Concurrent Technologies VP 110/01 Series, Техническое справочное руководство

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VME System Architecture Test Handler
10.1 Introduction
The VME System Architecture (VSA) Test Handler firmware provides an environment where
interactive testing may be performed on one or more Concurrent Technologies’ VME CPU
boards.
The level of testing provided by VSA is more comprehensive than that provided by the BIOS
POST, and testing can also be looped to aid diagnosis of intermittent faults. Failing tests provide
diagnostic information that can be used to identify the cause of the problem.
VSA mode also provides an interactive command-line interface, with a range of commands and
tests through which memory and I/O may be examined or modified. PCI devices can also be
identified and their configuration registers displayed and changed.
VSA allows all Concurrent Technologies’ boards in a system to be tested from a single console
connected to the System Controller. This console can be a standard VGA screen connected via
a PMC module and a keyboard, or a serial terminal connected to COM1.
10.2 The VSA Environment
Boards configured for VSA mode of operation can be installed in any slots in the VME chassis.
When the system starts up, those boards running in VSA mode will carry out an arbitration
sequence on the VME backplane using shared memory on each board involved. One board,
normally the board in the slot nearest to or in the System Controller slot, will win this arbitration
and act as the Master Test Handler. Other boards which lost the arbitration sequence will
operate in a Slave Test Handler mode.
10.2.1 Slot Numbering
Throughout the VSA firmware, boards are identified by their logical slot number. This number
does not represent the physical backplane slot. The logical slot number is assigned by the
Master Test Handler when it detects a board capable of participating in system testing.
Therefore boards from other manufacturers, boards not configured for VSA mode and boards
that are seriously damaged will not be detected and included in the numbering scheme. The
board which will act as the Master Test Handler will be assigned slot number zero.
In a system containing a faulty board, which is unable to enter its Slave Test Handler, the logical
slot numbers will not match the board positions in the rack. The faulty board can be isolated by
executing a short BIST (e.g. BIST 126) on each board in turn. The USER LED is illuminated
while the BIST is executing allowing the faulty board to be quickly identified.
10.2.2 VSA Console Devices
VSA can use a VGA compatible display interface and keyboard for the console device, or a
serial terminal may be used connected to COM1. VSA automatically detects the users choice of
console when the attention, “U” keystroke is entered at the prompt.
For serial consoles VSA will auto-detect the baud rate, though it is recommended that 19,200
Baud or 9,600 Baud be used. The auto-baud function may require the attention key to be
pressed more than once in noisy environments, or when lower rates than the recommended
ones are used.
Console I/O will only be provided by the Master Test Handler.
VP 110/01x 10-1