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Keysight M9018A PXIe 18-Slot Chassis Startup Guide
Introduction
Before continuing, some important terminology is presented. The computer that
controls the chassis is known as the
host controller
or
system controller
, and is
shown at the top of the hierarchy in Figure 2:
Figure 2
The host controller, remote controller, and embedded controller
hierarchy
The host controller can either be a
remote controller
or an
embedded controller
.
A remote controller is a Windows-based PC, and can be a desktop PC, a laptop
PC, or a rack mounted PC. The remote controller interfaces to the chassis
through a PCIe cable.
An embedded controller, such as the Keysight M9036A Embedded Controller, is
a small form factor, Windows-based PC that is designed for installation in the
system controller slot (slot 1) of the chassis. An embedded controller also
consumes two or three expansion slots to the left of slot 1.
The combination of the chassis, the host controller (and a PCIe cable if the host
controller is a remote controller), and the chassis I/O software running on the
host controller is referred to as a
chassis system
.
Host Controller
(System Controller)
Remote Controller
Embedded Controller
(installs in slot 1
of chassis)
(connects to chassis
through a PCIe cable)
Laptop PC
Desktop PC
Rack-mounted PC
In order for a PC to serve as a remote controller, its BIOS must support
enumeration of the PCIe slots in the chassis; many computers are not capable
of enumerating a sufficient number of PCIe slots to ensure that slots in an
external chassis are enumerated.
Keysight provides the document “PCI and AXIe Modular Instrumentation Tested
Computer List Technical Note” which lists the embedded, desktop, laptop, and
rack-mounted PCs that have been verified to enumerate the PCIe slots in the
M9018A chassis. Please use this document, available under the
Document Library
www.keysight.com/find/M9018A
, to guide your selection of remote
controller PCs..
