DESIGN SOLUTIONS FOR THE INTERNET OF THINGS English
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MAXIMIZE
VALUE FROM IOT DATA BRING FACTORIES ONLINE WITH IoT CONTROLLERS Integrated Solution Combines Gateway and Controller...PAGE 16
FASTER FLOWS FOR NETWORK FUNCTIONS VIRTUALIZATION Achieve New Performance Levels on Standard Servers...PAGE 30
PERSONALIZE RETAIL WITH SECURE INTERACTIVITY 4K Displays, Tablets, and Secure Data Transform the Store...PAGE 40
2015 | 11TH EDITION
Who will industrialize the Internet of Things?
You and NI will. From smart manufacturing to the smart grid, bridging the digital and physical worlds is one of the most significant engineering challenges we face today. NI, together with other visionary companies, is ensuring the superior design and performance of the increasingly complex systems that will fuel the Internet of Things and drive industrial adoption. Learn more at ni.com/internet-of-things. Š2015 National Instruments. All rights reserved. National Instruments, NI, and ni.com are trademarks of National Instruments. Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. National Instruments is a General member of the IntelŽ IoT Solutions Alliance. 20049
d i t o r s ’ E
Note
Turn Data Into Dollars
Kenton Williston Editor in Chief
Mark Scantlebury Associate Editor
The Internet of Things (IoT) has become a big business. Early adopters are reporting impressive financial benefits, motivating more companies to launch their own efforts. And the technology is becoming more accessible, as industry leaders collaborate on solutions that make deployment easier and less expensive.
We expect these trends to continue into 2015 and beyond, as the IoT matures and its benefits spread. In this edition of Embedded Innovator magazine, we look at the many ways the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance can help you take advantage of these growing opportunities. From modular components to market-ready systems, Intel and the 250+ global member companies of the Alliance provide scalable, interoperable solutions that accelerate deployment of intelligent devices and end-to-end analytics. In these pages we explain how smart factories and offices improve businesses’ bottom lines. We show how cloud-connected buses deliver rail-like service at much lower cost. We examine how health gateways help developing countries provide top-notch care without breaking their budgets. We consider the ways that connectivity personalizes the retail experience, boosting sales and productivity. And we show how you can build the communications backbone that makes all of these applications possible by delivering more bits per dollar. Throughout the magazine we demonstrate how collaboration between Alliance members is key to these technological advances – and how you can create the next great moneymaking innovation by adding your ideas to the mix. Now let’s get down to business!
About Us With the rise of the IoT, the embedded industry is being transformed like never before. To help you stay ahead of the competition, Embedded Innovator magazine keeps you abreast of the latest trends with fresh design ideas and solutions. It’s full of insights to help you build the intelligent systems rapidly reshaping the world. Published twice a year, Embedded Innovator magazine is joined by a quarterly newsletter. Each newsletter features the same industry expertise as the Embedded Innovator magazine, but with a focus on specific vertical markets. Now you can keep connected with great ideas throughout the year. Visit intel.com/embedded-innovator to subscribe, explore our archives, find additional content and solutions, or send an article to a friend. To learn about advertising opportunities, contact Joey Freedman at joey@inteliotsolutionsalliance.com or +1 971 275 4444. To contact the publisher, Peggy Mahler, email peggy.mahler@intel.com
Contents Maximize Value from IoT Data Monetize Data with End-to-End Platforms By Rose Schooler, Vice President, Internet of Things Group, Strategy and Technology Office, Intel Corporation ....................................................................................................................5
Simplify IoT Integration with Edge Management Middleware Intelligent Cloud Middleware Unifies Edge and IT Domains By Ido Sarig, Vice President and General Manager, IoT Solutions Group, Wind River ...........................................................................................................................................................10
Bring Factories Online with IoT Controllers Integrated Solution Combines Gateway and Controller By Joe Lin, General Manager, Industrial Computing Solutions Business Unit, NEXCOM ......................................................................................................................................................16
Connect Building Systems to the IoT Gateway Connects Legacy Devices to the Cloud By Kenny Chang, Product Director of IO Platforms, Measurement & Automation, ADLINK Technology ...............................................................................................................................21
IoT Takes Mass Transit to a New Level eBus Solution Enhances Fleet Management and Safety By Mark Chen, Product Manager, Digital Logistics and Fleet Management Department, Advantech ...................................................................................................................................25
Faster Flows for Network Function Virtualization (NFV) Achieve New Performance Levels on Standard Servers By Prashant Sharma, Systems Architect, Radisys Corporation ..........................................................................................................................................................................................30
Cloud Computing in the Network Data Center Optimize Carrier-Class Servers for Software-Defined Networking By Jesse Chiang, Chief Architect, Lanner Electronics .........................................................................................................................................................................................................34
Advertorial: Blueprints for Success in the IoT ...................................................................................................................................................................................................38 Personalize Retail with Secure Interactivity 4K Displays, Tablets, and Secure Data Transform the Store By Kenton Williston, Editor-in-Chief ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................40
Upgrade Entry-Level Signage with Ease Turn-Key Solutions Offer Performance and Convenience By Mark Scantlebury, Associate Editor...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................49
Connected Care in Emerging Economies Health Gateway Helps Doctor Serve More Patients By Bhaskar Trivedi, Delivery Manager, Samir Bhatt, Technical Lead, and Sunilkumar Singh, Sr. Engineer, eInfochips Ltd. .....................................................................................................55
Data Integrity for the IoT Manage Complexity with a Multi-Tiered Approach By Ken McLaurin, Senior Manager, Product Strategy, Red Hat, Inc. ....................................................................................................................................................................................60
Unleash the I/O Power of Multicore Processors New System Host Board Architecture Solves Data Bottlenecks By Brad Trent, Engineering Manager, Trenton Systems . .....................................................................................................................................................................................................64 Copyright 2015 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Celeron, Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Atom, Intel Core, Intel Quark Intel vPro, and Intel Xeon, are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U. S. and/or other countries. *Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.
4 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
Internet of Things
Maximize
Value
from IoT Data
Monetize Data with End-to-End Platforms By Rose Schooler, Vice President, Internet of Things Group, Strategy and Technology Office, Intel Corporation
T
he Internet of Things (IoT) has opened up a new world of data sharing – and now you can turn that data into valuable business insights with Intel and the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance. With a powerful combination of pre-integrated hardware and software, data management tools, and services built to monetize data, the Alliance can help you go to market faster than ever. In this article we show how you can build solutions that stretch from the edge to the cloud. We consider the ways these solutions can deliver financial benefits for both solution providers and their customers. We examine the importance of security, scalability, and time-to-market, and show how you can optimize all three by working with the Alliance. From modular components to market-ready systems, Intel and the 250+ global member companies of the Alliance provide scalable, interoperable solutions that accelerate deployment of intelligent devices and endto-end analytics. Close collaboration with Intel and each other enables Alliance members to innovate with the latest technologies, helping developers deliver first-in-market solutions. Connect to the IoT Opportunity The IoT offers major opportunities to improve productivity and efficiency, expand services, and even launch entirely new kinds of businesses. To achieve these benefits, businesses must start with secure connections that allow seamless data gathering from the edge to the data center, as well as confident decision making throughout the network. Intel is meeting this need with the Intel® IoT Platform, an open, endto-end reference model that simplifies IoT deployments by unifying devices and sensors, gateways, networks, data centers, and services – all with security as an underlying technology (Figure 1, page 6).
The reference model is designed to provide a repeatable foundation that can be readily customized to diverse applications. Intel and the Alliance are using this reference model and numerous other technologies to create a comprehensive set of products and services that accelerate IoT deployment. The Intel® IoT Gateway family is a key example of these joint efforts. These pre-integrated gateways streamline the connection of legacy equipment, enabling secure, reliable interoperability across the enterprise. With the release of Intel IoT Platform, the gateways have been upgraded to include the Wind River* Edge Management System from Associate Alliance member Wind River (see Figure 2, page 7). This cloud-based middleware runs from the embedded device up through the cloud, providing scripting and APIs to integrate field and enterprise systems. The Edge Management System facilitates device configuration, file transfers, data capture, and rules-based data analysis and response. These features help developers rapidly build systems that can extract business intelligence from the wealth of IoT data, and automatically use these insights to control devices at the edge. For more on this innovative technology, see page 10. As illustrated in Figure 2, Intel has also expanded its cloud analytics support to the Intel IoT Gateways. This service gives developers a powerful yet easy-to-use approach to big data analytics. Associate Alliance member McAfee has also added Enhanced Security support, bringing advanced security management to the gateways. Together, these upgrades make the gateways more powerful than ever. Intel IoT Gateways are currently available from seven Alliance members, with 13 more releasing systems in early 2015. With hardware options based on Intel® Quark™ and Intel® Atom™ processors and a wide range of I/O, the gateways can address applications in industrial, energy, transportation, retail, and many other sectors. The breadth of these offerings is already powering innovative solutions across a number of industries.
intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 5
Internet of Things
For example, Premier Alliance member ADLINK has created a building automation system (BAS) that combines the Intel IoT Gateway with ADLINK’s Smart Embedded Management Agent (SEMA) Cloud. This solution enables smart connectivity between buildings and data center, with numerous financial and environmental benefits as outlined on page 21. Factories can similarly benefit from Associate Alliance member NEXCOM’s “Big SCADA” solution, which brings the IoT to supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. Built-in support for CODESYS SoftLogic enables the gateway to control local equipment at the same time that they provide enterprise-level visibility for process optimization – see page 16 for details. Healthcare applications can use the gateways for applications like connected care. As General Alliance member eInfochips explains on page 55, the gateways help healthcare workers in developing countries remotely evaluate patients. The result is a more efficient healthcare system that produces better patient outcomes. Secure Business Benefits The security provided in Intel® processor-based solutions is critical to unleashing the benefits of the IoT. Using multilayer, hardware-assisted security enhanced with Alliance software and services, enterprises can confidently connect devices to each other, internal networks, and the cloud. By enabling this end-to-end protection, you can generate trusted data that leads to business insights. Security starts in the silicon, where Intel has established a root of trust at the level most resilient to attack. Consider the new 5th generation Intel® Core™ processor family, which supports the latest version of Intel® vPro™. This suite of security and manageability technologies includes features like:
MCU I/O
Actuator Sensor Actuator
I/O
MCU
Gateway
Intel is also working with Alliance members on innovative security solutions. A prime example of this collaboration can be seen in Intel® Data Protection Technology for Transactions (Intel® DPTT). Developed in conjunction with General Alliance member NCR, this groundbreaking secure payment solution protects transactions from the card reader to the bank server (Figure 3). To learn more about this solution and how it works with hardware like the 5th generation Intel Core processor family, see page 40. Create Value from Data Insights Building on the foundation of secure, managed connections, Intel and the Alliance are creating integrated data management tools and services that are built to monetize data. These offerings make it easier to locate, filter, and organize data, and to safely share the resulting intelligence both within an organization and with third parties.
TCP/IP Data Transport Data Ingestion Broker & Processing
Persistance & Concurrency
Query
Storage MQTT, HTTPS CoAP, REST, XMPP, DDS, etc.
Gateway Device Attestation
TCP/IP TCP/IP Security & Edge Management Systems Device Attestation
Compute i Services Orchestration Analytics
Cloud Management System (Monitoring, Auto Scaling, Logging, Eventing)
The Intel® IoT Platform is an end-to-end reference model.
6 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
Data-as-a Service (DaaS)
Metadata Catalog
Load Balancer
MCU & Gateway: Identity Protection + Secure Boot UPAL = Protocol Abstraction Layer
Figure 1.
These and other hardware features are a cornerstone of holistic security solutions that combine hardware, software, and services. For example, the Intel IoT Platform incorporates numerous McAfee solutions, providing multiple layers of security from the edge to the cloud (Figure 2). A case in point is McAfee* Embedded Control, which protects IoT devices through application whitelisting, comprehensive change policy enforcement, and compliance management.
API Library & API Mangement
I/O
UPAL
Sensor Sensor
UPAL
Sensor
Wi-Fi* + LP Wi-Fi Bluetooth* + BLE 2G/3G/4G/LTE (GPRS) ZigBee* Z-Wave 6LoWPAN WiHART RFID Satellite Ethernet
• Intel® Active Management Technology 10.0 (Intel® AMT 10.0) for remote management down to the firmware level, even when systems are powered off or unresponsive • Intel® Trusted Execution Technology (Intel® TXT), Intel® Platform Protection Technology with BIOS Guard, and Intel® Boot Guard to detect and prevent malware even at the firmware level • New instructions for efficient cryptography and a true random number generator
The Intel® Mashery™ API Products and Services are a central component of these offerings. Intel Services offers a portfolio of products and services for building and managing application programming interfaces (APIs). Based on the well-established RESTful architecture, these APIs connect field devices, data centers, third-party partners, and customers, allowing data to flow where it is needed. APIs can be created quickly – in as little as four weeks – and can be managed by business personnel with minimal technical knowledge.
The Alliance’s offerings start with a broad portfolio of compute, storage, and network components designed for specific vertical markets. These building blocks take advantage of scalable Intel® processors to span the full spectrum of IoT needs, from edge devices with the Intel® Quark™ SoC to the data center with Intel® Xeon® processors. Building on these interoperable offerings, the Alliance has created an array of solutions that are ready to deploy into key markets. You can find numerous examples throughout this magazine. On page 25, Premier Alliance member Advantech explains how it created complete fleet management systems with Intel technology. “Upgrade EntryLevel Signage with Ease” on page 49 shows how you can deliver low-cost signage with hardware, software, and services from the Alliance. And Associate Alliance members Lanner and Radisys have both created hardware/software bundles that simplify the rollout of software-defined networks – see page 30 and page 34.
A key benefit of Intel Mashery API Management and Gateways is the ability to break down operational silos. APIs can extract and share data from a wide variety of applications, allowing otherwise incompatible systems to share intelligence. Consider the health information system illustrated in Figure 4 on page 8. Creating an accurate picture of patient health requires integration of many different systems using many protocols, and Mashery is invaluable for bringing these systems together. By breaking down the barriers between systems, Intel Mashery API Management and Gateways also help businesses lower the walls between departments. In many cases, each department will develop unique IT solutions to meet its own narrow needs. Sharing data between departments is often difficult, and frequently involves manual processes. Managed APIs and services automate this sharing, allowing departments to better integrate business practices and significantly boost efficiency and productivity.
Industrial/Commercial
API Management and Service Creation
Intel Mashery API Management also simplifies sharing of data with partners and data consumers. The tools authenticate each data request to ensure security, and allow businesses to specify which access controls, services, end points, and methods are accessible to each user. This controlled access enables powerful new business that can significantly add value to a company’s offerings. For example, Ford recently opened up its Developer Program so interested parties can make their mobile apps compatible with Ford’s in-vehicle Sync system. Already, 4,000 developers have signed up to use Ford’s platform, among them Amazon and USA TODAY. Amazon is building an app to let people access Cloud Player music from the driver’s seat, while USA TODAY is working on an in-car audio version of its daily paper. Speed Development with End-to-End Solutions Developers and enterprises can realize the benefits of the IoT faster by working with Intel and the Alliance. The Alliance offers integrated hardware, software, tools, and services that work together to accelerate development and deployment.
Secure Channel over USB, Wi-Fi*, BLE, etc.
Cloud and Data Center
McAfee* ePolicy Orchestrator
Third-party Applications McAfee* Enterprise Security Manager
Intel® Mashery API Management
McAfee* Global Threat Intelligence
Intel® Mashery API Gateway
McAfee* Next Gen Firewall McAfee* Data Center Security McAfee* Integrity Control
Intel® Gateway Solutions for IoT McAfee* Embedded Control
Edge
Wind River* Linux*, Wind River IDP Intel® Atom™ Intel® Quark™
NFC Radio Mag Stripe
Bar Code Touch
EMV Contact
Keyboards
Figure 3.
Cloudera® CDH (Hadoop)
New
Wind River Edge Management System Intel® IoT Gateway Wind River* Edge Management Agent McAfee* Embedded Control Wind River Linux, Wind River IDP Intel® Atom™ Intel® Quark™
New
Select ODM/OEMs
Figure 2.
Isolated Processing Environment for Security
The Intel® IoT Platform includes a variety of new and expanded solutions.
Secure Transaction Path from Peripherals, Arou nd POSto Server, End-to-End
Applet Management Channel
Service Provider Data Center
Internet Secure Input Devices
Expanded Intel Cloud Analytics Service for IoT Dev Kit
Trusted Execution Environment + Applet Bank-encrypted Card Transactions
Bank Transactional Gateway
Intel® Data Protection Technology for Transactions (Intel® DPTT) provides end-to-end security.
intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 7
Internet of Things
HL7v2 over MLLP Hospital EDI over HTTP
Health Network
Patient and Provider Indices
Lab / Radiology EDI/X12 over FTP
Turn Possibility into Reality The benefits of the IoT are attracting intense attention in nearly every industry. Yet many businesses have been slow to adopt this revolutionary technology. In many cases, these enterprises are overwhelmed by the complexity of the IoT and uncertain about its benefits. By working with Intel and the Alliance, you can accelerate adoption with end-to-end solutions that simplify deployment and unlock business benefits. Best of all, these solutions can help you bring your unique ideas to market quickly, giving you a head start on the competition. We look forward to seeing how you will transform business with the IoT.
Data and Transaction Services
For more on IoT solutions from the Alliance, see intel.com/ iotsolutionsalliance-sd
Claims HL7v2 over MLLP and Web Services Pharmaceutical
HIE
Figure 4.
IHE via ebXML and Web Services
For more on enabling Big Data, business insight, and the Internet of Things with secure, scalable solutions, visit intel.com/embedded-iot Registry/ Repositories
Security and Identity
A health information exchange ties together many data sources and protocols.
From modular components to market-ready systems, Intel and the 250+ global member companies of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance (intel.com/iotsolutionsalliance) provide scalable, interoperable solutions that accelerate deployment of intelligent devices and end-to-end analytics. ADLINK (intel.com/MR-adlink), Advantech (intel.com/MR-advantech), and Dell (intel.com/MR-dell) are Premier members of the Alliance. Lanner (intel.com/MR-lanner), McAfee (intel.com/MR-mcafee), NEXCOM (intel.com/MR-nexcom), Radisys (intel.com/ MR-radisys), and Wind River (intel.com/MR-windriver) are Associate members. eInfochips (intel.com/MR-eInfochips), and NCR (intel.com/MR-ncr) are General members.
Contact Intel
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8 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
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Internet of Things
Simplify IoT Integration with Edge Management Middleware Intelligent Cloud Middleware Unifies Edge and IT Domains By Ido Sarig, Vice President and General Manager, IoT Solutions Group, Wind River
T
he Internet of Things (IoT) offers extraordinary opportunities to make businesses more efficient, create new revenue streams, reduce environmental impact, and improve customer satisfaction. Yet by most accounts, we’ve barely scratched the surface of this potential. Until now, IoT solutions have largely been built from scratch with a high degree of customization, which has driven up the cost and complexity of development and deterred many prospective companies from embarking on innovative projects.
