x
x
x
x
2
x
x
x
x
x
x
3
x
x
x
x
x
x
4
x
x
x
x
x
x
5
x
x
x
x
x
x
6
x
x
x
x
x
x
7
x
x
x
x
x
x
8
x
x
x
x
x
x
9
x
x
x
x
x
x
10
x
x
x
x
x
x
11
x
x
x
x
x
x
(3)
All 11 slots in the VSN1100X-Optical expansion chassis are PCIe x8 lane therefore two ExCables-Optical are required. If
the requirement is for x4, only one ExCable-Optical is required, however this reduces the available bandwidth by 50% and
therefore reduces the amount of video signal that can be transferred.
7
