An interesting VAX based project

[Huw Davies]

On 01/11/2005, at 10:24 PM, Witchy wrote:

> Folks,
>
> I may be installing a 6640, 6660, star coupler and HSJ40s next week  
> with
> 'a shedload of disks'. The size of the shed hasn't been quantified :)
>
> Can anyone remember the rules for star couplers before I go reading  
> all
> the docs? I haven't done anything with these for nigh on 10 years  
> and can
> only remember basics like CI cable positioning and macro bends  
> etc.....

Well there's not really much more to it than that. If you're lucky  
you have the newer CI cables which are thinner and much lighter than  
the originals. Given that you've only got three nodes, just run the  
two sets (A and B) of the CI cables (transmit and receive for a total  
of four) to the correct ports in the star coupler - they will be  
labeled.

There are some configuration jumpers on the CI boards but they are  
likely to be in the default settings. ISTR that they could be set to  
use both paths simultaneously to get twice the throughput but as the  
CI based cluster I used to manage had HSC-50s and older VAXen, I  
couldn't take advantage of this. I'm not sure if the HSJ40 can - over  
to someone else perhaps for a definitive answer....

Remember, star couplers don't require power and were probably the  
most reliable device Digital ever produced!

Huw Davies           | e-mail: Huw.Davies at kerberos.davies.net.au
Melbourne            | "If soccer was meant to be played in the
Australia            | air, the sky would be painted green"