To enable widespread adoption of the IoT, developers need an environment that frees them from building the foundational infrastructure of their solutions. Such a platform would allow them to focus on optimizing their unique functionality and bring their solutions to market faster and at less cost. In this article, we will show how Wind River delivers this foundation with its Wind River* Edge Management System. We will explain how this cloud-based middleware helps developers build vertical-specific IoT solutions that integrate enterprise IT systems and edge devices. We will also examine its ability to enable powerful deterministic functions in small, low-power devices, as well as provide essential security and management capabilities. Finally, we will show how Wind River integrated the Edge Management System into a range of IoT gateways by collaborating with the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance. With 250+ global member companies, the Alliance provides scalable, interoperable solutions that accelerate deployment of intelligent devices and endto-end analytics. Alliance members work closely with Intel and each other to innovate with the latest technologies, helping developers deliver first-in-market IoT solutions. (Wind River is an Associate member of the Alliance.) The Need for an IoT Platform To get data from the edge to the cloud, securely and in real time, an IoT platform must have three main capabilities: • Telemetry and analytics for remote data capture – the fundamental capability for enabling business insight and
innovative business models. The ability to monitor sensor and system health is also vital for increasing system reliability and reducing operational expenses. • Remote management reduces costs by minimizing service calls and maximizing uptime. It also facilitates the creation of intelligent, rule-based systems – such as enabling remote operators to change thresholds for local responses. • Security must be in place from device to cloud. Such security must start with trusted boot and continue through the chain of trust with measures to protect data at rest and in motion. The cost, complexity, and development time needed to deliver these features has been a challenge for many organizations. Many of these challenges stem from a lack of standardization. Historically, IoT solutions were highly customized to specific vertical applications, and did not scale well to other markets. As a result, many organizations faced large upfront barriers to creating their own IoT technology, as well as heavy ongoing maintenance burdens. The Wind River Edge Management System The Wind River Edge Management System is designed to break down those barriers, providing a horizontal platform that can connect devices in a broad variety of markets. This pre-integrated technology stack extends from the device to the cloud with components that include a cloud-based middleware stack, an intelligent device agent, and development tools (Figure 1). The cloud middleware, hosted by Wind River and delivered using a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) model, serves as a centralized console, monitoring and exchanging data with edge devices. As shown
10 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
in Figure 2, the middleware include scripting and web services APIs to connect to application services. The middleware has been validated to work out of the box with Big Data and enterprise IT systems including those from Associate Alliance members Microsoft* and Oracle*. The middleware also incorporates an IoT data model and rules engine to manage data. These features help developers rapidly build systems that can extract business intelligence from the wealth of IoT data.
The Edge Management System device agent provides RESTful APIs (representational state transfer-conforming application programming interfaces). These APIs enable functions such as data capture, configuration, file transfer, and rule engines. Leveraging these APIs, developers can quickly build vertical-specific IoT solutions and integrate disparate enterprise IT systems.
API
Wind River Tools
Remote Service, Vehicle Telematics, Hadoop, UBI, Asset Tracking, M-health, Greenplum Smart Building
Edge Management System
Edge Management System Agent API Device-Side Software
Key IoT Platform Components Customer-Created Software Third-Party Solutions
Figure 1.
Analytics Systems
Vertical Packaged Apps
Cloud-Side App
Edge Management System
Operating System
Unlike existing IT-oriented solutions, the Edge Management System offers a management plane in addition to a data plane. The management plane focuses on activities such as device on-boarding, provisioning, and lifecycle management. It also enables technicians to access devices remotely and reset them if problems arise. The data plane collects and transports data from the edge, such as sensor data for analysis or metadata for monitoring device health.
Big Data & Enterprise IT
The Wind River* Edge Management System centers on a cloud-based middleware stack.
Business Systems
Custom Apps
Salesforce, SAP
GE, Philips, EMC, Diebold,Carefusion, NCR
Solutions
IoT Application Services Web Services API
Scripting API
Build
IoT Data Management Connect
IoT Data Model
IoT Rules Engine
IoT Platform
IoT Connectivity Any Device Service
Agents
Manage
Service Delivery Platforms Billing, Provisioning, Device Management Northbound
Network
Network Services Data/Rate Plans
Communications Hardware (Cellular, Wi-Fi*, Satellite, Internet, ZigBee*, Bluetooth*, etc.)
Edge Devices
Southbound
Assets Medical
Figure 2.
Finance
Heavy Equipment
Insurance
Consumer
M-health
The Wind River* Edge Management System gives developers a rich set of built-in capabilities.
intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 11
Internet of Things
The agent integrates with Wind River* Linux* and Wind River* VxWorks*, enabling seamless interaction with the many edge devices using these operating systems (OSs). This integration helps speed the development of vertical-specific IoT solutions for industrial, transportation, energy, and other markets. The OS support also helps developers build powerful deterministic capabilities into resource-constrained devices without compromising performance, reliability, or security. The agent also integrates with the Intel® IoT Gateway, a family of turnkey gateways that combine pre-integrated and pre-validated hardware and software to speed development. We will examine these gateways later in this article. Taken as a whole, the Edge Management System provides a robust platform for IoT deployment. As illustrated in Figure 3, the solution helps developers:
ability to configure, monitor, and manage remote devices. System administration, monitoring, and performance-tuning tools enable remote provisioning, configuration, and management of IoT edge devices as a cloud service. • Build – Pre-integrated application development support enables integrating machine data and message-driven readings, locations, and alarms into systems and applications. Application extensibility provides for agile handling of unique business requirements in rapidly changing environments. Turnkey Gateways As noted earlier, the Edge Management System integrates with the Intel IoT Gateway. These gateways bring together the foundational hardware, software, and interfaces needed to connect edge devices to the cloud. The gateways include Wind River* Intelligent Device Platform* (IDP) XT, a robust stack of software, hardware drivers, libraries, and software development environments that support fast application development and deployment in the field (Figure 4). The stack also incorporate McAfee* Embedded Control*, which enhances resilience with dynamic whitelisting and change control. (McAfee is an Associate member of the Alliance.)
Wind River Development Environment
• Connect – The Edge Management System’s agent and protocol support enables it to communicate intelligently with connected devices, reducing configuration and support costs. This connectivity allows the middleware to connect edge systems to the cloud and efficiently collect, process, transform, and transfer machine and sensor data to a remote server. BUILD CONNECT Custom Apps Edge Management • Secure – The Edge Management System Develop System communicates with edge Time Series Data Protocol devices using an SSL encrypted Items, Alarms, Enterprise & Big Data Integration Translator Stream Files channel, which conceals data from Integrate BIG DATA Collect Communicate unauthorized parties, protecting data Analyze in motion. Access to the data at rest AMMP Protocol HTTPS/SSL Any Protocol MANAGE is protected using role-based access Edge Management Gateway System control, enhanced by user-roles Monitor Agent Connected Machine that define and limit access to data Access Management Apps Service and system functionalities to those Configure appropriate for the designated role. Device Direct Gateway Distribute Content Any Device Connect Agent The Edge Management System tightly integrates with the security features of the Intel IoT Gateway – such as The Wind River* Edge Management System provides the core capabilities for whitelisting and integrity monitoring, Figure 3. connecting devices to the cloud. ensuring that secure software updates can occur without comprising any of the device-side security features. StateCloud Connector Manageability Security Connectivity of-the-art technology and operational expertise ensure a secure and scalable OpenSSL* Library OMA DM Ecosystem SRM Signing Tool 2G/3G/4G on-demand infrastructure. An end-toTR-069 Apps & Certificate Mangement Bluetooth* Web Config Services end customizable security strategy Secure Boot Ethernet Application Integrity Monitor covers all levels, including network, ZigBee* Stack Runtime Enviornment Application Resource Control Serial/USB application, user, and data security. SI/ITOs, Secure Package Mangement VPN Lua* Customers Encrypted Storage Maintenance of compatibility with Wi-Fi* Access Point Java MQTT security packages ensures the safe OSGi* McAfee* Embedded Control large-scale deployment of IoT devices. • Manage – The Edge Management Wind River* Linux* 5.0.1 System’s rules engine and its data Intel BSP: Board and Modules (Intel® Quark™ SoC, Intel® Atom SoC) and message-processing capabilities enable rules-based actions to be taken in response to analysis of machine data Figure 4. The Intel® IoT Gateway provides a comprehensive software stack. received from edge devices. Device management capabilities include the 12 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
Members of the Alliance offer a wide range of gateways with various compute and I/O options to meet the needs of specific vertical applications. Processor options range from the 1.5 watt (typical) Intel® Quark® SoC X1000 series to the quad-core Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family, providing highly scalable performance. The Intel Quark SoC X1000 series is a good choice for headless applications with tight physical and thermal constraints, such as connecting legacy factory equipment. The SoC offers extensive I/O for connecting sensors and smartly addresses security with a secure boot on-die ROM on many SKUs. The Intel Atom processor E3800 product family excels in applications that need more performance and richer feature sets. For example, the processors feature the Supplemental Streaming SIMD Extensions 3 (SSSE3), which are important for processing sensor and instrumentation data and performing local analytics. In addition, this processor family supports Intel® Advanced Encryption Standard New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) for data encryption and Secure Boot for trusted startup. The Intel IoT Gateway with the addition of the Wind River Edge Management System provides an application-ready platform for intelligent edge solutions that can be managed from the cloud. Developers can start developing out of the box, making use of all the data control and device management capabilities of the Edge Management System, as well as the pre-integrated and validated software stack that comes with the Intel IoT Gateways.
Get an Edge in IoT Deployment As the IoT expands and its innovations become business requirements, there is a growing need for middleware that can simplify and speed development across multiple industries. With a gateway based on the Intel IoT Gateway featuring the Wind River Edge Management System, developers get a powerful combination of Intel platform capabilities, a management plane featuring API-based data services, and a full software stack for networking, embedded control, multi-layer security, and manageability. Using this solution, developers can focus on creating applications that drive business process integration, improve productivity and efficiency, and create new IoT opportunities. For more information on the Wind River Edge Management System, see intel.com/SD-WindRiver-EdgeManageSys For more on enabling Big Data, business insight, and the Internet of Things with secure, manageable solutions, visit intel.com/embedded-iot Wind River (intel.com/MR-windriver) is an Associate member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance and a wholly owned subsidiary of Intel Corporation. An embedded pioneer since 1981, its technology is found in nearly 2 billion products. Wind River offers a comprehensive software portfolio, supported by world-class global professional services and support and a broad partner ecosystem.
Contact Wind River
intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 13
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Video Transcoding in the Cloud How One Server CanDo the Work of 24
At the same time, the carrier business is changing, with operators, service providers, and content providers wanting to use cloud technology for processing, streaming, and storage. But standard servers are not optimized for video transcoding, creating a bottleneck in operations. The best solution is an accelerated video cloud: PCI Express® (PCIe®) video acceleration cards in standard servers. The accelerated video cloud offers the ubiquity of standard server-based resources, but the added benefit of higher-performance and higher-density video processing that supports today’s users. Optimize the Cloud for Transcoding Typical cloud implementations use pools of standard servers that can scale to the requirements of each application. However, video places unique demands on compute, storage, and network resources. To deliver transcoding in the cloud, carriers must optimize their servers.
The Artesyn SharpStreamer Each Artesyn SharpStreamer card includes four 4th generation Intel® Core™ i7-4650U processors. The Intel® HD Graphics 5000 GPU integrated into these processors includes Intel® Quick Sync Video, a flexible architecture for encoding, decoding, and transcoding. This graphics engine can offload transcoding with great efficiency and flexibility (Figure 2). Intel Quick Sync Video delivers distinct advantages over hardware- and software-only solutions. Traditional fixed-function hardware provides low power and high performance but cannot adapt quickly. Software codecs provide greater flexibility, but with higher power and performance.
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Artesyn, an Associate member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance, meets this need with SharpStreamer™ video accelerator PCIe cards (Figure 1). Based on 4th generation Intel® Core™ processors, this solution enables one virtual server to do the transcoding work of 24.
A server pool optimized with SharpStreamer cards can be made available to video applications through a cloud orchestrator dashboard. Policies can be established with each user/application to govern access to transcode functions. As the demand for video transcode grows, carriers can cost efficiently add cards to increase the density from one card per server to up to four cards per server – with linear performance improvements from each additional card.
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The growth in on-demand and mobile, multiscreen viewing is pushing broadcast and communications networks to the limit. Traditional video equipment is too expensive, and carriers are struggling to find alternatives.
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Intel Quick Sync Video provides the best of both worlds: Dedicated hardware for fundamental encode and decode functions, and software running on GPU compute elements for codec-specific functions. The result is a balanced solution that delivers high performance at low power while retaining the flexibility to update codecs and improve performance and video quality over time. Another advantage of Intel® processor-based video processing is a familiar and easy-to-use API to speed development and time to market. The Intel ® Media SDK enables the transition from a pure software model to a media-offloaded acceleration model, with support for Microsoft ® Windows ®, Linux ®, Intel Quick Sync video, and API libraries.
Use Case: Real Time Adaptive Bitrate Streaming (ABR) As another example, consider IPTV providers who must deliver content not only to set-top boxes, but also the multitude of consumer devices. This requires generating many different formats in real time, particularly different bitrates to accommodate ABR streaming with minimal delay.
Next-Day TV Real-Time Transcoding (200 hours of content, 10 different formats) (96 1080p streams) Annual Annual Required Required Number CAPEX Power Number CAPEX Power Power Power Cost Cost Virtual Servers 24 1.0 11405 W $9,991 16 1.0 7604 W $6,661 Virtual Servers 1 0.17 1056 W $925 1 0.26 1056 W $925 with 4x (83% less) (91% less) (74% less) (86% less) SharpStreamer Cards [Figure 3 | Cloud server comparison; power cost assumes $0.1/kWh]
Use Case: Next-Day TV To illustrate the benefits of the SharpStreamer, consider a next-day TV service provider. This provider receives video from multiple producers and streams them to viewers on the following day. To serve varied subscriber devices, the carrier must deliver video for a range of codecs, resolutions, bitrates, and other requirements. Consider a small use case where a carrier needs to transcode 10 streams of 1080p30 H.264 video, with a total of 200 hours of content. In a cloud environment, a standard server with dual Intel® Xeon® processors E5-2650 v2 can transcode approximately 108 frames per second (fps). At this rate, a single server would require 556 hours to perform the task. Thus, to deliver content within 24 hours, the carrier would require a total of 24 servers. Alternatively, a single server with four SharpStreamer cards could perform the same work within 21 hours. This translates into a reduction of 24x in servers, 11x in power, and over 5x in cost – see Figure 3
Artesyn SharpStreamer cards enable many more bitrate renditions and accommodate many more channels on a single server. Consider that a server with dual Intel Xeon processors E5-2650 v2 can transcode six separate 1080p30 streams. The same server outfitted with four SharpStreamer cards can transcode 96 separate 1080p30 streams – a 16x increase in transcode capacity per server. Power demands are also 7x less, as shown in Figure 3. The Benefits Multiply Compared to software-based transcoding on standard servers alone, SharpStreamer cards cost less, require less power, and use less space. The cards provide excellent scalability, enabling carriers to add more cards and density to a server as needed. Adding the cards to standard provides an excellent solution for creating a pool of optimized video processing resources for accelerating transcoding in the telecom cloud. For more information on Artesyn SharpStreamer, see intel.com/SD-SharpStreamer
Industrial Automation
Bring Factories Online with IoT Controllers Integrated Solution Combines Gateway and Controller By Joe Lin, General Manager, Industrial Computing Solutions Business Unit, NEXCOM
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anufacturers are enthusiastic about the Internet of Things (IoT) but face significant barriers to connecting their equipment. Most plants are full of legacy devices that run on closed-loop intranets separate from corporate networks. To create a smart factory, manufacturers need to bring this equipment online without an expensive factory overhaul.
In this article, we explain how a new generation of IoT controllers solves this problem using the fanless NEXCOM* NIFE 100 as an example. We show how the NIFE 100 connects fieldbus networks, enterprise systems, and smartphone and tablet operator interfaces – and we demonstrate how this connectivity helps manufacturers increase competitiveness, anticipate trends, and improve the bottom line.
controllers – that is, IoT gateways purposely built for manufacturing. These controllers serve as the cornerstone of big supervisory control and data acquisition (Big SCADA), a vision to integrate wide-range control and monitoring of factory operation and data analytics using the enterprise cloud (Figure 1).
We also illustrate how the NIFE 100 consolidates multiple factory functions – including logic control, human-machine interface (HMI), and communications – using multicore Intel® Atom™ processors. We consider how supporting tools like CODESYS SoftLogic facilitate control programming and remote management. Finally, we show how as an Intel® IoT Gateway solution, the NIFE 100 simplifies network design and security.
Enterprise Cloud
Big SCADA
The need for an Industrial IoT controller Factories are full of legacy field devices including machinery, robots, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and sensors. These devices typically use different communication protocols and run independently. If a factory network exists, it is usually a closed-loop intranet separate from the enterprise network. To realize the advantages of the factory-of-things, manufacturers must lift the communication barriers among these field devices and connect them to the Internet. What can help are industrial IoT
Industrial IoT Gateway and Controller
Figure 1.
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Control System DCS and PLC
Big SCADA integrates wide-range control and monitoring as well as data analytics.
The NEXCOM NIFE 100 meets this need by delivering an open-architecture solution for cross-protocol communication, providing the missing connection between closed-loop control and the Internet. Based on Intel Atom processors, these IoT controllers feature fieldbus extension modules that enable flexible connections to factory systems and the cloud (Figure 2). Cloud functions may be hosted on-premise or off-premise, allowing manufacturers to implement Big SCADA as best suits their needs.
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The NIFE 100 provides a rich set of software for networking, control, and manageability. This software enables the NIFE 100 to play many roles – from data acquisition server to high-level industrial controller. Manufacturers can connect PLCs, remote I/Os, and legacy field devices using different protocols and across different control subsystems. Manufacturers can also send field data to the cloud for Big Data analytics and remote monitoring of factory operations.
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Qosmos Inc. 440 N Wolfe Rd, Sunnyvale, CA 94085, USA Email: us-sales@qosmos.com
www.qosmos.com
intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 17
Industrial Automation
Connecting the Industrial IoT To construct a smart factory, everything on the factory floor must be connected. Considering that legacy devices use a variety of fieldbus protocols, industrial IoT controllers need to provide cross-communication capabilities for both downstream and upstream data communication. To aggregate field data, the NIFE 100 supports industrial communications with a range of fieldbus modules. These modules include PROFINET, PROFIBUS, Ethernet/IP, DeviceNet, EtherCAT, CANopen, and Modbus. From the cloud perspective, the NIFE 100 provides the last-mile connection for field devices and provides a gateway to LAN, Wi-Fi*, and 3G/4G networking (Figure 3). To reduce factory footprint and overall hardware cost, the NIFE 100 combines the functions of an IoT gateway with those of a cyber-physical system (CPS) – that is, a computational controller for physical equipment (Figure 4). Specifically, the NIFE 100 can control multiple systems over multiple fieldbus protocols and provide HMI functionality. To facilitate programming across multiple controllers, the NIFE 100 is built with the CODESYS SoftLogic programming tool based on the IEC 61131-3 PLC programming standard. This allows the NIFE 100 to adapt to different factory settings. The NIFE 100 provides the interoperability necessary for IoT controllers and sets up a solid foundation for the industrial IoT, transforming a plant into a smart factory without a costly overhaul. On the IoT side, the NIFE 100 implements the Intel IoT Gateway architecture. This architecture integrates Intel® processor-based hardware, the Wind River* Intelligent Device Platform (IDP) XT, and McAfee* Embedded Control, delivering a full suite of networking, embedded control, integrated security, and remote manageability technologies. These pre-integrated, pre-validated hardware and software building blocks simplify connectivity, enabling seamless and secure data flow between the factory and the cloud. (Like NEXCOM, McAfee and Wind River are Associate members of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance.)
