Hardware Installation

Installation and initialization of ConnectX-6 adapter cards require attention to the mechanical attributes, power specification, and precautions for electronic equipment.

Please observe all safety warnings to avoid injury and prevent damage to system components.

Note that not all warnings are relevant to all models.

The installation procedure of ConnectX-6 adapter cards involves the following steps:

Hardware Requirements

Airflow Requirements

ConnectX-6 adapter cards are offered with two airflow patterns: from the heatsink to the network ports, and vice versa, as shown below.

Please refer to the Specifications section for airflow numbers for each specific card model.

Airflow from the heatsink to the network ports:

Airflow from the network ports to the heatsink:

Software Requirements

• See Operating Systems/Distributions section under the Introduction section.

• Software Stacks - NVIDIA OpenFabric software package MLNX_OFED for Linux, WinOF-2 for Windows, and VMware. See the Driver Installation section.

The adapter is being installed in a system that operates with voltages that can be lethal. Before opening the case of the system, observe the following precautions to avoid injury and prevent damage to system components.

• Remove any metallic objects from your hands and wrists.

• Make sure to use only insulated tools.

• Verify that the system is powered off and is unplugged.

• It is strongly recommended to use an ESD strap or other antistatic devices.

• Unpack the ConnectX-6 Card. Check against the Package Contents list that all the parts have been sent. Check the parts for visible damage that may have occurred during shipping. Please note that the cards must be placed on an antistatic surface.

  Important

  Please note that if the card is removed hastily from the antistatic bag, the plastic ziplock may harm the EMI fingers on the networking connector. Carefully remove the card from the antistatic bag to avoid damaging the EMI fingers.

• Shut down your system if active; Turn off the power to the system, and disconnect the power cord. Refer to the system documentation for instructions.

• (Optional) Check the mounting bracket on the ConnectX-6 or PCIe Auxiliary Connection Card; If required for your system, replace the full-height mounting bracket that is shipped mounted on the card with the supplied low-profile bracket. Refer to Bracket Replacement Instructions.

The ConnectX-6 card and PCIe Auxiliary Connection card are usually shipped with an assembled high-profile bracket. If this form factor is suitable for your requirements, you can skip the remainder of this section and move to Installation Instructions. If you need to replace the high-profile bracket with the short bracket that is included in the shipping box, please follow the instructions in this section.

To replace the bracket you will need the following parts:

• The new brackets of the proper height

• The 2 screws saved from the removal of the bracket

Removing the Existing Bracket

1. Using a torque driver, remove the two screws holding the bracket in place.

2. Separate the bracket from the ConnectX-6 card.

   Important

   Be careful not to put stress on the LEDs on the adapter card.

3. Save the two screws.

Installing the New Bracket

1. Place the bracket onto the card until the screw holes line up.

   Important

   Do not force the bracket onto the adapter card.

2. Screw on the bracket using the screws saved from the bracket removal procedure above.

   Important

   Use a torque driver to apply up to 2 lbs-in torque on the screws.

This section provides detailed instructions on how to install your adapter card in a system.

Choose the installation instructions according to the ConnectX-6 configuration you have purchased.

Cable Installation

1. All cables can be inserted or removed with the unit powered on.

2. To insert a cable, press the connector into the port receptacle until the connector is firmly seated.

   1. Support the weight of the cable before connecting the cable to the adapter card. Do this by using a cable holder or tying the cable to the rack.

   2. Determine the correct orientation of the connector to the card before inserting the connector. Do not try and insert the connector upside down. This may damage the adapter card.

   3. Insert the connector into the adapter card. Be careful to insert the connector straight into the cage. Do not apply any torque, up or down, to the connector cage in the adapter card.

   4. Make sure that the connector locks in place.

      Warning

      When installing cables make sure that the latches engage.

      Important

      Always install and remove cables by pushing or pulling the cable and connector in a straight line with the card.

3. After inserting a cable into a port, the Green LED indicator will light when the physical connection is established (that is, when the unit is powered on and a cable is plugged into the port with the other end of the connector plugged into a functioning port). See LED Interface under the Interfaces section.

4. After plugging in a cable, lock the connector using the latching mechanism particular to the cable vendor. When data is being transferred the Green LED will blink. See LED Interface under the Interfaces section.

5. Care should be taken as not to impede the air exhaust flow through the ventilation holes. Use cable lengths which allow for routing horizontally around to the side of the chassis before bending upward or downward in the rack.

6. To remove a cable, disengage the locks and slowly pull the connector away from the port receptacle. LED indicator will turn off when the cable is unseated.

On Linux

Get the device location on the PCI bus by running lspci and locating lines with the string “Mellanox Technologies”:

            

            
[root@mftqa-009 ~]# lspci |grep mellanox -i
a3:00.0 Infiniband controller: Mellanox Technologies MT28908 Family [ConnectX-6]
e3:00.0 Infiniband controller: Mellanox Technologies MT28908 Family [ConnectX-6]
        

            

            
[root@mftqa-009 ~]# lspci |grep mellanox -i
05:00.0 Infiniband controller: Mellanox Technologies MT28908A0 Family [ConnectX-6] 
05:00.1 Infiniband controller: Mellanox Technologies MT28908A0 Family [ConnectX-6]
82:00.0 Infiniband controller: Mellanox Technologies MT28908A0 Family [ConnectX-6] 
82:00.1 Infiniband controller: Mellanox Technologies MT28908A0 Family [ConnectX-6]
        

            

            
[root@mftqa-009 ~]# lspci |grep mellanox -i
3:00.0 Infiniband controller: Mellanox Technologies MT28908 Family [ConnectX-6]
        

            

            
[root@mftqa-009 ~]# lspci |grep mellanox -i
86:00.0 Network controller: Mellanox Technologies MT28908A0 Family [ConnectX-6] 86:00.1 Network controller: Mellanox Technologies MT28908A0 Family [ConnectX-6]
        

On Windows

1. Open Device Manager on the server. Click Start => Run, and then enter devmgmt.msc.

2. Expand System Devices and locate your NVIDIA ConnectX-6 adapter card.

3. Right click the mouse on your adapter's row and select Properties to display the adapter card properties window.

4. Click the Details tab and select Hardware Ids (Windows 2012/R2/2016) from the Property pull-down menu.

   PCI Device (Example)

   

5. In the Value display box, check the fields VEN and DEV (fields are separated by ‘&’). In the display example above, notice the sub-string “PCI\VEN_15B3&DEV_1003”: VEN is equal to 0x15B3 – this is the Vendor ID of Mellanox Technologies; and DEV is equal to 1018 (for ConnectX-6) – this is a valid Mellanox Technologies PCI Device ID.

   Warning

   The PCI device does not have a NVIDIA adapter ID, return to Step 2 to check another device.

   Warning

   The list of PCI Device IDs can be found in the PCI ID repository.