HP Fabric Clustering System HP-UX Administrator's Guide, March 2008

Attach Cable Guides & Cables
The HP Fabric cables are high performance impedance-controlled cables with protective shielding,
and due to the thickness and stiffness of the cables, HP recommends that Cable Guides be installed
prior to attaching cables to minimize stress on the connectors for both switch and HCA cabling.
Figure 4-12 Cable Guide with Cables
Copper cables for InfiniBand should be securely attached to the rack enclosure. HP recommends
the use of a HP E7723B Cable Guide Installation Kit mounted in a horizontal fashion as depicted
below in Figure 4-12 “Cable Guide with Cables”. A second Cable Guide is in the kit and it can
be installed in the horizontal or vertical position to better guide & support the cables for either
the switch or HCA. Cable Guide Installation Instructions are provided as a separate document
included with the Cable Guides.
Bundles of cables should not be “tie-wrapped” with a tie-gun. These fasteners create pinch points
on the cables that can crush the dielectric material and create impedance discontinuities. Rather,
cables should be bundled using velcro strapping or other less compressive bundling techniques.
Cable Routing and Bend Limits
Pre-form the cables to the bent condition prior to installation if possible. This reduces any undue
strain at the plug/receptacle connection at the time of installation.
Handling or installing an HP Fabric technology cable in a manner that results in a tight bend
radius or excessive twisting can result in immediate or latent failure of the cable. The following
table and sketch show the minimum bend radius to prevent problems with the cables.
Attach Cable Guides & Cables 45