Real-Time Performance and Graphics Real-time capability is essential for an IoT controller. Control algorithms often require complex responses within a matter of milliseconds. Here, the NIFE 100 benefits from the growing computational power of Intel Atom processors. Available in single-, dual-, or quad-core configurations, the NIFE 100 can control a large number of field devices and carry out control schemes ranging from logic control to proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control. An IoT controller may also be required to provide HMI functions. Factory floor HMI stations may incorporate a large volume of graphics, images, and sometimes surveillance videos to deliver a vivid representation of factory status. Visual processing advancements in the Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family can help. The processors’ Intel® HD Graphics engine provides powerful 2D and 3D capabilities that support application programming interfaces (APIs) such as Microsoft DirectX 11, OpenGL 4.0, and OpenGL 1.2. The graphics engine also includes hardware video encode and decode engines for smooth recording and playback. The NIFE 100 uses these capabilities to support its integrated Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) for Process Control (OPC) software. This software can be used to provide graphical information such as factory layout, logical schema, changing trajectory of a phenomenon, and live high-resolution surveillance video. The built-in graphics engine also allows the NIFE 100 to power two independent screens at a maximum resolution of 2560 x 1600 at 60 Hz. The ability to consolidate control and HMI functions can reduce equipment footprints and overall costs. However, such system consolidation requires careful consideration of operating system (OS) support. The Intel® Virtualization Technology (Intel® VT) integrated in the Intel Atom processor E3800 product family aids system consolidation by allowing the NIFE 100 to run two OSs simultaneously – a real-time operating system (RTOS) for control applications and a general-purpose operating system (GPOS) for HMI applications. On the RTOS side, the platform supports real-time Linux* included in the Wind River IDP XT. General-purpose operating system (GPOS) support includes several versions of Microsoft* Windows.
Fieldbus Protocols Wi-Fi*/ 3G Modules
NIFE 100
Figure 3.
The NIFE 100 supports fieldbus communications through built-in interfaces and modular extensions.
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It is worth pointing out that these features are delivered with a thermal design power (TDP) as low as 10 W and extended temperature range of -40 ºC - 110 ºC. This thermal profile enables the fanless design of the NIFE 100 and supports reliable performance in harsh environments. Simple, Secure Networks It is important to simplify the management and maintenance of an industrial IoT system, especially a control network nested with thousands of industrial devices. The Intel® Ethernet Controller I210-IT used in the NIFE 100 provides a virtual LAN (VLAN) feature to ensure network quality of service (QoS). The VLAN feature assures network performance by allocating bandwidth Physical World and limiting broadcast storms. The Manufacturing VLAN can group industrial devices • SoftLogic Runtime into different subnets based on pro• VC++ Programming tocols and applications, and assign high priority to data packets relating Fieldbus Networking to real-time control. Additionally, the VLAN feature allows authorized Embedded RTOS users to access the authorized subnets, avoiding changes by mistake Control I/O Module and reducing security risks. The Intel Atom processor E3800 product family also plays a key role in security. This processor family provides fast hardware-assisted data encryption and decryption through Intel ® Advanced Encryption Standard New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) and supports Secure Boot to allow only trusted software to run on a device. It also supports error-correcting code (ECC) for extra reliability. The NIFE 100 also benefits from McAfee Embedded Control, a key ingredient of Intel IoT Gateways. This endpoint software uses whitelisting to allow only authorized software to run, blocking malware from installing and executing on the NIFE 100. Given the fact that an IoT controller like the NIFE 100 is a purpose-built appliance that executes only a limited set of applications, the whitelisting approach is more effective against zero-day attacks than traditional antivirus (AV) software. In addition, to assist with regulatory compliance, McAfee Embedded Control only allows policy-based changes that are expected and authorized.
Remote Management The NIFE 100 is available with the JMobile* mobile HMI app. This app provides remote real-time monitoring and control of factory operations. Starting a new manufacturing process only takes a few taps on a tablet or a smartphone. Instead of being confined to a desk in a factory control room, a factory operator can check a factory anytime, anywhere, making a virtual appearance on the factory floor (Figure 5). The app is bundled with NEXCOM Xcare 3.0 suite. This remote management utility integrates software applications and a cloud server
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IoT The NIFE 100 combines cyber-physical systems (CPS) with the Internet of Things (IoT).
JMobile & Xcare3.0 Virtual Factory Floor Hardware Status Checks System Restore
Factory Operation Keyboard/Video/Mouse Configuration
Figure 5.
NIFE 100
The NIFE 100 enables factory monitoring using mobile devices.
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Industrial Automation
cross-communication capabilities, high-performance computing, remote manageability, and security mechanisms, the NIFE 100 exemplifies how a smart factory can be built based on legacy devices, preventing costly factory overhauls.
With its open architecture, the NIFE 100 can play many roles
With its open architecture, the NIFE 100 can play many roles – from data acquisition server to high-level IoT controller –to securely connect the Ethernet-based business domain and the fieldbus-based factory domain. Using the NIFE 100, industrial companies can begin to transform their factories by taking advantage of Big Data analytics. Equally important, they can immediately reduce business costs and improve operations with a simplified control scheme, simplified control network architecture, and reduced maintenance efforts.
to support remote hardware status checks, remote system restore, remote keyboard/video/mouse (KVM) operation, and remote configuration of the NIFE 100. These features can help manufacturers perform preventive maintenance and take other measures to reduce downtime and increase efficiency. For example, the remote hardware status check gives IT staff an opportunity to detect a potential problem before a costly failure occurs, while system restore and remote KVM functions enable immediate response. Conclusion As an IntelLauterbach-Silvermont_7x4,875in.pdf IoT Gateway, the NEXCOM1 NIFE 10009:55:08 provides an appli24.11.2014 cation-ready solution that can enable smart factories. Packed with
For information about the NEXCOM NIFE 100, see intel. com/SD- NEXCOM-NIFE100 For more on connecting, consolidating, and optimizing industrial automation, see intel.com/embedded-industrial An Associate member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance, NEXCOM (intel.com/MR-nexcom) focuses on vertical markets including industrial automation, healthcare, in-vehicle computers, signage, surveillance, and networking and communications. NEXCOM is committed to total customer satisfaction with a close-knit global logistics and service network in China, Europe, and the United States.
Contact Nexcom
Intel® AtomTM Processor Z35xx Full Support for
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www.lauterbach.com Intel and the Intel logo are trademarks of Intel Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.
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Smart Buildings
Connect Building Systems to the IoT Gateway Connects Legacy Devices to the Cloud By Kenny Chang, Product Director of IO Platforms, Measurement & Automation, ADLINK Technology
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mart buildings that connect equipment to the Internet of Things (IoT) offer numerous benefits, including lower costs, smaller environmental footprints, and better occupant safety and comfort. Making this connection can be a challenge, however, because building automation systems (BASs) often use specialized networks with no cloud connectivity – and in many cases building equipment is not even connected to a local network.
In this article, we will explain how smart buildings can connect to the cloud, and show how building owners, equipment providers, and service companies can benefit from this connectivity. Specifically, we highlight ways Intel® IoT Gateways can simplify integration of new and existing building equipment. As an example, we will focus on the ADLINK* MXE-200i series, a compact embedded platform with built-in cloud connectivity. Finally, we will show how ADLINK developed its platform by collaborating with Intel, McAfee, and Wind River through the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance. With 250+ global member companies, the Alliance provides scalable, interoperable solutions that accelerate deployment of intelligent devices and end-to-end analytics. Alliance members work closely with Intel and each other to innovate with the latest technologies, helping developers deliver first-in-market IoT solutions. (ADLINK is a Premier member of the Alliance; McAfee and Wind River are Associate members.) The Advantages of Building Automation A BAS is a distributed system of networked electronic devices designed to monitor and control the mechanical, security, safety, lighting, temperature, and ventilation systems in a commercial building or campus (Figure 1). The network provides real-time data on building systems (particularly mechanical health and current operating status) and changing
environmental factors (such as the number of people in the building or outside climate conditions). Rules can be set to automatically trigger actions. For instance, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and lighting settings can be reduced when people leave a floor or room, fresh air ventilation can be increased when a set level of carbon dioxide or carbon monoxide is reached, and outdoor irrigation systems can be idled when soil moisture levels remain on target. HVAC Maintenence Services
Fire Detection & Alarm Security & Access Control
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Smart buildings can reduce costs and improve comfort and safety.
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Smart Buildings
Smart buildings can provide many benefits, including energy savings on lighting, heating, cooling, and other systems. Smart buildings also increase tenant satisfaction, providing a safer environment, more environmentally friendly operation, and fewer maintenance complaints.
(Figure 2). This wireless data platform integrates a comprehensive set of hardware and software, enabling developers to prototype and deploy smart building services faster. Instead of architecting a solution from the ground up, developers can focus on creating new, value-added services for the platform.
Connecting building systems to one another and to the cloud enables additional benefits. For example, remote staff can monitor multiple buildings, enabling owners to manage, maintain, and secure buildings with less staff. In addition, the continuous monitoring of each building system’s health reduces downtime, providing opportunities for predictive maintenance and immediate action when systems fail. In connecting building systems to one another, smart buildings also deliver another important benefit: coordinated functions. For example, in the event of a fire, a smart building could immediately unlock doors, disable elevators, activate emergency power, and transfer all locally stored video surveillance data to the cloud for investigation. For building equipment providers, cloud-connected buildings provide an excellent opportunity to offer new and add-on products, as well as value-added services such as regular remote safety checks for critical alarm systems and elevators. Service contracts are also easier to manage – remote monitoring and troubleshooting of building systems can reduce onsite maintenance and emergency calls, helping reduce labor costs and increase profit margins. Case Study: Elevators Elevators are a good case study for the benefits of smart, cloudconnected equipment. Malfunctioning elevators can be a major inconvenience – and even a safety hazard – so it is crucial to keep them in good working order. At the same time, servicing an elevator is an expensive and time-consuming proposition, so building owners want to keep service calls to a minimum. A smart elevator can improve operations by collecting and analyzing real-time data to pinpoint potential trouble and prompt intelligent responses. The data collected could include vibration test results from elevator hoist units, fast Fourier transform (FFT) analysis of motors and other moving components, track equipment diagnostics, and a detailed spectral analysis of in-cab performance and ride quality. All of this information can be gathered from multiple elevator banks and used to make targeted improvements, address safety concerns, and immediately put an elevator out of service that shows signs of failure. To perform these functions, a smart building system needs enough computing power to process data from various tests, such as vibration and FFT. It must be able to access equipment sensors over local networks and connect to the cloud for data hosting and remote access via PCs, tablets, and smartphones. The system must be secured to protect both the data and the building equipment. The solution should also offer a low total cost of ownership (TCO) – and from the developer’s perspective it should require minimal design time and effort. A Versatile Solution for Smart Buildings To enable the seamless and secure data flow between building equipment and the cloud, ADLINK created the MXE-200i
Figure 2.
The ADLINK MXE-200i is a compact, cloud-ready system.
To deliver the performance for local analytics and other applications, ADLINK selected the dual-core Intel® Atom™ processor E3826. This processor supports the Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3) important for digital signal processing of sensor and instrumentation data such as the FFT algorithm. To operate in a wide range of indoor and outdoor environments, the MXE-200i features a compact footprint— 120 mm (W) x 60 mm (H) x 100 mm (D) – and rugged, fanless design with an operating temperature range of -20 °C to 70 °C. The platform offers rich I/O for sensors and data acquisition modules, as well as optional wireless modules for Wi-Fi* and 3G/4G/LTE. This hardware serves as the basis of ADLINK’s implementation of the Intel IoT Gateway. This platform bundles Wind River* Intelligent Device Platform (IDP) XT and McAfee* Embedded Control to provide a complete, pre-validated communications and security solution. Wind River IDP XT provides a software stack for communicating with local equipment and the cloud. Its extensive connectivity choices include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth*, ZigBee*, and short-range wireless protocols widely used in smart buildings. Wind River IDP XT supports the MQTT protocol for data transportation, and remote management protocols such as Technical Report 069 (TR-069), CPE WAN Management Protocol (CWMP), and Open Mobile Alliance Device Management (OMA DM). For developers, the Wind River IDP XT software stack provides Lua, Java, and OSGi application environments to enable rapid, reusable application development. The MXE-200i also includes ADLINK’s Smart Embedded Management Agent (SEMA) utility, which enables quick setup of remote data
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access and analysis through ADLINK’s SEMA Cloud (Figure 3). SEMA Cloud provides a device client that gathers and pushes it securely to the cloud. SEMA Cloud also includes a cloud server to store and process data, as well as applications to remotely monitor, control, and configure the devices. Security and Manageability Like any IoT system, smart buildings need to be protected from malicious software and other threats. The Intel Atom processor E3826 includes two key hardware-assisted security enhancements: Intel® Advanced Encryption Standard New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) and Secure Boot. Together, these security technologies help secure endpoints, protect content, and prevent malicious software from loading. Wind River IDP XT delivers built-in security features as well – such as a hardware root of trust – to secure the communication channel, the data, and the end device. In addition, McAfee Embedded Control adds dynamic whitelisting. This technology locks the system down to a known good baseline so no program outside the authorized set can launch. McAfee Embedded Control also contributes a policybased change control feature that monitors files and prevents unexpected changes. To ensure correct operation, smart building gateways must also support remote management. The MXE-200i gateway includes a dedicated board management controller (BMC) supporting SEMA
that provides comprehensive remote monitoring and control. BMC features include watchdog timer; temperature, fan, and power monitoring and control; I²C and flat panel control; module information and statistics; failure forensics; and fail-safe dual BIOS. Compatibility with the latest Embedded Application Programming Interface (EAPI) specification reduces the design effort to port existing calls to the SEMA. Built-In Cloud Connectivity Looking beyond the gateway, SEMA Cloud includes a secure cloud server architecture and machine-to-machine (M2M) stack on top of its intelligent middleware (Figure 4, page 24). This built-in service means the MXE-200i can connect to a commercial cloud without additional design requirements. Once connected, building managers can use a PC, tablet, or smartphone to access device data and analytics through ADLINK’s customer dashboard or through their own cloud portal. Through the M2M stack, building equipment providers can set up cloud applications using the SEMA Cloud as the remote control API. A provider could define operational limits, alarms, and automated responses. For example, if an elevator’s primary motor reaches a temperature above an established threshold, an alert could appear on the dashboard and a secondary motor could be automatically activated to replace or supplement the primary motor’s operation until the primary motor cools to an acceptable temperature.
Intelligent System HVAC Elevator Smoke Alarm
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ADLINK’s SEMA Cloud enables a complete solution.
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Smart Buildings
A Gateway to Smart Building Management As a device based on the Intel IoT Gateway and ADLINK’s SEMA Cloud technology, the MXE-200i is a comprehensive solution for building equipment providers seeking a well-designed, secure way to enable end-to-end connectivity between building systems and the cloud. The MXE-200i’s ability to tie into existing building systems, collect local data, and push it securely to the cloud gives providers an excellent foundation for developing their own management and control applications. For providers offering service contracts, technology like the MXE-200i can be the basis for a new range of services and building safety offerings, as well as a way to reduce bottom-line labor costs for higher profitability. For information about the MXE-200i, see intel.com/ SD-Adlink-MXE-200i For more on connecting, consolidating, and optimizing industrial automation, see intel.com/ embedded-industrial ADLINK (intel.com/MR-adlink), a Premier member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance, enables the IoT with innovative solutions for edge devices, gateways, and cloud services. ADLINK’s products include standard form factor motherboards, blades, chassis, modules, and systems, as well as test and measurement products, smart touch computers, displays, and handhelds.
Contact ADLINK
SEMA Board Controller
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SEMA Cloud provides built-in connectivity.
Transportation
IoT Takes Mass Transit to a New Level eBus Solution Enhances Fleet Management and Safety
Mark Chen, Product Manager, Digital Logistics and Fleet Management Department, Advantech
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he dramatic growth of cities worldwide is fueling demand for safe, efficient public transportation. Many municipalities are turning to Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems in response. These innovative buses connect to intelligent transportation system (ITS) infrastructure, creating highly effective transit at a fraction of the cost of rail.
BRT offers an increasingly popular answer to these demands. Less expensive to build than rail systems, these enhanced buses offer raillike experiences through dedicated lanes, enclosed stations, and highquality vehicles (Figure 1). Among other benefits, these features help keep buses on schedule and passengers informed. To deliver these benefits, BRT uses the IoT to enable system-wide communications. IoT connectivity enables administrators to optimize routes and fuel usage based on the location, speed, and load. This same information gives customers precise bus location and arrival
The Internet of Things (IoT) is critical to BRT. It enables real-time collection and transmission of data, helping improve fleet management, scheduling, ticketing, safety, and advertising revenues. In this article we look at the technology required for an IoT-powered BRT system, using the Advantech TREK-674 in-vehicle box computer as an example. We show how this computer uses a dual-core IntelŽ Atom™ processor to deliver a long list of capabilities. The Need for Bus Rapid Transit Managing an urban bus fleet is no easy task. Traffic congestion, road construction, mechanical failure, driver behavior, weather, and other factors make it difficult to keep buses on time. In addition, modern systems must provide passengers with up-to-date information so they can plan their trips efficiently.
Figure 1.
A bus rapid transit (BRT) system offers a convenient, economic transit option.
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Transportation
times via smartphones or digital displays on the bus and at stations. In addition, real-time matching of passenger and ticketing data enables fleet managers to identify freeloading and alert fare inspectors. System-wide connectivity also aids safety and comfort. On-board systems can monitor driver behavior and surveillance systems can protect against crime. On-bus digital displays can provide information, entertainment, and advertising to improve the passenger experience and supplement operator revenue. The Smart Bus Solution To help cities meet their transportation needs, Advantech developed its eBus bus monitoring solution. The solution incorporates the TREK-674 in-vehicle computer, the vehiclegrade TREK-303/306 DH Smart Display, and the Mobile Resource Management Software Development Kit (MRM SDK). As shown in Figure 2, this platform connects bus components to ITS infrastructure.
Video data can be encoded, previewed, and streamed to a backend server. Analysis of this data provides fleet managers and first responders with information to safely respond to emergencies. Fleet managers can also use video information to diagnose onboard issues and create training videos. In addition to monitoring the passenger compartment, the TREK-674 aids driver safety. The system’s intelligent video analytics (IVA) software enables a lane departure warning system (LDWS), forward collision warning system (FCWS), and pedestrian detection system (PDS). If the system detects a dangerous situation or inappropriate driving, a warning message appears on the driver’s screen. If a driver does not respond, information is transmitted to the control room, alerting staff to contact the driver. Built-in intelligent voice recognition allows hands-free control, helping reduce accidents caused by driver distraction.
The eBus solution provides a comprehensive record of vehicle operations, including location, engine speed, tire pressure, braking, throttle position, and surveillance video. Other real-time information processed by the system includes data from payment card readers, door controls, and passenger counters. The system’s brain is the TREK-674 (Figure 3). This rugged computer provides a suite of I/O, vehicle diagnostic tools, and video capabilities. Key features include: • Dual core 1.75 GHz Intel® Atom™ processor E3827 • 8-channel analog video input • Video outputs for driver console and passenger displays • CAN and J1708 interfaces Figure 2. • GPS with AGPS and dead reckoning • Wi-Fi*, Bluetooth*, and cellular modules • Externally accessible solid-state drive (SSD) tray • -30 ºC to +70 °C operating temperature • Anti-shock/vibration • 12V/24V power system with power management features for 24/7 reliability Comprehensive Video Capabilities Safety is a primary goal forthe eBus system. The TREK-674 supports eight analog camera input channels for high-quality H.264 D1 (720x480) 30 frames per second (FPS) video recording and four-channel audio inputs. The unit’s dual storage system uses SSDs for fast performance on video backup. The 2.5" SSD tray is quickly swapped through a locked compartment that protects evidence.
The Advantech eBus solution is a comprehensive platform for connecting buses.
Figure 3.
The TREK-674 rugged vehicle computer pairs with the TREK-306 in-vehicle display.
