HP SVA V2.1 System Administration Guide

2.3 Configure Display Nodes and Display Surfaces
To understand the way the SVA uses Display Surfaces, you must understand the concept of a
display block as used by the SVA. The output from each display node represents a single, virtual
display block. The output of a display node is always considered a single display block, no matter
how the display node is configured with respect to the number of graphics cards or how many
ports are used by each graphics card. The display block representing a particular display node
is further defined by one or more display devices, including the physical arrangement of the
display devices relative to one another.
In turn, a Display Surface is a defined as a named assemblage of one or more display blocks. In
other words, the output from one or more display nodes can be used to drive a Display Surface.
A cluster can have one or more display block configurations based on the number and
configuration of the cluster's display nodes and associated display devices. You can drive your
display devices in the following ways:
Use one or two graphics cards installed in the display node.
Use a single output from a graphics card to drive a single display device.
In this situation, graphics cards and display devices exist in a 1:1 relationship. The display
node's graphics card and a display device are physically connected by a cable. When you
create a Display Surface, you must provide the correct host name of the display node
connected to the display device that is associated with each display block that makes up
that Display Surface.
Use both outputs from a graphics card to drive two display devices.
In this situation, graphics cards and display devices exist in a 1:2 relationship. The display
node's graphics card and the two display devices are physically connected by cables. If you
have two graphics cards installed in the display node, you can use one or both ports on the
cards. The display devices driven by the single display node represent a single display block.
When you create a Display Surface, you must provide the correct host name of the display
node connected to the display devices that make up the Display Surface.
Table 2-1 lists some of the display blocks in a sample cluster. The list is not exhaustive. For
example, node vis3 can be configured to have a 1 W x 2 H layout.
Table 2-1 Display Block Configurations in a Sample Cluster
Display Block Layout Showing Tiles
1
Display Block Layout
Based on Single Tile
Units
Number of Ports
Used for Each
Graphics Card
Number of
Graphics Cards
Display Node
Name
1 W x 1 H11
vis1
1 W x 1 H11
vis2
2 W x 1 H21
vis3
2 W x 1 H21
vis4
2 W x 2 H22
vis5
30 Setting Up Display Devices