How do I connect multiple PXIe and/or AXIe chassis together with a single controller?

Multi-chassis PXIe and AXIe systems can be built using Keysights’s system modules, Desktop interfaces, and embedded controllers. Refer to the Tested PC and PXIe/AXIe Chassis Configurations for details of how many chassis can be connected together depending on the controller and operating system used. Many different topologies are possible including cascade and star. Two examples are shown below.

Figure 1. Star Configuration with an external PC

Figure 2. Cascade Configuration with an M9037A Embedded Controller using the front panel x8 PCIe connector

Gen 3 operation in a cascade configuration (figure 2) is available on an M9307A with a Serial Number of TW57240011 and greater. The front panel x8 PCIe operates at Gen 2 speeds on earlier controllers.
Multi-chassis operation requires Keysight I/O Libraries Suite 17.3 or greater (18.x is recommended). A 64-bit Operating System (Microsoft Windows 7 or 10) is required for more than two chassis. It is recommended that the controller be configured with a minimum of 8 GB of RAM for a 64-bit OS (controllers with a 32-bit OS are limited to 4 GB of RAM).

For more detailed configuration information, download the Keysight PXIe/Multi-Chassis Designer. The tool can be used to design a system with PXIe and AXIe chassis connected to either an embedded controller (installed in the chassis) or an external PC connected by cable(s) to the chassis. The Keysight PXIe/Multi-Chassis Designer allows you to interactively specify your system parameters, and then it will design a multi-chassis system according to your specifications. Once the design is presented, you can optionally select different components to further optimize the design to meet your specific requirements.

The Keysight PXIe/Multi-Chassis Designer is downloadable as a zip file. After saving the zip file to your desired folder, unzip the file to obtain the Multi-Chassis Designer PDF file. The PDF file requires Adobe Reader X or later. Once the Multi-Chassis Designer is open, Keysight recommends that you begin by placing your mouse over the Introduction rounded rectangle in the upper-right corner.