26 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
The TREK-674 also functions superbly as a media player. The unit includes interactive applications accessible to smartphones to enable passenger engagement with advertising. Passengers can adjust volume, download information, and send feedback. By enabling interaction, the unit helps transit agencies expand advertising services and boost revenue. The eBus Power Plant To handle all the video data and signal inputs while displaying advertising on multiple screens, TREK-674 in-vehicle box computers use a high-performance, low-power, industrial-grade 1.75 GHz Intel Atom processor E3827. This dual-core processor enhances digital signal processing through Intel® Streaming SIMD Extensions (Intel® SSE) 4.2. These extensions give the processor excellent performance in demanding tasks like video analytics and audio processing. A system on chip (SoC) design, the processors include Intel® HD graphics (Gen 7) for excellent graphics performance. The SoC supports OpenGL 3.2 and DirectX11, and delivers a wealth of options for creating compelling graphical interfaces. For HD video decoding, the graphics engine delivers full hardware acceleration, allowing multiscreen video playback with minimal CPU loading. Processor security features include secure boot functionality when used with Microsoft* Windows 7 or higher. Hardwareassisted virtualization enables securing safety-critical code. For
fast data encryption and decryption, the Intel Atom processor E3827 provides Intel ® Advanced Encryption Standard New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI). (Like Advantech, Microsoft is a member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance. Advantech is a Premier member and Microsoft is an Associate member.) Built for Life on the Road The TREK-674 features an anti-shock, anti-vibration design compliant with MIL-STD-810G and 5M3 specifications for shock/vibration resistance. At 11.6" x 7.25" x 2.87" and under eight pounds, the unit fits in tight spaces. Cooling fins enable a fan-free design even under extreme temperatures. The integrated power system uses a certified vehicle power management (VPM) solution to handle power fluctuations and “dirty” power issues. The design is compatible with 12V/24V vehicle power, supports a wide 9VDC to 32VDC power input range, and is ISO 7637-2 and SAE J1113 compliant. To communicate with door locks, alarms, and various diagnostics, the TREK-674 includes CAN bus and J1708 interfaces. The CAN interface supports the J1939 and OBD-II/ISO 15765 standards while the J-bus supports the J1587 protocol. The TREK-674 also includes standard COM ports to communicate with peripherals such as ticket printers and barcode readers. In addition, USB 3.0 and CFast I/O ports offer convenient connectivity to peripherals.
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intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 27
Transportation
Built-in RF features, including GPS with assisted GPS (AGPS), Bluetooth*, Wi-Fi*, and GPRS/CDMA/HSDPA/LTE modems, enable real-time data transmissions and communication, as well as vehicle diagnostics monitoring. A dual SIM card feature facilitates wireless wide area network (WAN) roaming in rural areas. Fleet managers can use these interfaces to remotely diagnose problems and maintain onboard vehicle systems.
The TREK-674 easily connects with passenger-directed digital signage using a single-cable connection and repeater. Drivers can also access and review data using their own vehicle-grade TREK-303/306 DH Smart Display. This rugged 10.4" display provides a five-wire resistive touch panel with 1024 x 768 XGA resolution. Five large user-programmable function keys enable easy operation. The display’s plastic housing is IP55 rated and compatible with RAM mounting solutions for easy installation. SDK for Easy Deployment and Maintenance Taking advantage of the wide range of Intel ® processor software compatibility, the TREK-674 supports multiple operating systems – Microsoft* Windows XP Embedded, Microsoft* Windows 7, Microsoft* Windows 8, and Linux* – enabling excellent application portability and future proofing. The included MRM SDK provides valuable development shortcuts (Figure 4). Instead of having to program complicated system calls to device drivers communicating with the hardware layer, system integrators can interact instead with the MRM SDK layer between the application layer and the operating system. Using this MRM SDK, developers can more rapidly develop and deploy applications, evaluate platform performance, add peripheral support, and provide postinstallation maintenance/debugging support.
MRM SDK Package Simple and Easy Development
Video Surveillance VCMS Recording (Video Client Management System)
Playback
Streaming Rear View Monitoring
Intelligent Video Analytics LDWS FCWS PDS People Counting (Land Departure (Forward Collision (Pedestrian Warning System) Warning System) Detection System)
Moving Cities Forward Modern cities have challenging transportation needs. BRT systems based on the TREK-674 can be a great way to meet these needs. Taking advantage of the compute and connectivity capabilities of Intel Atom processors, the TREK-674 intelligently combines fleet management, vehicle diagnostics, and in-vehicle functions into a compact, easyto-use, fanless vehicle monitoring system. With this powerful solution as a starting point, transit systems can bring commuters the safe, efficient, and cost-effective trips they desire.
Remote Diagnostic and Upgrade System Status Log
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Firmware Upgrade
Reporting Status
OTA
24/7 Monitoring
Sensor Control Battery
TPMS G-Sensor Temperature Pressure (Tire Pressue Sensor Sensor Monitoring System)
For more on the Advantech TREK-674, see intel.com/SD-Advantech-TREK-674
Peripheral Control Voice VPM Dual SIM Recoginition (Vehicle Card Power Management)
DI/O Control
Smart Display
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Module ON/OFF
Advantech (intel.com/ MR-advantech) is a Premier member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance. Advantech offers a comprehensive range of hardware, software, design services, system integration, and global logistics support. We cooperate closely with our partners to provide complete embedded computing solutions for a wide variety of applications in diverse industries.
Contact Advantech
Intra-vehicle Communication CAN
Figure 4.
For more on building smart, connected transportation solutions, visit intel.com/ embedded-transportation
J1939
J1708
OBD II
The Advantech Mobile Resource Management Software Development Kit (MRM SDK) provides valuable shortcuts.
28 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
Fanless & Wide-temperature Embedded System & Boards
Telecom
Faster Flows for Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) Achieve New Performance Levels on Standard Servers Prashant Sharma, Systems Architect, Radisys Corporation
Mobile service providers are looking to network functions virtualization (NFV) to speed service deployment, simplify network scaling, reduce costs, and improve customer experiences. The biggest challenge has been finding a solution that can meet performance demands and maximize data flow to virtual elements. Now a breakthrough solution is available through the combination of the Intel® Xeon® processor E5-2600 v3 family, the Intel® Ethernet Controller XL710 product family, and the Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK). These products create a platform that can intelligently and rapidly process different data flows for NFV. In this article we consider how these components contribute to an NFV solution. We also examine Radisys’ flow distributor software and show how it enhances performance. Finally, we demonstrate how Radisys’ T-100 Series Server combines these technologies to achieve 2x 40G line rate packet processing performance for layer 3 (L3) forwarding using just 20 percent of the cores.
As illustrated in Figure 1, NFV solutions are built on top of NFV infrastructure (NFVI). This infrastructure provides
The recently launched Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 family meets this need with up to 24 cores (and up to 48 threads) in a dual-socket configuration – 20 percent more cores than the previous generation. Among other benefits, these new processors deliver an increase in virtualization density of up to 1.6x compared to the previous generation. Support for DDR4 memory technology contributes to this gain, providing up to 3x greater memory bandwidth while consuming as little as half the power of DDR3 memory.
Operations Support System/Business Support System Element Management System 1
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The Growth of Mobile Data The growth of mobile data is astonishing. To keep up, wireless server providers are using NFV to migrate entire classes of node functions onto standard servers – thereby creating faster, less expensive infrastructure. NFV also provides new ways to handle data traffic, bring new services online, and ensure quality of service (QoS).
the hardware and software needed to deploy, manage, and execute virtualized functions. To meet service provider requirements, NFVI equipment must provide excellent performance for virtualized workloads.
Virtual Computing
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Figure 1.
Virtual Storage
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Network functions virtualization infrastructure (NFVI) provides the resources for network functions virtualization (NFV).
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To meet the demands of high-performance packet processing applications, the processors include a larger L3 cache with various cache optimizations. For example, the caches support placement of data originating from I/O devices in any of up to 12 ways. A new cache monitoring technology allows an operating system (OS) or virtual machine manager (VMM) to determine the usage of last level cache on a per-application or per-thread basis for more accurate scheduling decisions.
The Intel Ethernet Controller XL710 product family is also optimized for DPDK. These community-driven, open-source packet processing libraries are designed to maximize performance on the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 family and the Intel Ethernet Controller XL710 product family. Running in the Linux* user space environment, DPDK assists in managing memory, buffers, queues, and flow classifications. Optimizing NFVI Performance The Radisys T-100 Series Server combines the benefits of the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 family, the Intel Ethernet Controller XL710 product family, and DPDK in a pre-validated, ready-to-use platform for processing-intensive virtualized applications. In addition, the server series supports Radisys’ flow distributor software. This distributor optimizes packet classification flows through the DPDK flow classification API. These optimizations enable the Radisys T-100 Series Server to deliver 2x 40G line rate L3 forwarding with only 20 percent of the cores, preserving 80 percent of the cores for applications (see Figure 2 and Figure 3).
Feeding the Cores With the proliferation of core counts, developers need to consider how network traffic flows to different virtual machines (VMs). Historically, packet distribution was implemented through receive side scaling (RSS), which distributes packets evenly among cores or by using the MAC or VLAN header in the packet. Both methods often failed to distribute packets to the cores that needed them, thus requiring redirection of the packets and increasing latency.
Product A4745-CPU-BASE A4742-CPU-BASE A4741-CPU-BASE Figure 3.
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An innovative offload feature, Intel ® Ethernet Flow Director, directs packets to the core and application that requires them by observing outgoing flows and creating connections between sources and destinations. Intel Ethernet Flow Director supports and stores up to 8,000 perfect match values extracted from sampled outgoing packets to efficiently classify packets and set affinity of flows to cores.
A4700 Intel® Xeon® Processor E5-2658 v3 Compute Blade
PCI Express* (PCIe*) x8
The Intel Ethernet Controller XL710 product family solves this problem by extending Intel ® Virtualiza tion Technolog y (Intel ® VT) hardware assistance to network virtualization. This family of 10 and 40 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) controllers reduces I/O bottlenecks by intelligently offloading networking traffic per VM, enabling near-native performance and VM scalability. The controllers support standards-based offload overlays like Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN) and Network Virtualization using Generic Routing Encapsulation (NVGRE).
Intel® Ethernet Controller XL710 RSS
Intel Ethernet Controller XL710 RSS
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Figure 2.
Dual Processors 2.2 GHz Intel® Xeon® Processor E5-2658 v3 2.0 GHz Intel® Xeon® Processor E5-2628L v3 2.3 GHz Intel® Xeon® Processor E5-2618L v3
Radisys’ flow distributor software delivers 2x 40G line rate layer 3 (L3) forwarding using just 20 percent of the cores.
L3 Forwarding, 128 byte Packets
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The Radisys T-100 Series Server achieves impressive performance.
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The capabilities of the Radisys flow distributor software are critical for NFVI. While the Intel Ethernet Flow Director enhances performance for many applications, issues can arise that require additional assistance to improve flow classification. A good example is head-of-line (HOL) blocking – the delay imposed when a line of packets is held up by the first packet. HOL blocking occurs when cores cannot process packets in a receive queue fast enough. Such delay can cause packet drop and underutilization of remaining cores. In one customer example, a bottleneck occurred when all packets were presented to a single core. The packets were fairly generic and flow distribution (based on 5-tuple) was uneven. Using the distributor software to identify flows based on the tunneled packet header enabled efficient flow distribution across multiple cores.
How the Flow Distributor Works The goal for a fast path application is to maximize the number of packets processed per second. Application examples include an inline/offline deep packet inspection (DPI) probe, a policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF) node, and traditional core network gateways. In Radisys’ flow distributor implementa tion, the Intel Ethernet Controller XL710 product family forwards all packets to one or several dedicated cores that run the distribution function (Figure 4). The distributor software assigns the flows to specific cores either through a DPDK ring (which stores free objects as assigned by a memory manager for inter-core communication) or through a Kernel Network Interface (KNI) (which allows DPDK-based user space applications to exchange packets with the kernel networking stack). The DPDK ring or KNI provide additional queues, intelligence, and communication to better streamline the packets.
The capabilities of the Radisys flow distributor software are critical for NFVI.
Another example application is the Tunneling Endpoint Identifier (TEID) for GPRS Tunnel Protocol (GTP) flows. In this case, the packet fields needed for flow classification are not present in 5-tuple and Radisys’ flow distributor enables them to be identified in other ways.
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NFV scalability provided by Radisys A4700 blade with dual-socket Intel® Xeon® E5-2600 v3 product family, with optimized DPDK performance
RADISYS HEADQUARTERS 5435 NE Dawson Creek Road | Hillsboro, OR 97124 USA 503-615-1100 | Fax 503-615-1121 | Toll-free 800-950-0044 www.radisys.com | info@radisys.com ©2014 Radisys Corporation
32 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
CPU
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Figure 4.
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Intel Ethernet Controller XL710
The Intel® Flow Director (left) is easy to use but can drop packets. Radisys’ flow distributor software (right) acts as an additional load balancer that improves performance.
Acting as a load balancer for CPU cores, the flow distributor software maximizes an application’s packet-per-second throughput, providing these benefits:
Radisys professional services group maintains a library of modularized load balancing and DPDK application enhancement software that can be rapidly customized.
• Improved core utilization – Core utilization is maximized when each core is supplied with packets whenever it needs a new one. RSS distribution methods face limitations from flow identification fields, the dynamic nature of packet header fields, limited hardware-based queues, or HOL blocking. The flow distributor software helps avoid these pitfalls by working with the DPDK poll-mode driver, which enables direct access to the networking hardware without OS involvement. The software can provide deeper packet queues per application core and use arbitrary packet fields to identify flows. Flow assignment to cores can be stateless or stateful. • Fast path abstraction to application – The Radisys flow distributor hides platform-specific details from application code. These details include the DPDK-specific interface to network interface controllers (NICs), DPDK-specific initialization for a given platform, and non-uniform memory access (NUMA) constraints for packet pools. This abstraction enables application code to be developed largely independent of the underlying fast path architecture. In certain cases, some dependency must be added for performance reasons, like assigning a specific function to transmit a packet on a given port. • Scalability – By adding a distributor thread, the software enables performance scaling without additional resources. • VM load balancing – Radisys’ flow distributor software can provide load balancing among VMs in a virtualized environment.
Radisys professional services can also shorten customer development cycles by providing DPDK training classes, supplying developed code, optimizing performance for a Linux distribution, or creating data flows and classifications for unique applications. These services decrease costs and time to market.
Customized NFV Solutions Implementing unique application flows, precise buffers, queues, and timing requires a deep level of knowledge and experience. The
Faster Flows for NFVI Combining the latest Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 family, the Intel Ethernet Controller XL710 product family, and DPDK in a prevalidated, ready-to-use platform for processing-intensive virtualized applications, the Radisys T-100 Series Server platform delivers high-performance NFV solutions for mobile data. The adoption of Radisys T-Series telecom-grade products in conjunction with the flow distributor software options will help propel the adoption of costeffective NFVI implementations. For more on the Radisys T-100 Series Server, see intel. com/SD-Radisys-T-100Series For more on flexible, scalable, standards-based communications, visit intel.com/embedded-comm Radisys (intel.com/MR-radisys) is an Associate member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance and a leading provider of wireless infrastructure solutions for telecom, aerospace, and defense. Radisys’ AdvancedTCA* (ATCA*), Media Resource Function (MRF) and COM Express* platforms, and its Trillium software and services help bring solutions to market faster with lower investment and risk.
Contact Radisys
intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 33
Telecom
Cloud Computing in the Network Data Center Optimize Carrier-Class Servers for Software-Defined Networking By Jesse Chiang, Chief Architect, Lanner Electronics
C
loud computing is becoming a critical function within the network core as operators strive to improve efficiency, deliver added value, and create new business opportunities. While these trends promise important benefits, they also present challenges. Telecom cloud services must blend data center and telecom capabilities, offering excellent performance, cost, energy, space, and manageability, along with carrier-grade reliability and security.
In this article, we look at the forces driving telecom cloud computing and explore the challenges of adopting this technology. We then examine how Lanner meets these challenges with 2U carrier-class appliances capable of 400 Gbps throughput, and consider how the latest Intel® technologies – including processors, chipsets, Ethernet controllers, and switches – power this solution. Finally, we show how pre-integrated communications software simplifies development and speeds time to market. The Telecom Cloud Opportunity With cloud computing transforming nearly every industry, telecom providers have a unique opportunity. Not only can they use cloud computing to improve their existing operations, but they can also
take on new roles as cloud providers. With their well-established network-based businesses, local presences, customer relationships, and aggregator expertise, telecom providers hold many advantages over other cloud providers. The move to software defined networking (SDN) is a key enabler for telecom cloud computing. SDN allows telecom providers to deploy virtualized network functions (VNFs) when and where they are needed to launch new services, create new businesses with ecosystem partners, and improve network operations. Latency-sensitive applications can be hosted locally, while less-sensitive applications can be centralized for cost efficiency. In short, SDN enables the network to be programmed, managed, and optimized more dynamically and at a larger scale.
34 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
To succeed in this new context, operators are moving from “pizza boxes” that provide narrow functionality. The cost, complexity, and scalability of these appliances do not suit network data centers. Instead, they need a solution that consolidates functions in as few devices as possible. The Lanner Hybrid Telecommunications Computing Architecture (Lanner HybridTCA*) platform was designed with these needs in mind. Initially launched five years ago and updated with the latest Intel® technology, this innovative carrier-class platform integrates control plane and data plane in a single 2U appliance, delivering up to 400 Gbps throughput. As shown in Figure 1, HybridTCA employs an easy-to-configure modular design. As the name implies, HybridTCA is based on AdvancedTCA* (ATCA*) technology. What sets the two apart is HybridTCA’s flexibility. AdvancedTCA standards limit each board to 200 W. With HybridTCA, everything is customizable. For example, each board on the HCP-72i2 HybridTCA* Communication Platform can support up to four CPUs with a thermal budget of 130 W for Front Blade Unit – each CPU. HybridTCA is also A Wide Range of Computing and up to 70 percent smaller and Networking Blades Available up to 70 percent more energy efficient than traditional appliances. In fact, a 2U HybridTCA design can outperform a 5U ATCA design.
and fans, and rich IPMI manageability, Lanner HybridTCA platforms deliver high levels of reliability, availability, and serviceability. The modularity makes configuration easy. For example, to create a high-end SDN switch, the platform could integrate a BBU switch based on the Intel® Ethernet Switch FM6000 with a BBU control board based on the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 product family. For network functions virtualization (NFV), it could consolidate accelerators via FBUs to enhance performance. The platform is also well suited to software-defined storage. To meet the needs of these applications, Lanner created the FX-3710 shown in Figure 2. This 3U rackmount cloud storage appliance integrates two BBUs based on the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 family with up to 20x 2.5" SATA/SAS HDD drive bays and six front-facing PCI Express* (PCIe*) slots for impressive storage capacity.
Middle Plane – NEBS and FIPS Certifiable
Back Blade Unit – Multiple Motherboards with Intel® Processors or NPU in a Single System
The HybridTCA architecture centers on the middle plane. High Availability – This board connects the other – Hot Plug & Hot-Swap elements together, making – Redundant PS & Fans – Rich IPMI Manageability cable connections unnecessary. In back, the Back Blade Unit (BBU) can host two proLanner Hybrid Telecommunications Computing Architecture (Lanner HybridTCA*) is a Figure 1. cessing blades. Using the flexible platform for software-defined networking (SDN). latest Intel® Xeon® processor E5-2600 v3 product family, each board can host dual-socket configurations with 24 cores for a 20x HDD 2x USB 6x PCI Express* total of 48 cores across two BBUs. The interconnection between these (PCIe (PCIe*)) 33.0 x8 two boards goes through the Non-Transparent Bridge (NTB) port in the CPUs, achieving a bandwidth beyond 30 Gbps. Because the architecture can support up to four CPUs per BBU, the system can expand to higher core counts in the future. The Front Blade Unit (FBU) supports up to three swappable Ethernet interface blades that can be configured with up to 36x Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) or 24x 10 GbE network ports in an array of small form-factor pluggable (SFP) or copper combinations. The front storage unit supports up to three 3.5" hard disk drives (HDDs) or six 2.5" HDDs or solid state drives (SSDs). Below the storage area are the USB and serial ports and the intelligent platform management interface (IPMI) management port. The HybridTCA features 1600 W redundant power units, and all system fans are placed on each BBU for easier service. Through FIPS/NEBS certification, hot plug and hot swap capabilities, redundant power supplies
2x GbE, one from each Back Blade Unit (BBU)
Figure 2.
