National Instruments PXIe-8301 User Manual
USER MANUAL
PXIe-8301
Remote Control Module for PXI Express Systems
This document provides installation, configuration, and reference information for the
PXIe-8301 remote control module.
Contents
Description and Features...........................................................................................................1
Functional Overview.................................................................................................................2
Functional Block Diagram........................................................................................................ 2
Basic MXI-Express Thunderbolt Systems................................................................................3
Thunderbolt Bus Extension.......................................................................................................3
Host and Operating System Compatibility............................................................................... 4
Backwards Compatibility..........................................................................................................4
Installation and Configuration.................................................................................................. 4
Equipment Needed............................................................................................................4
Unpacking................................................................................................................................. 4
Hardware Installation................................................................................................................5
Installing a PXIe-8301...................................................................................................... 5
Cabling.............................................................................................................................. 6
Powering On the MXI-Express Thunderbolt System....................................................... 7
Powering Off the MXI-Express Thunderbolt System.......................................................7
LED Indicator........................................................................................................................... 7
Software Installation and Configuration................................................................................... 7
Common Questions...................................................................................................................8
General Hardware............................................................................................................. 8
General Software...............................................................................................................8
PXIe-8301 Specifications......................................................................................................... 9
Physical............................................................................................................................. 9
Power Requirements......................................................................................................... 9
Safety...............................................................................................................................11
Description and Features
Note In this manual, whenever a PXI Express chassis is referenced, you could use
a CompactPCI Express chassis instead.
MXI-Express Thunderbolt extends PCI Express communication over Thunderbolt cable. With
MXI-Express Thunderbolt, you can do the following:
• Control a PXI Express backplane with a Thunderbolt-enabled PC or laptop.
• Physically separate the measurement or automation system from a host PC.
Functional Overview
The PXIe-8301 remote control module is based on Intel Thunderbolt 3 technology. This
enables control of a PXI Express chassis from a host PC with an available Thunderbolt 3 port.
Thunderbolt technology is transparent to device drivers, so no additional software is needed
for CompactPCI Express-level support for PXI Express devices in connected chassis.
Note For full PXI/PXI Express functionality such as chassis and controller
identification, trigger routing, and slot detection, install the latest version of PXI
Platform Services. This software is included with your kit; you also can find it at
ni.com/updates by searching for PXI Platform Services.
The link between the PC and the chassis is a Thunderbolt 3 link. This link is a dual-simplex
communication channel comprised of differentially driven signal pairs. The link can transmit
at a rate of up to 40 Gbps in each direction simultaneously.
Functional Block Diagram
Figure 1. PXIe-8301 Block Diagram
SMBus
Master
PCI Express Gen 3 x4
PCI Express Gen 3 x4
PCI Express Gen 3 x4
PCI Express Gen 3 x4
PCI Express
Switch
Thunderbolt 3
PCI
Express
Gen 3 x4
Thunderbolt
Controller
Thunderbolt
Thunderbolt
The PXIe-8301 supports 2 and 4-link configuration per the chassis' capabilities.
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The PXIe-8301 is compatible with previous generations of PXI Express but requires a Gen 3
PXI Express chassis for maximum performance. National Instruments offers Gen 3 chassis
that allow the PXIe-8301 to establish Gen 3 backplane links.
Basic MXI-Express Thunderbolt Systems
The simplest MXI-Express Thunderbolt system consists of a PC connected to a PXIe-8301 in
the controller slot of a PXI Express chassis, as shown in the following figure.
Figure 2. Example of a Basic MXI-Express Thunderbolt Link Topology
Thunderbolt Bus Extension
You can daisy-chain from a PXI Express chassis controlled by a laptop to an additional
Thunderbolt 3 compatible device using MXI-Express Thunderbolt products. The following
figure shows how you can use MXI-Express Thunderbolt cards to connect multiple
Thunderbolt 3 compatible devices to a PC in a daisy-chain topology.
Figure 3. Example of a Daisy-Chain MXI-Express Thunderbolt Link Topology
PXIe-8301 User Manual | © National Instruments | 3
Host and Operating System Compatibility
The PXIe-8301 remote control module is compatible with host PCs that contain a Thunderbolt
3 port and are running a native (nonvirtualized) operating system that supports Thunderbolt
connectivity. Note that while an operating system may support a Thunderbolt connection, it
may lack support for other National Instruments hardware and software.
Backwards Compatibility
National Instruments recommends connecting the PXIe-8301 remote control module to a
Thunderbolt 3 port on the host PC using a Thunderbolt 3 cable. Because Thunderbolt 3 is
backwards-compatible with previous Thunderbolt generations, it may be possible to use
adapters to establish connections with host PCs or devices with previous-generation
Thunderbolt ports. Data throughput performance may vary between Thunderbolt generations.
Installation and Configuration
This section explains how to unpack, install, and configure the MXI-Express Thunderbolt
hardware and software.
Equipment Needed
• Host PC with an available Thunderbolt 3 port
• PXI Express chassis
• Thunderbolt 3 cable
• One PXIe-8301
Unpacking
Your MXI-Express Thunderbolt products are shipped in antistatic packages to prevent
electrostatic discharge (ESD) to the devices. ESD can damage several components on the
device.
Caution Never touch the exposed pins of connectors. Doing so may damage the
device.
To avoid such damage in handling the device, take the following precautions:
• Ground yourself using a grounding strap or by holding a grounded object.
• Touch the antistatic package to a metal part of the computer chassis before removing the
device from the package.
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