The FX-3710 cloud storage appliance is based on HCP-72i1.
intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 35
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Under the Hood To make the HCP-72i2 a powerful carrier class-performance platform, Lanner draws on the latest Intel technologies:
Global Support
Migration and Design Services
• Intel® Xeon® Processor E5-2600 v3 product family – Based on Intel’s Haswell microarchitecture, these new processors provide larger caches and up to 20 percent more cores than the previous generation. Combined with hardware enhancements like Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (Intel® AVX) 2.0, these improvements provide up to 2.2x the performance over the previous generation. • Intel® Communications Chipset 89xx Series – Designed for communications workloads, this chipset includes Intel® QuickAssist Technology to increase workload efficiency by offloading compute-intensive cryptographic, compression, and packet operations. Lanner supports this chipset in its FBU networking blades. • Intel® Ethernet Controller XL710 Series – This next-generation controller delivers proven 10 GbE and 40 GbE connectivity, plus extends Intel® Virtualization technology (Intel® VT) beyond the chipset to deliver industry-leading I/O virtualization innovations and performance. These Ethernet controllers are available in the FBU blades. • Intel® Ethernet Switch FM6000 Series – This fully integrated wire speed 10/40 Gbps Ethernet switch silicon provides a practical way to transition to a flow processing-based OpenFlowtype protocol while supporting traditional switching and routing protocols. It supports 10/40 GbE low-latency switching with features like flexible frame header processing for SDN environments. This switch is available on a BBU or FBU. • Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK) – This set of libraries and drivers for fast packet processing runs in the Linux* user space environment, assisting in managing memory, buffers, queues, and flow classifications. Lanner experiments show that using DPDK, packet forwarding can achieve line speed even with small
Figure 3.
Native Linux* Apps
64-byte packets. This performance transforms Intel® processors into an excellent networking architecture. The combination of DPDK and Intel® QuickAssist technology eliminates the need for specialized network processors in network appliances, and enables Lanner HybridTCA to handle all control, data, management, and compute using Intel processors. Lanner HybridTCA also integrates the Wind River* Intelligent Network Platform. This optimized Linux*-based software builds on DPDK to enable application acceleration, deep packet inspection (DPI), and flow analysis in a single system (Figure 3). By including all the components necessary to consolidate management plane and data plane applications, the platform can save development teams several engineering years building and testing a system. (Like Lanner, Wind River is an Associate member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance.) Use Cases The HybridTCA platform can be used in a wide array of data center applications. For example, it could be used as a high availability (HA) appliance. As illustrated in Figure 4, all the Ethernet ports in the front are connected to both boards through a PCIe switch. Each pair of Ethernet ports could be assigned to either of the boards by software. By default, each board controls half of the ports and each board runs its own operating system (OS). Both boards are synced through two 10 GbE SFP+ ports on the management area. If one host fails, the other one will take over and control all the traffic. The platform can also be used as a DPI machine to provide functionality such as policy control and charging, quality of experience (QoE), and subscriber analytics. The packet handling and compute can be separated onto the two boards, and all the packets coming from one board could be passed to another board through the NTB to achieve the highest efficiency.
Customer Data Plane Apps
Customer Data Plane Apps
Customer Data Plane Apps
Application Acceleration Engine
Content Inspection Engine
Flow Analysis Engine
Core Affinity
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The Wind River* Intelligent Network Platform provides complete set of network functions.
36 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
Wind River* Workbench
Wind River* Packet Generator
A Versatile Solution Already in use in telecom for application delivery, load balancing, and high-end data center security, the Lanner HybridTCA platform demonstrates the versatility of the latest Intel technology. What’s more, the modular design of the platform can be adapted to a
Back Blade Unit (BBU) 1 NTB
wide range of uses, helping service providers keep up with rapidly changing markets. Blending the best features of data center and telecom infrastructure capabilities, the HybridTCA platform is an excellent match for the needs of the telecom cloud. For more on the Lanner HCP-72i2, see (intel.com/ SD-Lanner-HCP-72i2)
BBU 2 NTB
F or more on flexible, scalable, standards-based communications, visit intel.com/ embedded-comm
PCIe x8
PCI Express* (PCIe*) x8
An Associate member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance, Lanner Electronics (intel.com/ MR-lanner) provides network appliances to the world’s largest network security companies. Lanner delivers modular, standards-based solutions for everything from basic load balancing and firewall appliances to demanding VPN, bypass, intrusion detection, and unified threat management (UTM) systems.
Contact Lanner
PCIe Switch
LAN Module 10 GbE Port
Default
Figure 4.
From From BBU 1 BBU 2
10 GbE Sync
The platform can be used as an high-availability (HA) appliance.
Innovating Solutions for
Network Computing
Telecom
Enterprise
HCP-7000 Series
FW-8000 Series
SMB
FW-7000 Series
See Lanner’s full range of network appliances at www.lannerinc.com intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 37
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Blueprints for Success
in the
Bring the Power of the IoT to Your Business
The Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly moving from infancy to mass deployment, creating high demand for business-ready solutions. Now you can meet this need by working with the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance. From modular components to market-ready systems, Intel and the 250+ global member companies of the Alliance provide scalable, secure, interoperable solutions that accelerate deployment of intelligent devices and end-to-end analytics. Close collaboration with Intel and each other enables Alliance members to innovate with the latest technologies, helping developers deliver first-in-market solutions. To show how these solutions can be deployed, Intel and its Alliance partners have developed a series of IoT Solution Blueprints. These blueprints are great tools for business decision makers, systems integrators, and anyone interested in learning how to make IoT deployments easier, more affordable, and more successful. Here are some examples that demonstrate how these solutions can help you deliver value to businesses and consumers.
Smart Embedded Management Agent* (SEMA*) Cloud Solution; and a cloud computing platform using Intel® Xeon® processors (Figure 1). For more information, see intel.com/adlink-vendingmachine.
Cut Factory Maintenance Costs Advantech, a Premier member of the Alliance, coupled its SUSIAccess* 3.0 remote management software with the Intel IoT Gateway to deliver a factory automation system that connects field devices to the cloud (Figure 2). Its solution enables remote monitoring and management from any web browser, giving personnel a fast, convenient way to perform status and
PCs, Tablets and Smartphones
RESTful Web APIs
Premier member ADLINK devised a vending solution that offers cloud-based, real-time monitoring to improve sales, reduce operating costs, increase reliability, and enhance customer satisfaction. The solution enables edge-to-cloud integration of new and legacy vending machines, creating new capabilities for payment, inventory, and digital display systems.
API Layers Advantech* SUSIAccess* Server Component
SEMA
Cloud
In Central Control Room or Cloud Hosted (e.g., Microsoft* Azure*, Amazon* Web Services)
MQTT, WAN, Ethernet
IoT Gateway DSL
Modem
SEMA
Legacy Vending Machine IoT Gateway
SEMA
Cloud
Cloud Analytics
Intel® Processor-based IoT Gateway MQTT, 6LoWPAN, WPAN
AGENT
Internet
Cloud
3G/4G IoT Gateway
Legacy Vending Machine
Advantech SUSIAccess Agent Component
Running on Intel® Xeon® Processors
ADLINK 3G/4G
API
SERVER
IoT Cloud Platform
ADLINK bases its solution on Intel® IoT Gateways; a selection of boards designed for vending machine operation; ADLINK’s
Running on Intel® Core™ i7 Processor
CONSOLE
Analytics
Boost Vending Machine Profitability
Intelligent Vending Machine
IoT
HUB
SEMA
Cloud
Based on Intel® Atom™ Processor
Cloud
SEMA Portal
Figure 1. High-Level, End-to-End Architecture
Automation Controllers
Edge Computers
Sensors/ Actuators
Factory Equipment
Figure 2. High-level Structure of a Factory Automation Solution
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maintenance checks. The result is increased production line performance and reduced maintenance cost. The solution can also interoperate with high-level applications such as data analytics and machine learning. For more information, see intel. com/advantech-productionperformance.
Maximize Manufacturing Efficiency
Data Sources 1
Data Data Collection Acquistion and Aggregation 2
3
Extract Transform Load (ETL) Dell Toad Data Point* Dell Statistica*
Gateway
Cloudera* Enterprise
Data Logs
Premier Alliance member Dell OEM teamed up with Intel, Mitsubishi Electric, and Revolution Analytics to develop a big data pilot program in an Intel factory that is forecasted to potentially save the company millions of dollars (USD) annually. This comprehensive solution connects new and legacy factory automation networks to the IoT for real-time analysis to help improve yield, quality, and efficiency (Figure 3). The solution includes C-language controllers, Intel IoT Gateways, the Dell In-Memory Appliance for Cloudera Enterprise, and a variety of open source and thirdparty software. For more information, see intel.com/Dell-manufperformance.
Make Building Automation Affordable Affiliate member HCL Technologies developed a powerful, cost-effective solution for smallto-medium building owners looking to reduce operating costs (Figure 4). Enabling a choice of Intel IoT Gateways, HCL’s solution provides edge-to-cloud data collection, automation, and management. The solution uses HCL’s building automation system (BAS) software to monitor multiple properties at once and optimize building performance. For more information, see intel.com/HCL-buildingautomation.
Data Visualization and Business Intelligence
4
Dell Boomi* MonetDB* PostgreSQL*
Ball Attach Module
Data Analytics
Dell Toad Intelligence Central* Dell Kitenga
Internet or Intranet
No SQL Database
Vision System
RMDBs EDW Database
Yield Data DB
User Internet or Intranet
Dell In-Memory Applicance for Cloudera Enterprise
Smart Phone
Figure 3. Example of IoT Big Data Analysis Process
User Interface Devices Control and Monitoring
Table, Web Access, Smart Watch
RFID Tag
RFID
Video Camera
Wi-Fi Ethernet
3G/4G Ethernet
Cloud HCL* Building Automation System Software
Intel® IoT gateway HCL Building Automation System Software ZigBee*
RFID Module
HVAC Energy Light Light Noise Smoke Temp Control Meter Sensor Sensor Sensor Humidity Sensor
Wi-Fi Wi-Fi Router
Figure 4. Building Automation System (BAS) Configuration Example
Discover More Blueprints for Success Intel and the Alliance have created many more IoT Solution Blueprints that address additional industries and applications. To explore all of the blueprints —as well as a variety of case studies and other related materials— visit intel.com/iotblueprints.
Retail
Personalize Retail with Secure Interactivity 4K Displays, Tablets, and Secure Data Transform the Store By Kenton Williston, Editor-in-Chief
R
etailers around the globe are discovering the value of personalized retail experiences. By using the latest technology to engage with their customers, retailers can create customized experiences that build foot traffic and help close sales. In addition, these technologies deliver security upgrades that build consumer confidence and help stores avoid costly data breaches.
In this article, will we review three technologies reshaping the retail landscape: Ultra HD 4K interactive experiences created by the 5th generation Intel® Core™ processor family; mobile point of sale (MPOS) tablets powered by Intel® Atom™ processors; and security with Intel® Data Protection Technology for Transactions (Intel® DPTT). We will explain how each of these technologies work, and consider how these technologies can be used together to create a seamless, personalized retail experience. We also demonstrate the value of working with the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance (Intel® IoT Solutions Alliance). From modular components to market-ready retail systems, Intel and the 250+ global member companies of the Alliance provide scalable, interoperable solutions that accelerate deployment of intelligent devices and end-to-end analytics. Close collaboration with Intel and each other enables Alliance members to innovate with the latest technologies, helping developers deliver first-in-market retail solutions to increase sales and efficiency. Immersive Interactivity One of the biggest trends transforming retail is the growing interest in digital experiences. Forward-thinking retailers and brands want to connect with consumers using digital signage, kiosks, point-of-sale, self check-out, and vending machines to discover, explore, and connect to their favorite brands. These digital devices can deliver highquality, highly-personalized experiences that amplify retailer and brand values and drive consumer demand.
Delivering these engaging experiences requires the latest in graphics performance and processing power – and the 5th generation Intel Core processor family stands ready to deliver. With up to 30 percent better 3D graphics performance and new support for Ultra HD 4K resolution, these processors support immersive visual experiences. The processors can drive up to three independent displays, helping developers create a wide variety of equipment without a discrete graphics card. As illustrated in Figure 1, key upgrades to the graphics engine include: • Support for next-generation graphics APIs including Direct3D 11.1, OpenGL 4.2, and OpenCL 2.0 • Improved ability to decode and transcode simultaneous video streams along with VP8 hardware decoding support • Smoother visuals thanks to quality and color fidelity enhancements in Intel® Clear Video HD technology and Intel® Quick Sync Video. Fabricated in Intel’s leading-edge 14 nm technology, the 5th generation Intel Core processor U-Series family delivers up to 25 percent additional multi-threaded performance CPU performance, up to 21 percent faster graphics performance, and up to 20 percent lower power consumption than previous generations. This power-efficient performance enables unprecedented responsiveness – even in applications with limited thermal budgets.
40 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
Retailers can take advantage of this power-efficient performance to deliver new applications and edge analytics that draw customers in and boost sales. For example, the high performance benefits Intel® Retail Client Manager (Intel® RCM), a content management system (CMS) that simplifies the creation and delivery of digital ad campaigns. Intel RCM includes an Audience Analytics feature that can detect audience demographics like gender and age, allowing digital touch points to deliver the most relevant message to audience at hand. For example, a sign could advertise athletic shoes to young males and dresses to mature women.
as Europay, MasterCard, and Visa (EMV) readers), and contactless payment systems. These capabilities have two major benefits: they improve the customer experience, and they help sales staff close sales. Tablets also offer important advantages in the area of personalization. By looking up a customer’s purchase history, sales staff can recommend items for purchase and more easily upsell the customer on higher-priced items. Suppose a customer had previously purchased a charm bracelet. The salesperson could see which charms the customer had purchased in the past, and encourage them to buy new charms that would complement their previous purchases.
Just as importantly, Audience Analytics enables a sign to measure the success of each campaign. Specifically, the software can measure interactions including dwell time, time of day, and viewed content. Figure 2 illustrates how this data can be used to evaluate the success of different campaigns.
x4 PCI Express* (PCIe*) x4 DP 1.2
4 USB 3.0 (2 Muxed)
The increased performance also benefits retail staff, who can more effectively multitask. For example, a POS terminal could simultaneously process transactions, display advertising on a customer-facing display, monitor inventory levels, and perform local analytics of customer behavior. An advanced POS like this can help sales staff stay informed and respond quickly to customer needs.
NFC
8 USB 2.0/1.1
SMBus
4 SATA 6 Gb/s
GLCI
GPIO (enhancement) Power Management SM Bus 2.0 LPSS
To help developers and system integrators quickly deliver these benefits, members of the Alliance have developed a wide range of solutions based on the 5th generation Intel Core processor family. Figure 3, page 42 lists a representative sample of these products.
FS, WX
TPM LPC I/F 1.2/2.0
CODEC (2)
EC/SIO
Mobile Point of Sale Although customers enjoy digital interactions, they also want excellent service from in-store staff. Today’s customers are better informed than ever, with mobile phones providing instantaneous access to competitors’ prices, product ratings, and much more. To keep up, sales staff must not only match but exceed customer’s knowledge. What’s more, customers who are used to making online purchases with a simple click want the same kind of speedy service in the store.
The tablets can also function as mobile point-of-sale (MPOS) terminals, allowing staff to complete transactions on the sales floor using magnetic card readers, “chip and PIN” readers (officially known
FLASH SPI TPM
Figure 1.
BIOS AMT Code GbE
PCIe, Gen2 12 lanes, 6 ports (2x4, 4x1)
WLAN
Intel® High Definition Audio DSP on I2S
SDIO for Wi-Fi* only 2 SPI, 2 UART, 2 12C
The 5th generation Intel® Core™ processor family offers many important upgrades.
Dresses
1000
800
25
20
Total Views
Shoes 600
15
400
10
200
5
0
Days 1
Figure 2.
Average Dwell Time (in seconds)
Tablets based on the latest Intel® Atom™ and Intel® Core™ processors are a big help here. As illustrated in Figure 4, page 43 the Alliance offers a wide variety of thin and light tablets. These tablets can give sales staff immediate access to both the public Internet and the store’s private databases, helping staff do price matching, look up product recommendations, and show customers alternative products such as items in different sizes and colors. If a product is out of stock, the salesperson can help the customer order it on the spot, avoiding a lost sale.
FWHx
C-link
GbE Phy
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Audience Analytics can measure views and dwell time.
intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 41
Retail
Intel Atom processors are key to enabling all of these benefits. Based on Intel’s Silvermont architecture, the latest Intel® Atom™ processors E3800 product family and Intel® Atom™ processors Z3000 series offer excellent energy efficiency for responsive performance that can last an entire shift. These processors also enable flexible operations, with the ability to run both Android* and Microsoft* Windows operating systems. For even higher performance, the 5th generation Intel Core processor combines blazing speed with exceptional energy efficiency to enable devices that deliver the capabilities of a laptop in a fanless tablet form factor. These designs can be particularly appealing for store managers, who can spend less time in their offices and more time on the sales floor. With the ability to use email and productivity software anywhere in the store, managers can do things like check worker schedules, verify inventory, and observe sales trends while aiding the sales effort. Securing Customer Data Although the growing use of retail devices is improving the customer experience, it is also raising new concerns about security. Large-scale credit card breaches have made global headlines, leaving customers uneasy about the safety of their personal information. Retailers are also worried – these events can have major financial impacts and can discourage customers from shopping at their stores. Product
Form Factor; Target Markets
Although the industry is making major efforts to secure their systems, many retailers still have significant vulnerabilities in their payment-processing systems. One key weakness lies in the fact that many credit card readers send unencrypted payment data to the POS terminal. If the POS is infected with malware like “BlackPOS,” this unencrypted data can be extracted from memory and transmitted to cybercriminals. Payment data is also often stored in clear text in payment server networks, giving hackers another opportunity to steal valuable information. To combat such theft, Intel has partnered with General Alliance member NCR to develop an end-to-end transaction security environment called Intel® DPTT. This solution provides network hardware authentication and end-to-end encryption of transaction information from the card reader to the data center. As illustrated in Figure 5, page 44 Intel DPTT provides multiple valuable services that protect retail transaction systems from malware attacks: Hardware-based encryption – The key component of Intel DPT for Transactions is an applet that runs on the chipsets of Intel Core and Intel Atom processors. Because the applet is physically separated from the CPU, it can encrypt transaction data before the data reaches main memory. As a result, any malware running on the POS cannot access raw credit card information. Features
• 16 GB DDR3L; 2x HDMI/DVI or DP • 4x PCI Express* (PCIe*) x1, 4x SATA, 8x USB • Ruggedized, -40 ºC to +85 ºC (optional)
ADLINK cExpress-BL
COM Express; Signage, Retail
Advantech AIMB-231
Mini-ITX; Signage, Vending, Point-of-Sale (POS)
• 16 GB DDR3L; DP++, DP/HDMI, LVDS/eDP • 6x USB, 3x SATA, 2x COM, 2x mPCIe (1x co-lay USB, 1x co-lay mSATA/SIM slot), 2x GbE
Kontron COMe-cBL6
COM Express; Signage, POS, Retail
• 8 GB DDR3L; DP++, DP, HDMI, DVI, LVDS • 4x SATA, GbE, 8x USB, PCIe x4
Aaeon EPIC-BDU7
EPIC SBC; Signage, POS, Kiosk, ATM
Avalue EBM-BDW
5.25" SBC; Retail, Signage
congatec AG conga-IC97
Mini-ITX; Signage
• 16 GB DDR3L; LVDS, eDP, DP++ • PCIe x4, PCIe x1, 2x mPCIe, SIM slot, 3x SATA, mSATA, 6x USB, 2x COM, 2x GbE
IBASE SE-92
Signage Player; Outdoor Displays, Vehicular Signage
• 16 GB DDR3L; 2x DVI-I with EDID emulation • 2.5" SSD/HDD, 2x GbE, USB, COM, SIM/UIM slot; 2x M.2 (NGFF) + 1x mPCIe (x1) for SSD, Wi-Fi*, Bluetooth*, 3G/LTE or TV tuner
IEI WAFER-ULT2
3.5" SBC; Retail
Nexcom ICES 672
COM Express; Signage
Venture VG-U5000
Mini ATX; POS, Signage, ATM
Figure 3.
• 8 GB DDR3L; VGA, LVDS, DP, eDP • 2x SATA, mSATA/Mini-Card, optional SIM slot, 6x USB, 2x GbE, 6x COM; optional touch screen • 8 GB DDR3L; HDMI, LVDS • 2x mPCIe, mSATA, SIM slot, CF, 6x USB, COM, 2x GbE; touch controller, 12-26 V DC
• 16 GB DDR3L; LVDS, VGA, iDP • mPCIe for mSATA, 3G, Wi-Fi, and SSD • -40 ºC to +75 ºC, 6-36V DC with programmable power control • 16 GB DDR3L; VGA, LVDS, HDMI, DP, DVI • 10x USB, 4x SATA, 4x PCIe x1, WDT, I²C • 32 GB DDR3L; DP, HDMI, eDP • 2x mPCIe, 2x SATA, 2x USB, GbE • Expansion board with 3x USB, 3x PCIe, SATA
Members of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance offer a variety of retail solutions. Memory capacities are maximum configurations.
42 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
End-to-end protection – Encryption continues through all steps of the transaction, including payment authorization, payment processing, and information storage. This means that transaction data is protected from the moment of swipe all the way to storage on the retailer and bank servers, closing the most challenging gap in data protection. Validation of credit card terminals – The applet authenticates credit card input devices against whitelists provided by the end customer. This protects against installation of compromised readers that could otherwise skim credit card numbers. Minimization of information – The applet handles complexities like checking to see if a PIN is required or looking up a return from the card number. The applet only provides the POS software the minimum information needed to print a receipt, such as the last four digits of the credit card. By minimizing the information available to the POS, Intel DPT for Transactions technology guards against memory scraping malware.
Automated updates – The applet contacts the command console periodically for configuration updates and security metrics sharing without operator intervention. Intel DPT for Transactions can be installed on existing systems, allowing retailers to safeguard their data without a massive investment in new equipment. It can also be installed on new systems, including those based on Intel 5th generation Core processors and Intel Atom processors E3800 product family. By working with Intel and Alliance members like NCR, system integrators can give their retail customers a wide range of options for transactional security.
Product Dell OEM Venue 8 Pro 5830 Series
• • • • Aaeon-Onyx • RTC-900B • • Hewlett-Packard • MX10 Retail • Solution •
Features 8" LCD, Microsoft* Windows* 8.1, quad-core processor, 2 GB LP DDR3 64 GB eMMC, microSD, 802.11ac, Miracast, Bluetooth* 4.0 Optional mPOS payment sleeve; Dell PocketCloud 10.1" LCD, Microsoft* Windows 8, quad-core processor, 4 GB DDR3L MicroSD slot, GPS, G-sensor, 802.11n, Bluetooth* 2.1 + EDR IP65 rated 10.1" LCD, Microsoft Windows 8, dual-core processor, 2 GB RAM 64 GB eMMC, Micro HCSD, 802.11n, keyboard option HP Retail Jacket for ElitePad includes barcode scanner, MSR, USB, hand strap and shoulder sling provisions, optional secondary battery Security and management software suites
• 8.3" LCD, Microsoft Windows 8.1, quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM M&A Technology • 32 GB storage, MicroSD, 802.11, Bluetooth* 4.0, GPS/GLONASS, NFC, Companion AVA Intel® Wireless Display (Intel® WiDi); optional 3G/LTE; MSR or chip and PIN • IP65 and optional MIL-STD-810 case Aava Inari
• 8.3" or 10.1" LCD, Microsoft Windows 8, Android 4.4, quad-core processor, 4 GB RAM • 128 GB storage, microSDXC, NFC, 802.11n, Intel® Wireless Display (Intel® WiDi), Bluetooth*, GPS/GLONASS; optional LTE • 1 m drop resistant, IP65 rated, supports hand strap
• 10.1" LCD, Microsoft* Windows* 7 or 8, quad-core processor, 4 GB DDR3L Motion Computing • 128 GB SSD, SD card slot, Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11ac, 4G LTE CL920 • CL-Series SlateMate* with MSR and barcode scanner • IP52 and MIL-STD-810G rated Figure 4.
Retailers can choose from a range of tablets. Shown here is a representative sample.
Envision Performance Density
AMC720/726 Processor AMC PCIe Gen 3, based on the Intel® Core™ i74700EQ processor
ATC806
Modular open embedded computing using Intel® Xeon® and Intel® Core™ Processors
ATCA carriers and processors based on the Intel® Xeon® processor E5-2658 v3
For leading-edge open standard platforms for scalability, high reliability and performance, come to VadaTech. We’ll configure a cost-effective and powerful solution for your Mil/Aero, Communications, High Energy Physics, Industrial, or other application. Envision a new level of performance density! www.vadatech.com VadaTech is a General member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance.
www.vadatech.com • info@vadatech.com • 702.896.3337
intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 43
Retail
Smart, secure retail systems The latest technologies from Intel and the Alliance give retailers the power to offer personalized, secure shopping experiences throughout the store – whether a customer is viewing digital signage or interacting with sales staff. This customized service can help retailers set themselves apart, and can drive increased sales and profitability. These new technologies also represent a major opportunity for developers, system integrators, and OEMs, who can use Alliance solutions to bring the latest technology to market with minimal cost and development effort.
Card Reader
For more on retail solutions with the latest Intel® Core™ processors, see [intel.com/SD-5thgenerationcore]; for more on retail tablets, see [intel.com/SD-retail-tablets]; for more on Intel® DPT for Transactions, see intel.com/SD-DPT-T To learn more about bringing intelligence and manageability to retail, see intel.com/embedded-retail
Command Console
Point of Sale
Policies POS Software
Protected Applet
From modular components to marketready systems, Intel and the 250+ global member companies of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance (intel.com/IoTSolutionsAlliance) provide scalable, interoperable solutions that accelerate deployment of intelligent devices and end-to-end analytics. ADLINK (intel.com/MR-adlink), Advantech (intel.com/MR-advantech), Dell (intel.com/MR-dell), and Kontron (intel.com/MR-kontron) are Premier members of the Alliance. Aaeon-Onyx (intel. com/MR-aaeon), Avalue-BCM (intel.com/MR-avalue), congatec (intel.com/MR-congatec), Hewlett-Packard (intel. com/MR-hewlett-packard), IBASE (intel.com/MR-ibase), IEI (intel.com/MR-iei), M&A Technology (intel.com/MR-ma), Microsoft (intel.com/MR-microsoft), Nexcom (intel.com/ MR-nexcom) and Venture (intel.com/MR-venture) are Associate members of the Alliance. Aava Mobile (intel.com/ MR-aava), Motion Computing (intel.com/MR-motioncomputing), and NCR (intel.com/MR-ncr) are General members of the Alliance.
Contact Intel
Bank Credit Card Data
Intel® Data Protection Technology for Transactions Figure 5.Embedded Innovitor 2014.12-1.pdf 2014/12/9 下午 01:42:54 (Intel® DPTT) provides1 end-to-end security.
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44 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
» Kontron is IoT «
From devices, sensors and cloud infrastructure, Kontron enables the Internet of Things by interconnecting embedded computing systems that interface with the world. As a global leader in embedded computing technology and intelligent devices, Kontron offers a wide range of innovative products that support the IoT ecosystem and provide customers with end-to-end expertise to bring IoT applications out of hype into a valuable reality.
KBox A-201/202 connect
SYMKLOUD Series
TRACe™
IOT Gateway
High-density Cloud Computing Platform
Intelligent Transportation Platform
» Preinstalled with Intel® IoT Gateway » KBox A-201 with Intel® Quark™ X2030 » Box A-202 with Intel® Atom™ Processor E38xx
» Converged IoT infrastructure platform » Compact and modular 2U HA design » Integrated: compute, storage, switches » Massively NFV/SDN scalable for Hadoop-Big Data
» EN50155 certified fanless transportation platform » Ease of integration and configuration » Integrated advanced health management tools » Virtually maintenance free
Get more information at: iot.kontron.com
The pulse of innovation
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Accelerate IoT Success with Avnet The Internet of Things (IoT) represents an extraordinary opportunity. But the size of the opportunity – which extends to billions of devices – is matched by the complexity of IoT applications.
“The IoT isn’t one technology, it’s a host of technologies that have to work together to gather, mobilize and process data on a scale beyond any previous experience,” says Avnet CEO Rick Hamada. “In one sense, this is what Avnet has been doing for years – bringing together technologies from different sources to create integrated solutions. In another, it’s a whole new universe of challenges and possibilities that we have to explore for ourselves, our customers, our suppliers and our partners. They rely on our experience and expertise during these times of transition to help them stay ahead of the game.” Edge to Enterprise, Sensors to Cloud To help designers manage the complexity of IoT product development, Avnet offers a broad portfolio of products and in-house technical expertise. These include live and on-demand training workshops, like our IoT Innovation Bootcamps, access to a team of supplier-trained systems engineers, and an extensive collection of solutions and relevant reference designs featuring the latest technologies. These resources accelerate IoT deployment by addressing design challenges from edge to enterprise, from sensors to the cloud (Figure 1). To see how Avnet can help you, let’s look at three key IoT requirements: connectivity, security, and data analytics. Connectivity The IoT is much more encompassing than previous networks and can accomplish much more. Connecting vast networks of sensors and controllers to services, data centers and the cloud enables them to perform an almost limitless number of tasks. The processor is at the heart of an IoT device, providing the intelligence to process inputs, transmit data and receive commands from the cloud. Intel® processors are particularly well suited to this task, and with options that range from low-power Intel® Quark™ SoCs to high-performance Intel® Xeon® processors, these chips scale from edge to cloud.
[Figure 1. Avnet accelerates design from edge to enterprise, from sensors to the cloud.] As an Associate member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance, Avnet enjoys early access to the latest Intel processors, as well as a wide range of Intel processor-based hardware, software, and tools. A good example is the Intel® IoT Gateway (Figure 2). This family of pre-validated hardware integrates a full stack of connectivity and security software, greatly simplifying gateway design and decreasing development time. Avnet also offers an extensive portfolio of analog and RF technology for complete end-to-end designs. Whether you’re looking for MEMS sensors, signal conditioning, or a precision data convertor, Avnet can rapidly guide you to the optimum solution. Similarly, Avnet addresses the need for proven, pre-certified RF solutions with a growing selection of popular wireless modules. These products are all backed by solid engineering expertise. For example, Avnet engineers are trained to advise on the tradeoffs of different low-power technologies – an important consideration for always-on IoT devices with complicated power supply and thermal management requirements. They can provide recommendations for highly efficient, small-footprint power designs, and can aid with the design of custom solutions.
ADVERTISEMENT Data Analytics The value of the IoT lies in analytics. Consider a vending machine. An Internet-connected machine can replace manual stock checks with automated inventory monitoring. This improves operational efficiencies and avoids missed sales due to stock outages. What’s more, an owner could gather usage data from machines across a region and use that data to derive trend information – such as the varieties that sell best in certain locations – to better serve customers. Avnet has firsthand design experience with multiple cloud service partners, enabling us to knowledgably recommend providers based on your technology and connectivity requirements. We can guide you through deployment, ensuring that your design scales to meet end-customer needs. [Figure 2. Intel® IoT Gateways integrate a full software stack.] Security Recently, during her keynote address at the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show, Federal Trade Commission Chairman Edith Ramirez identified heightened security risks as a significant challenge to consumer adoption of IoT products, and urged OEMs to adopt “security by design” to enhance consumer privacy and security with these devices. All connected devices are vulnerable. Securing the IoT requires a combination of hardware and software at all endpoints – edge, gateway and network. Avnet offers security solutions for all these elements. These include hardware solutions based on the many security features built into Intel processors, as well as a wide variety of software solutions. Leveraging its Alliance partnerships, Avnet makes sure every system it develops or builds is safe, secure and compliant to the highest standards available.
Applied Expertise, Proven Results Avnet’s IoT expertise in developing and implementing IoT solutions extends through the entire product lifecycle. For example, the company can provide technical call centers, warranty repair, installation and other value-added services (Figure 3). These capabilities have been proven through numerous successful engagements. For example, the company’s own IT team is adopting the IoT in its data centers to reduce energy consumption and improve performance. “Before the Internet of Things, we would have to walk around the data center with meters to find overly hot or cool areas so we could adjust the temperature,” says Brad Kenney, Avnet’s vice president of infrastructure. “With IoT technology, we can use sensors to monitor temperatures anywhere in the data center, at any time, making constant adjustments so we don’t waste energy by over-cooling.” “With IoT, we can better manage our data center environment and respond faster with any adjustments needed, helping us improve customer service, uptime, and availability,” says Bruce Gorshe, Avnet’s director of data center operations. “We have been able to do some remote management in the past, but with the IoT, we will have robust abilities to manage and investigate our global IT infrastructure on a massive scale that we couldn’t before.” A Trusted Partner Avnet’s experience as a trusted advisor makes it a key asset to customers and suppliers in a world where billions of devices exchange constant streams of data. At Avnet, we believe that the business case for the IoT is clear. We are committed to supporting customers in their efforts to create and deliver new and better products and services, making them more productive, more environmentally friendly, safer, better informed and ultimately more profitable. For more information on Avnet’s IoT capabilities, see www.Avnet.com
[Figure 3. Avnet services span the development cycle.]
For more on the Intel IoT Gateways, see em.avnet.com/Intel-IoTSolutions
Digital Signage
Upgrade Entry-Level Signage with Ease
Turn-Key Solutions Offer Performance and Convenience By Mark Scantlebury, Associate Editor
T
e entry-level signage market is h booming as small businesses discover the benefits of digital displays. To compete in this market, solution providers must offer simple, inexpensive solutions that deliver compelling visuals and engaging experiences.
The new Intel速 Reference Design for Digital Signage (EL-10) was created to meet this challenge. This turn-key reference design enables solutions that can stream high-definition (HD) video and other content, includes an intuitive content management system (CMS), and offers built-in support for vending machine designs. The solutions are supported on a wide range of operating systems (OSs) including Microsoft* Windows*, Android*, and Linux*. In this article, we will examine two ready-to-use media players based on the Intel Reference Design for Digital Signage (EL-10). We will
also consider ways solution providers can build their own low-cost players using hardware from the Intel速 Intelligent Systems Alliance. From modular components to market-ready retail systems, Intel and the 250+ global member companies of the Alliance provide scalable, interoperable solutions that accelerate deployment of intelligent devices and end-to-end analytics. Close collaboration with Intel and each other enables Alliance members to innovate with the latest technologies, helping developers deliver first-in-market retail solutions to increase sales and efficiency. A Hot Market Opportunity Retailers globally are recognizing the effectiveness of digital signage in attracting attention and engaging customers. When paired with interactivity, digital signage also brings the best aspects of online shopping into the store. Customers can explore product information, connect with brands, and learn about special offers and cross promotions. As a result, research firm MarketsandMarkets forecasts the digital signage market to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.9 percent to more than $14.8 billion USD by 2020.
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Much of this growth will occur in the entry-level signage market. Until now, much of this market has remained untapped. Many small businesses have been dissuaded by the cost of and complexity of higher-end systems, and unimpressed with the features of entry-level systems. To reach these customers, solution providers need to create low-cost signage that is easy to install and maintain while still packing a big visual punch. The Intel Reference Design for Digital Signage (EL-10) helps solution providers meet this need. As illustrated in Figure 1, this turn-key solution combines with a full set of features for entry-level signage. All they need to do is brand the units and offer a selection of displays. Features of the design include:
vending machines that can offer personalized service and give operators access to powerful cloud services and data analytics. Flexible OS support lets solution providers offer a range of software options. Android- and Linux-based players support a variety of CMS systems, while players based on Microsoft Windows can be pre-loaded with Intel RCM. Intel RCM is an easy-to-use platform that allows retailers to remotely manage and schedule every element of digital marketing content, using any combination of HD video, web content, images, Flash or HTML5 animation, and audio. Intel RCM enables non-technical personnel to plan, create, and launch campaign and real-time promotions, plus provides audit trails and administration support.
HTML5 support makes it easy to close the omni-channel loop. • Simultaneous decode of at least two HD video streams, with Developers can create applications that enable consumers to perform multi-format support including HD and Flash real-time inventory checks, read online product reviews, and interact • HTML5 web application support and touch-screen capability with content using their smartphones. • Best-in-class media and graphics Feature Specification performance with the Intel® Atom™ ® processor E3815 Processor Single- to quad-core Intel Atom™ processor E3800 product family • Turn-key support for Microsoft HDMI 1.4a output Windows* 7, 8, and 8.1; Android* 4.4 Kit Kat; and Wind River* Linux* Ethernet 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 (Microsoft and Wind River are SODIMM 1x DDR3 (1.35V) Associate members of the Alliance) eMMC 4 GB (up to 32 GB supported) • CMS solutions including Intel® Retail ® Client Manager (Intel RCM) on Card Slot MicroSD Microsoft Windows and Android CMS USB 1x USB 3.0, 2x USB 2.0 (1 internal) • Android BSP for faster development Serial Port RS-232 (DB9) The heart of the reference design is the Intel PCI Express* Full size mini PCI Express slot Atom processor E3815. This 64-bit systemStorage SSD on-chip (SoC) delivers a powerful graphics engine, display support for HDMI, high I/O OS Options Microsoft* Windows*, Android* 4.4 Kit Kat, Wind River* Linux* connectivity, integrated memory controller, virtualization, and built-insecurity capabiliFigure 1. The reference design offers a full feature set. ties – all in a thermal design power (TDP) of 5 W for compact, fanless designs. A key feature of the SoC is Gen 7 Intel® HD graphics engine first introduced in Intel® Core™ proVending Machine IO (VMI) cessors. This graphics engines provides up Expansion Board to three times more performance than the MDB previous Intel® Atom™ processor generation DEX/RS232 for smooth, eye-catching displays. In addiRS232/RS485 tion, built-in video decode hardware enables I2 C Serial streaming with minimal CPU loading. Vending ® VMI SPI Intel Reference Machine Ethernet Design for Digital CAN The reference design includes USB 2.0 and Peripherals Signage (EL-10) 3.0 ports, HDMI output, and RJ45 Ethernet USB PWM/Tach for simple plug-and-play implementation, Motor Control along with optional LVDS for sub-12" LCD GPIO support. This I/O provides an opportunity GPIO to offer peripherals like barcode scanners. Hardware options also include a vending machine I/O module (see Figure 2). This Figure 2. The vending machine I/O module provides a platform for intelligent vending. expansion board provides a simple, cost-effective means of creating Internet-connected 50 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
Solutions Based on the Design Alliance members including Associate member GIGABYTE and Affiliate member J&W IPC offer solutions built on the Intel Reference Design for Digital Signage (EL-10). The GIGABYTE GB-TCV1 is a 107 mm x 114 mm x 56 mm computer featuring a single-core Intel Atom processor E3815, up to 4 GB DDR3L, and a 2.5" HDD bay (Figure 3). Options include eMMC from 4 GB to 32 GB and 3G/Wi-Fi* through a mini-PCIe* card slot. The only cords needed are for the power source and display. GIGAGBYTE offers the player’s motherboard separately as the MZBAYVP for solution providers who want to build their own player.
Figure 3.
The GIGABYTE GB-TCV1 is ready to use with just a power cord and display.
Figure 4.
The J&W IPC S015 includes remote management features.
The J&W IPC S015 Mini-box houses a single-, dual-, or quad-core processor in a 134 mm x 127 mm x 38 mm aluminum chassis (Figure 4). Storage is provided through 16 GB or 32 GB onboard eMMc flash and a mini-PCIe slot supporting mSATA/3G/Wi-Fi. Features include a watchdog timer, remote wake up, and a hardware monitor for tracking system health. Build Your Own Systems The Intel Reference Design for Digital Signage (EL-10) is only one of many options for entry-level signage. As shown in Figure 5, the Alliance offers a wide variety
Embedded PC
Intel® IoT Gateway
Signage Player
Vendor IBASE SI-12
Features • Intel Atom processor E3845, up to 8 GB DDR3L • 2x HDMI, 1x GbE, 1x mini PCI Express* (mPCIe*) for Wi-Fi* + Bluetooth*/3G/TV tuner, 3x USB • Compact design, iSMART EuP/ErP power management, -30 °C to 60 °C temperature range ®
™
Lanner LEC-7230
• Intel® Celeron® processor J1900, up to 4 GB DDR3L • VGA/HDMI/USB, Intel® Ethernet Controller I210-ATi • Small form factor, screw power lock, dust proof, mounting options
Nexcom NDiS B324
• Intel® Celeron® processor J1800, up to 4 GB DDR3L • VGA, HDMI, 1x GbE, 4x USB, SATA, optional Wi-Fi, wall mountable
Advantech UTX-3115
• Intel® Atom™ processor E3826, up to 16 GB DDR3 • HDMI, VGA, 2x GbE, 3x USB, SATA, mPCIe for wireless • Wind River* IDP XT 2.0, McAfee* Embedded Control
Kontron KBox A-201 mini
• Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family, up to 4 GB DDR3L • HDMI, 2x GbE, 2x USB, 1x mPCIe, microSD, 16 GB onboard storage • Wind River* IDP XT 2.0, McAfee* Embedded Control
Avalue - BCM BI255-1900J
• Intel® Celeron® processor J1900, up to 8 GB DDR3L • VGA, DP/eDP, 2x GbE, 4x USB, SATA, Intel® Wi-Fi* Module • Wind River® IDP XT 2.0, McAfee® Embedded Control
Portwell WEBS-2190
• Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family, up to 4 GB DDR3L • VGA, DP/eDP, 2x GbE, 1x PCIe, 2x USB, 1x COM, SATA, optional Wi-Fi* • -25 °C to 60 °C temperature range
Norco-Habey BIS-6660C
• Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family, up to 8 GB DDR3L • HDMI, VGA, 6x USB, 2x mPCIe, 1x SATA, 2x GbE
Figure 5.
The Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance offers a variety of signage players.
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Digital Signage
PC/104
Vendor ADLINK CM1-BT1
Mini-ITX
Aaeon-Onyx EMB-BT1
Pico-ITX
IEI HYPER-BT-R10
COM Express*
congatec conga-IA3
SBS COMe9600
Figure 6.
Features • Single- or dual-core Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family, up to 4 GB DDR3L • VGA, LVDS, 2x GbE, 2x SATA, 3x USB, 8x GPIO • -40 °C to +85 °C operating temperature • Intel® Celeron® processor and Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family, up to 8 GB DDR3L • HDMI, VGA, LVDS, 2x GbE, 8x USB, 1x PCI Express* (PCIe*), 3x SATA, 1x mini (PCIe+USB), 1x mSATA • Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family, up to 8 GB DDR3L • DP/eDP, VGA, LVDS, PCIe, 2x mPCIe, 2x SATA, 8x USB, 2x GbE, optional TPM • -40 °C to +85 °C operating temperature • Intel® Celeron® processor and Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family, up to 8 GB DDR3L • VGA, iDP, 1x GbE, 4x USB • IEI One Key Recovery
• Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family, up to 4 GB LPDDR3 ECC • LVDS, DDI, 1x GbE, 3x PCIe, 2x SATA, 6x USB
Boards and modules let solution providers build their own player.
of ready-to-use solutions based on the Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family. These include signage players built specifically for the entry-level market, as well as inexpensive gateways and embedded PCs that are well suited to signage applications. These Alliance solutions have several important advantages. First, these systems offer a range of performance and display options, allowing solution providers to address everything from entry-level to mid-range signage markets. On the processor front, options range from single-core to quad-core configurations. Solution providers can chose from either single- or dual-display configurations with a variety of display interface to suit different market needs. Particularly noteworthy are the systems based on the Intel® IoT Gateways. These gateway devices include a pre-integrated, pre-validated set of hardware and software for connecting, securing, and managing edge devices. The simple cloud connectivity enabled by these gateways gives solution providers an opportunity to provide unique value-added services with minimal investment. In addition, the Wind River* Linux included in these designs allows creation of a signage solution with the simple addition of a CMS. For those who want to build their own player, the Alliance offers a wide range of boards and modules (Figure 6). This hardware provides a wide array of processor and I/O options, giving solution providers the flexibility to fine-tune their designs. In addition, many Alliance members offer design, integration, manufacturing, and logistics services to help take a design from conception to production. By taking advantage of the optimized hardware and robust services, solution providers can create unique signage offerings that help them stand out in the signage market.
Setting a New Bar for Entry Level Digital Signage Giving retailers entry-level digital signage systems with the performance they want is now possible through a wealth of Alliance solutions. In particular, systems based on the Intel Reference Design for Digital Signage (EL-10) and the Intel IoT Gateways provide valuable shortcuts to delivering best-in-class media players. By working with the Alliance, solution providers can forge a new generation of affordable, performance-oriented digital signage of their own. For more on entry-level signage, see intel.com/ SD-digitalsignage_baytrail To learn more about bringing intelligence and manageability to digital signage, see intel.com/ embedded-digitalsignage ADLINK (intel.com/MR-adlink), Advantech (intel/MR-advantech), Kontron (intel.com/MR-kontron) and Portwell (intel.com/MR-Portwell) are Premier members of the Alliance. Aaeon-Onyx (intel.com/ MR-aaeon), Avalue - BCM (intel.com/MR-avalue), congatec (intel. com/MR-congatec), GIGABYTE (intel.com/MR-gigabyte), IBASE (intel.com/MR-ibase), IEI (intel.com/MR-iei), Lanner (intel.com/ MR-lanner), Microsoft (intel.com/MR-microsoft), Nexcom (intel. com/MR-nexcom), Norco-Habey (intel.com/MR-norco), SBS (intel. com/MR-sbs), and Wind River (intel.com/MR-windriver) are Associate members of the Alliance. J&W IPC (intel.com/MR-jwipc) is an Affiliate member.
Contact Intel
52 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
We simplify the use of embedded technology
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Open source frees x86 embedded systems
B
oard initialization for x86 processing has always been exceptionally difficult to optimize. Legacy BIOS solutions obscurely written in disarrayed assembly code are seldom streamlined for clients, and UEFI, in its attempt to be all-inclusive, is heavily laden with obligatory but unused code from the onset.
Hence deeply embedded development for x86 boards has been limited, essentially locking out designers from modifying the initialization sequence and creating significant code and boot-time reduction. Traditionally that’s been a significant struggle for single board computer manufacturers, such as ADI Engineering, which seeks to combine the performance of Intel® processor-based computing with open source development and optimization at every level from the hardware to the operating system. With its high-performance Mini-ITX networking platform, based on the Intel® Atom™ processor C2000 product family (formerly known as Rangeley), ADI, an Associate member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance, believes it has reached a new level in combining the power of Intel processor-based computing with the promise of open source firmware. The solution uses a SageBIOS* Board Support Package, a distribution that includes coreboot, the leading open source firmware development resource for x86 CPU architectures.
“Openness is genuinely important to us,” said Steve Yates, president of ADI. “But I don’t think we could have used coreboot without the SageBIOS BSP and gotten the results we have seen.” The SageBIOS optimized solution also minimizes the risk in board development by reducing time to market, as well as eliminating much of the complexity and risk in developing commercial products amid GPL requirements. “I absolutely have clients asking for this solution,” Yates said. “But I couldn’t believe how much SageBIOS exceeded expectations.” Coreboot is combined with other open source solutions, such as SeaBIOS, iPXE and Intel® Firmware Support Packages (Intel® FSP), in a SageBIOS solution, ensuring developers that the code is up to date and reviewed. Firmware developers can use the open source files to make key decisions about what features they want included on a board, and what features can be eliminated to increase security and decrease boot time. “Product development goes much more smoothly, testing is much more simplified, and all the code we have to worry about is in ‘C (or C++),’” Yates said.
Both ADI and Sage, an Affiliate member of the Alliance, have long been involved with Intel’s efforts at open source processor initialization, both with the Intel FSP and the Intel® Boot Loader Development Kits. Sage works on the protected source code for the Intel FSP binary, often in conjunction with enabling the Fast Boot feature. A SageBIOS BSP has already enabled firmware with a Fast Boot of 707 milliseconds in advance of an operating system running on an Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family SoC and in less than two seconds on a full Linux operating system boot on Intel processorbased laptops. Numbers such as those, Yates said, should help free more clients from costly legacy BIOS solutions. “We have reduced the investment and eliminated the royalties on embedded firmware for our clients with this solution,” he said. “At the same time we have given them the most modern standards for downthe-stream changes.” ADI Engineering of Charlottesville, VA, www.adiengineering.com, is a leading provider of single board computers from commercial off-the-shelf to fully customized solutions, including all phases of a product’s lifecycle, from initial definition through development and volume manufacturing. ADI was founded on the Open IP concept that allows clients to avoid complex Intellectual Property issues or royalties. Sage Electronic Engineering of Longmont, CO, www.se-eng.com, partners with Intel to help provide coreboot solutions for the open source community, as well as developing SageBIOS* BSPs for customers desiring the flexibility of open source firmware stripped of unnecessary code and backed by rigorously tested solutions. For further information, or to obtain a free demonstration ROM binary image, email contact@se-eng.com or call 303-495-5499.
Healthcare
Connected Care in Emerging Economies Health Gateway Helps Doctor Serve More Patients By Bhaskar Trivedi, Delivery Manager, Samir Bhatt, Technical Lead, and Sunilkumar Singh, Sr. Engineer, eInfochips Ltd.
I
n emerging economies, access to healthcare services is limited and expensive. Consider doctor-to-patient ratios: Afghanistan has only 2 doctors for every 10,000 patients, India has 6, China has 18, the United States has 24, and Switzerland has 41 (Source: World Bank, 2010 data). To address this discrepancy, doctors in developing countries need tools to help them prioritize time among patients and deliver care efficiently. Connected care technologies are bridging this gap by giving doctors remote access to patient data. In this article, we present an example proof of concept (PoC) based on the Intel® Quark™ processor. The PoC aggregates patient data and uploads it to the cloud, allowing doctors to analyze patient needs and optimize their schedules accordingly. What’s more, the PoC can be transformed into a low-cost, production-ready design with minimal time and effort – thus creating an effective solution for developing economies.
Delivering Connected Care Connected care solutions leverage the Internet of Things (IoT) to connect medical sensors to the cloud, enabling automated monitoring of vitals like temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiration. Doctors can use the data to estimate patient conditions and prioritize visits to patients that need maximum attention. Automated alerts can be created so the doctors can take preventative measures and address issues before they become critical. Attendees are freed from making periodic measurements that may be prone to human errors. Medication schedules can be monitored to ensure continued health. Patients can even be released from a hospital early and have their conditions tracked while they go about their normal lives. Together, these benefits can go a long way towards addressing healthcare issues in emerging economies. Medical staff can make the best use of their time and patients get reliable access to critical care. The result is a significant improvement in patient outcomes that keeps costs under control.
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To meet these goals, however, a connected care solution faces several challenges. First and foremost, the solution must be affordable for emerging economies. It must be offer excellent battery life and a small form factor to encourage consistent use. Excellent reliability and security are also critical so that the solution can ensure safe, continuous operation; minimize technician visits; and protect patient information. Above all, the solution must offer excellent connectivity to sensors as well as to the cloud through cellular or Wi-Fi*. Healthcare Proof of Concept To illustrate how developers can create an effective connected care solution, eInfochips developed the PoC shown in Figure 1. As an initial use case, the PoC monitors a patient’s temperature and notifies medical staff when it exceeds certain limits. Key components of the PoC include:
members of the Alliance. These pre-validated solutions help ease the burden of deploying low-cost intelligent gateways. Some of these solutions are based on Intel Quark SoC X1000 and others are based on Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family. We will look more closely at these gateways later in this article. As illustrated in Figure 2, the eInfochips PoC gateway can securely communicate with the cloud through Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or 3G/4G. The data from cloud can be made accessible to registered and authenticated users like the patient, doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. This data can be accessed continuously (in case of proactive healthcare), or on an as-needed basis. The Heart of the Solution The Intel Quark SoC X1000 at the heart of the PoC plays a key role in creating a low-power, low-cost remote patient monitoring system. As shown in Figure 3, the system on chip (SoC) is highly integrated, incorporating multiple peripherals for sensor and network connectivity. These include multiple GPIO inputs to enable connection of analog sensors like passive infrared (PIR) and ultrasonic sensors.
• Portable and low-cost ZigBee* sensors for data collection and aggregation • Sensor processing software based on Yocto Project Linux* • A sensor aggregation unit and wireless gateway based on the Intel® Quark™ SoC X1000 • Wi-Fi and 3G/4G cloud connectivity ZigBee ZigBee* Sensor Sensor • Cloud infrastructure built on the Amazon platform for record keeping and reliable storage ZigBee Master Node Ethernet • Mobile access to patient data UART through PCs or mobile platforms • Automatic alerts at various levels of criticality with a call to action Sensors can be connected wirelessly using various means such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or ZigBee. eInfochips chose ZigBee for our PoC because it enables efficient operation for battery-powered devices. ZigBee sensors can be powered by coin cells and have minimal weight and size. ZigBee supports a secure “mesh” network topology that adds robustness to the solution. Medical devices typically use the ZigBee Health Care (ZHC) profile of the ZigBee Standard. ZHC supports the ISO/IEEE 11073 protocol that makes it interoperable with other compliant ZHC devices, simplifying the overall device network infrastructure. The output of these wireless sensors is aggregated at a common junction, a gateway powered by the Intel ® Quark™ SoC X1000. Intel, along with the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance, has developed a range of gateway solutions that come pre-integrated with software from Wind River and McAfee – who are both Associate
Local Alarm
Wi-Fi* or 3G/4G
Cloud AB-C.& Application
Intel® Quark™ SoC X1000-Based Gateway
Figure 1.
The proof of concept shows how to deliver efficient care.
Processing Unit with Alert Mechanism
Secure Transfer of Information to Cloud
Cloud
Alerts Notification Module
Figure 2.
The solution integrates cloud infrastructure for remote monitoring.
56 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
The SoC smartly addresses security and reliability as well. A Secure Boot on-die ROM on many SKUs enables endpoint and content security, ensuring that only chosen software runs on a device. Pre-boot vulnerabilities can be further avoided by reserving the part of the memory for data and code execution – a feature called Execute Disable (XD). In addition, extended temperature (-40 °C to +85 °C) and DDR3 memory with error-correcting code (ECC) options provide a high level of data integrity.
JTAG Clocks
M
Quark Core
Intel® Quark SoC X1000
PCIe
LSPI PMU APIC ROM 8254 HPET 8259 RTC GPIO
AMBA Fabric USB 2.0 Ethernet SPI I2C/GPIO UART SDIO
These security features are important for embedded system design. Embedded systems are vulnerable to a range of Figure 3. exploitations that can expose private information, drain the power supply, destroy the system, or hijack the system for uses other than its intended purpose. Security is doubly important in healthcare, where patient data requires safeguarding not only during transfer but also within the end devices. Vulnerability at the end user device, like easy access1to2015/1/12 the security keys used to encrypt or IPC AD_uBOX-110-en.pdf 下午 03:30:17 decrypt data, can easily expose the patient information.
C
eSRAM
DDR3
Legacy Block
Building these interfaces into the SoC significantly reduces the bill of materials (BOM) for patient monitoring infrastructure and personnel. The high integration and 15 mm x 15 mm package also reduce the overall size of the solution. Power consumption is also minimized, as typical power consumption is 1.5 W with a maximum thermal design power (TDP) of 2.3 W.
The Intel® Quark™ SoC X1000 is highly integrated. Speeding Time to Market Intel Quark SoC X1000 is available as part of the Intel® IoT Gateway. These gateways are designed to simplify and speed development by pre-integrating off-the-shelf software including Wind River* Linux, the Wind River* Intelligent Device Platform (Wind River* IDP), and McAfee*
Power of One Inch! Ultra Slim for IoT applications!
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intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 57
Healthcare
Embedded Control (Figure 4). This software provides a complete connectivity stack for communications and cloud integration, with a readymade framework for securing the data. In addition, the SoC is supported by the proven Wind River Workbench* development platform. This strong software support allows developers to focus on highlevel application development and managing the software lifecycle – thus reducing development effort, time-tomarket, and the overall cost of the solution.
solution designs in the medical equipment space, including the world’s smallest endoscopy/arthroscopy unit, and one of the earliest wearable insulin injection pumps.
The integration of sensors with the cloud can enhance healthcare in developing economies
The pre-validated software also plays an important role in enabling secure and manageable end-to-end data flow, from the edge to the cloud. The McAfee software, for example, offers a complete line of security features, including anti-malware protection, comprehensive threat awareness and analysis, strong data encryption, and data loss prevention. Wind River IDP also offers secure image, secure data, and secure management features so both device and data are protected, from boot to operation to management.
Tools
Accelerate Design with Expertise and Services Developers can further accelerate their design by working with expert service providers like eInfochips. The company provides comprehensive product engineering services with particular expertise in system design and testing. eInfochips has the infrastructure, processes, expertise, and experience to deliver turnkey solutions for medical devices and healthcare. The company has contributed to disruptive
Wind River* IDP v2.0 Wind River* Linux * 5.0 GRUB (Optional)
Figure 4.
With over 1,400 professionals operating from 10 design centers across the United States and India, eInfochips has the resources to help accelerate your design and shepherd it through production. The company has sales offices in the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, and India. Delivering Effective Care The integration of sensors with the cloud can enhance healthcare in developing economies by helping medical professionals prioritize their time and improving the amount of attention patients receive. Proactive and preventive medical measures can help doctors catch potential issues early, when they are easier and less expensive to treat. Thus, connected care solutions can improve doctors’ efficiency, healthcare costs, and patient outcomes.
McAfee* Embedded Control
Wind River* VxWorks*
Open Source UEFI Bootloader
Intel® Quark™ SoC X1000
As a General member of the Alliance, eInfochips maintains a strong relationship with Intel and other Alliance members like Associate members Wind River and McAfee. By working with eInfochips, developers can enjoy the benefits of these relationships, such as early access to leading-edge solutions, faster time to market through collaboratively developed and interoperable solutions, and reduced risk and lower development costs.
Intel & 3rd Party I/O
The Intel® Quark™ SoC X1000 supports a robust software stack.
58 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
In this article, we have shown how the Intel Quark SoC X1000 can be used to build a connected care solution that meets these goals and more. By working with Intel and its supporting ecosystem, developers can quickly prototype and deploy innovative gateway solutions that will address critical healthcare needs around the world. For more on eInfochip’s engineering services, see intel.com/SD-eInfochips-engservices F or more on delivering quality healthcare with secure, connected devices, see intel.com/embedded-medical eInfochips (intel.com/ MR-eInfochips), a General member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance, is a product and semiconductor design company based in Sunnyvale, CA and Ahmedabad, India. The company has the infrastructure, processes, and experience to deliver turnkey solutions across many industries, and 50+ hardware and software IP solutions to accelerate development.
Contact eInfochips
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GENE-BT06 3.5” SubCompact Board with Onboard Newest Intel® Atom™ E3800 Product Family Processors SoC • • • • •
Onboard DDR3L Max. 4 GB, 2 CH Audio CRT, 18/24-bit Dual-Channel LVDS LCD, HDMI Supports 8-bit Digital I/O, USB2.0 x 3 , USB3.0 x 1, COM x 4 Mini Card x 2, SATA 3.0 Gb/s x 1 & mSATA (co-lay with Mini Card) Solder Up Design for System Assembly and Thermal
NanoCOM-BT COM Express Type 10 CPU Module with Newest Onboard Intel® Atom™ E3800 Product Family/ Celeron® Processors SoC Onboard DDR3L 2 GB Memory 18/24-bit Single-Channel LVDS LCDs, DDI x 1 High Definition Audio Interface SATA x 2, eMMC (Optional), USB2.0 x 6 + USB2.0/USB3.0 x 1, GPIO 8-bit, PCI-Express[x1] x 3 • COM Express Pin-out Type 10, Nano Module Size, 84mm x 55mm, COM.0 Rev. 2.1 • • • •
GENE-BT05 3.5” SubCompact Board with Newest Intel® Atom™/ Celeron® Processors SoC • • • • •
DDR3L SODIMM Max. 8 GB, 2 CH Audio CRT, 18/24-bit Dual-Channel LVDS LCD, HDMI Supports 8-bit Digital I/O , USB2.0 x 3 , USB3.0 x 1, COM x 4 Mini Card x 2, SATA 3.0 Gb/s x 1, mSATA (co-lay with Mini Card), CFast™ TPM/ Touch Screen Controller/ SIM (Optional)
PICO-BT01 Pico-ITX Board with Intel® Atom™/ Celeron® Processors SoC • • • • •
DDR3L 1066/1333 MHz SODIMM x 1, Up to 8 GB 18/24-bit LVDS, CRT or DisplayPort™ SATA 3.0 Gb/s x 1, mSATA/MiniCard x 1 USB3.0 x 1, USB2.0 x 2, RS-232 x 1, RS-232/422/485 x 1 BIO Extension Connector for PCIe, USB, Line-out, GPIO, SMBus and LPC
Intel® Atom™/ Celeron® Processors SoC DDR3L 1066/1333 MHz SODIMM x 1, Up to 8 GB Gigabit Ethernet with Intel® Controller CRT, Up to 24-bit Dual-channel LVDS, DP/HDMI, eDP (Optional) High Definition Autio Interface SATA 3.0Gb/s x 2, USB3.0 x 1, USB2.0 x 7, PCI-Express [x1] x 3 COM Express Compact Module, Pin-out Type 6, COM.0 Rev. 2.1
AQ7-BT Q7 CPU Module with Onboard Newest Intel® Atom™ E3800 Product Family Processors SoC • • • • •
Onboard DDR3L 2 GB Memory 18/24-bit Single-Channel LVDS LCD/eDP, HDMI High Definition Audio Interface SATA x 2, USB2.0 x 2, USB3.0 x 1, GPIO 8-bit PCI-Express [x1] x 3 Qseven Rev2.0, 70mm x 70mm
uCOM-BT SMARC CPU Module with Onboard Newest Intel® Atom™ E3800 Product Family Processors SoC • • • • •
Onboard DDR3L 2 GB Memory 18/24-bit Single Channel LVDS, HDMI, DDI x 1 High Definition Audio Interface SATA x 1, USB3.0 x 1, USB2.0 x 2, GPIO 12-bit, PCI-Express [x1] x 3 SMARC Spec v1.1, 82mm x 50mm
* Support industrial temperature on selected models
For more product information, please go to www.aaeon.com or contact with sales@aaeon.com.tw
AAEON Technology Inc. 5F, No. 135, Lane 235, Pao Chiao Rd., Hsin-Tien Dist, New Taipei City, 231, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Tel: 886-2-8919-1234 Fax: 886-2-8919-1056 Email: sales@aaeon.com.tw
Internet of Things
Data Integrity for the IoT Manage Complexity with a Multi-Tiered Approach By Ken McLaurin, Senior Manager, Product Strategy, Red Hat, Inc.
T
he data flowing through an Internet of Things (IoT) solution can be its greatest asset and its largest problem. Since IoT devices do not behave in the classical server/client model – where communication occurs in an ordered fashion – an IoT implementation must be designed with the explicit goal of ensuring data integrity. This is a complex challenge that spans devices, their communications paths, and all stages of data collection, transmission, and analysis.
In this article, we will explain how to manage this complexity with a multi-tiered architecture. We will consider what data integrity entails at each level and how to meet the relevant requirements. Finally, we will show how solutions based on Intel ÂŽ processors and Red Hat software simplify development by scaling across the needs of each tier.
dispatcher. This data is essential to safety, enabling functions such as positive train control (PTC). While hijacking and manipulating such data could result in catastrophe, so could a simple problem with the sequence in which data is received and acted upon. Improperly sequenced information could result in command overrides and other processing problems.
The Data Challenge IoT solutions are highly varied, but all derive value from sharing information. Broadly speaking, IoT solutions collect data from edge devices, transport it to the cloud, and analyze it to control edge devices. Because the data is often collected and acted upon immediately, data integrity means more than protecting data. Instead, it means transmitting the correct data at the right time, in the proper order, and with the appropriate security.
Ensuring data integrity in such a system requires a comprehensive solution extending from the edge to the cloud. This presents a number of challenges, such as determining how to distribute data handling responsibilities among the networked systems. One approach is to use a multi-tiered architecture consisting of a device tier, a gateway tier, and a data center tier. Figure 1 shows how data processing activities can be distributed across this architecture.
Consider a train signaling system, where a train transmits location and speed data to trackside equipment, as well as a central
Distributing data activities creates a clearer delineation of system requirements in terms of physical characteristics, compute
60 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
requirements, bandwidth and latency, and security. Figure 2 illustrates some of the distinct data processing requirements for each tier. Processing Requirements Due to the distributed data activities, each tier has unique computational requirements. The scalability of Intel processors plays an important role here. Intel processors can serve the requirements of each tier, providing a consistent architecture while ensuring no tier is under-served or over-resourced. This scalability also enables consistency in areas like the operating system (OS), communications and applications infrastructure, and development tools. A single code set can operate across the various tiers, simplifying every phase of building and maintaining an IoT solution. Let’s consider how these processors meet critical needs at each tier: Devices – The primary responsibilities at this tier are collecting data and controlling device operation. The challenge is balancing tight power and size constraints with resource requirements. The Intel® Quark™ SoC X1000 provides a ready answer with typical power consumption of just
Data Center Tier Long-term Data Analytics Long-term Control Rule Creation Reporting Data Infrstructure
1.5 watts and a high level of I/O and network integration within a 15 mm x 15 mm package. Its 400 MHz core provides considerable performance for collecting and acting on data with low latency. Features like Secure Boot ROM help address system integrity. For devices with greater processing needs – such as complex motion control systems or high-definition digital signs – Intel offers higher performance options like the Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family. Gateways – A gateway can resolve bottlenecks that would stymie enterprise-scale solutions, relieving the data center by pre-processing data (through aggregation and summarization), relaying data, and controlling devices according to business rules. Gateways also play a crucial role in data security, performing tasks like encryption and decryption. Since gateways are typically located in the field close to devices, they also assist in resolving latency issues, reducing the round-trip distance that data would otherwise travel. Gateway requirements span a broad range depending on the market segment and application. The Intel® IoT Gateways address these highly varied needs. This gateway family scales from the Intel Quark SoC X1000 to the Intel Atom processor E3800 product family, and offers I/O options suitable for industrial, energy, transportation, retail, and other applications. Gateway Tier Communications Data Pre-processing Real-time Data Analytics Real-time Actions/Rules Software-defined Storage
Device Tier Communications Data Acquisitions
Figure 1.
Data management can be distributed across a three-tiered architecture.
Tier
Requirements
Device
Communications, low latency, security
Gateway
Data processing applications, memory and compute resources, communications, low latency, security
Data Center
Analytics, storage, scalability, communications, security
Figure 2.
Each tier has unique requirements.
The Intel Quark SoC X1000 aptly addresses gateway space and energy constraints where these factors are a concern. For gateways requiring more resources, the Intel Atom processor E3800 product family is a good fit, providing power-efficient quad-core performance, along with robust memory and rich LAN/WAN connectivity. These processors also offer advanced security features, including Secure Boot, Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) for hardware-assisted encryption/ decryption, and Intel® Virtualization Technology (Intel® VT) – which allows critical applications to be securely separated from less-critical code. Data Center – Data center designs can select from a variety of processors depending on whether the goal is to have scale-up or scale-out configurations (or both). The Intel® Xeon® processor E5-2600 v3 family delivers excellent performance for analytics, with up to 24 cores in an embedded dualcore configuration – 20 percent more cores than the previous generation. (The platform also includes enterprise-oriented parts with up to 36 cores
intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 61
Internet of Things
in dual-core configurations.) This platform also offers enhanced virtualization support, an essential feature in the open hybrid cloud model. Software Solutions Intel’s consistent architecture enables Red Hat to deliver a unified platform for distributed IoT implementations. It starts with an OS that can be configured and optimized for each tier. Layering data transport and business rules technology on top provides data connectivity and integration.
Gateways – The same Red Hat Enterprise Linux can serve this tier, with connection to devices through JBoss A-MQ. In cases such as machine-to-machine (M2M) communications where multiple data formats need to be transformed to standard formats, developers can use Red Hat* JBoss* Fuse. This flexible, small-footprint enterprise service bus (ESB) enables rapid integration across systems with features like 150+ Apache Camel connectors. When gateways need to act on data inputs, developers can use the small-footprint Red Hat* JBoss* BRMS, a platform for business rules management and complex event processing (CEP). JBoss BRMS offers the same types of sophisticated decision logic that would typically reside in data centers. This logic can be constructed via web-based graphical tools using simple metaphors like decision tables, scorecards, and domain-specific languages.
Devices – The device requires an embeddable OS with a small footprint that provides strong security and performance. Red Hat* Enterprise Linux* delivers these characteristics in an OS that scales from enterprise data centers to embedded solutions. Linux containers provide a lightweight, easily maintained infrastructure for deploying applications on power-constrained devices. Meanwhile, Red Hat Enterprise Linux is Common Criteria RED HAT JBOSS A-MQ EAL 4+ certified, providing military-grade security to prevent Reliable Messaging intrusions and protect data. Development Management JMS/STOMP/NMS/MQTT, Publishing-Subscribe/ and Tooling and Monitoring Point-to-Point, Store and Forward To communicate with higher Develop, Test, System Metrics, Apache ActiveMQ Debug, Refine, tiers, developers can use the Automated Deploy Discovery, Red Hat* JBoss* middleware. Container Status, Container This middleware addresses Automatic Updates Life Cycle Management, Resource Management, data acquisition and comJBoss Developer Dynamic Deployment, Security and Provisioning munications with products + Studio Including like Red Hat* JBoss* A-MQ. JBoss Fuse IDE Apache Karaf + Fuse Fabric JBoss Fabric As illustrated in Figure 3, Management JBoss* A-MQ offers a robust, Console standards-based platform with a high degree of flexibility, reliability, and real-time RED HAT ENTERPRISE LINUX Windows, UNIX, and other Linux performance. JBoss A-MQ asynchronous messaging is frequently deployed in cases where data integrity is critical, such as PTC and air-toFigure 3. Red Hat* JBoss* middleware provides a robust messaging framework. ground information exchange systems.
Keystone
Horizon Dashboard Nova
Glance
Swift
Neutron
Compute Image Object Networking Service Store Figure 4.
Cinder Volume Service
The Red Hat* Enterprise Linux* OpenStack* Platform
62 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
Heat Orchestration
Ceilometer Telemetry
Identity Service
Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization enhance gateway security. Features like sVirt and SELinux provide kernel-level protection against hypervisor and guest exploits. These features help developers and administrators:
offer an excellent balance of compute requirements with energy and space requirements. In the data center they provide the performance to fully utilize the data flowing through the IoT.
• • • • • •
Having hardware that scales across an entire IoT solution is invaluable for creating a coherent software architecture. Red Hat’s IoT offerings demonstrate the advantages of this scalability by providing enterprise-grade solutions across all tiers of the IoT. Taken together, Intel processors and Red Hat software provide a compelling end-to-end IoT platform that thoroughly addresses the need for data integrity.
Protect multiple tenants Fix critical vulnerabilities fast Protect data at rest or moving across the network Reduce exposure with strict permissions Simplify auditing with the complete separation of guests Protect against malicious software attacks with cryptography
As noted earlier, Intel also provides its own software stack for the Intel IoT Gateways. The flexibility of Red Hat’s solutions allows these gateways to be readily integrated into an end-to-end solution. Data Center – Various Red Hat products play key roles here, such as the Gluster and Ceph-based Red Hat* Storage Server, a highly flexible and scalable software-defined solution for staging Big Data deployments such as Hadoop and Cloudera installations. For open hybrid cloud data centers, there is the Red Hat* Enterprise Linux* OpenStack* Platform, which is built on the same Red Hat Enterprise Linux found in the other tiers (see Figure 4). This platform allows developers to smoothly transition parts of the distributed processing architecture to the cloud. End-to-End Solutions The IoT is built from a range of devices and servers that can all benefit from Intel processors. For field deployments, these processors
For more information on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, see intel. com/SD-RedHat-EnterpriseLinux F or more on enabling Big Data, business insight, and the Internet of Things with secure, manageable solutions, visit intel.com/embedded-iot Red Hat (intel.com/MR-redhat) is a General member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance and a leading provider of open source solutions. It uses a community-powered approach to provide reliable and high-performing cloud, virtualization, storage, Linux*, and middleware technologies. Red Hat also offers awardwinning support, training, and consulting services with over 70 offices worldwide.
Contact Red Hat
intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 63
Military/Aerospace
Unleash the I/O Power of Multicore Processors New System Host Board Architecture Solves Data Bottlenecks By Brad Trent, Engineering Manager, Trenton Systems
T
he Intel® Xeon® processor E5-2600 v3 family presents new opportunities for high-density computing. With up to 24 cores and 80 native PCI Express* (PCIe*) 3.0 lanes in a dual-socket embedded configuration, these processors offer extraordinary performance and I/O capabilities. The problem is that some standard form factors do not take full advantage of the processor’s I/O, potentially leaving the processor starved for data. To overcome this, designers need new form factors that match the processor’s architectural advancements. In this article, we explain why form factors like PICMG* 1.3 can limit performance. We then show how Trenton Systems’ High Density Embedded Computing* (HDEC*) series form factor overcomes this barrier while maintaining compatibility with existing PICMG systems. We also highlight architectural improvements in the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 family and explain how these upgrades translate to performance improvements.
High-Density Computing Applications with potential I/O bottlenecks include military computing, industrial automation, medical diagnostics, and energy production and exploration. Military computing presents some noteworthy examples. For instance, command and control (C2) applications must gather video and communication data from multiple sources, process the data quickly, and provide timely information. Any processing delays can lead to tactical disadvantages or even loss of life. Another example is airborne battlefield surveillance, which must process data from an even greater number of sensors within tight space and thermal constraints. Big Data applications are also becoming more common, and the diversity of these applications calls for platforms that are flexible enough to handle a wide range of mission requirements. The inputs for these systems are typically gathered from I/O cards or other subsystems and then delivered over a PCIe backplane to a system host board (SHB). Some SHB standards like PICMG 1.3 limit the number of PCIe links between the SHB and backplane to between sixteen and twenty-four lanes. This limitation can restrict bandwidth and data throughput during critical peak demand periods.
64 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
IT’S TIME TO MAKE SOME FUTURE.
It’s time for some real innovation. World-shattering, mind-bending, “I wish I’d thought of that” innovation. It’s time to change everything with the Internet of Things. And Wind River is here to help. Together we’ll build intelligent devices that will cleanly power our planet, conquer disease, and transform our transportation infrastructure. All with the utmost safety, security, and reliability. It’s time to make some future with Wind River, the Intelligence in the Internet of Things.
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The Intelligence in the Internet of Things
Military/Aerospace
These bottlenecks are becoming more problematic as mission requirements increase and processor capabilities expand. For example, the Intel Xeon processor 2600 v3 family offers 20 percent more cores than its predecessors and an upgrade to Intel’s Haswell architecture. These architectural advancements (detailed later in this article) allow the processors to consume data at a significantly faster rate than their predecessors, putting greater stress on system I/O. The limitations of existing systems can be partially overcome by adding PCIe switches, but switches increase hardware costs and add latency. Trenton Systems’ HDEC series of SHBs and backplanes offer an alternative. These compact, long-life embedded solutions take advantage of the processor’s 80 lanes of native PCIe 3.0 and retain the ability to use standard rackmount computer chassis hardware and PCIe plug-in cards.
13.345" I/O Bracket
Standard DDR4-2133 DIMMs (128 GB Total) BMC
1 GbE (2) 10 GbE (2)
10G Ethernet Controller
Intel® Xeon® Processor E5 v3
Intel C610 PCH
USB 3.0 (4) VGA & Serial
Intel Xeon Processor E5 v3
5.750"
Standard DDR4-2133 DIMMs
Audio
C5
Figure 1.
C4
C3
C2
C1
The HEP8225 is the first High-Density Embedded Computing* (HDEC*) Series System Host Board (SHB).
The HDEC* Series Solution The core of Trenton Systems’ solution is the HEP8225 SHB. This SHB features two Intel Xeon processors E5-2600 v3 series and the Intel® C610 chipset. The mechanical layout of the HEP8225 board, as illustrated in Figure 1, is similar to current PICMG* 1.3 SHBs, but the HDEC Series SHB is slightly taller at 5.75" versus the PICMG 1.3 height of 4.9".
C5
PCI Express* (PCIe*)
HDEC Series SHB Slot
The HEP8225 solves the I/O throughput problem by routing all 80 PCIe links from the board’s two processors down to the double-density PCIe card edge fingers (C1-C5). Additional device I/O and power pins are available on the board to enable greater system design flexibility in a wide variety of embedded computing applications. The additional I/O also creates a greater level of cable routing efficiency within an HDEC Series system. Other features of the HEP8225 HDEC Series include:
PCI Express Option Card Slot Interface Key
PCI Express
C4
C3
(All Use x16 Mechanical) Green = x16 PCIe 3.0 link/card slot Orange = x4 PCIe 3.0 link/card slot
C2
C1
• Embedded processor options from the six-core Intel Xeon processor E5-2608L v3 up to the twelve-core Intel® Xeon® processor E5-2680 v3; also available is the fourteen-core Intel® Xeon® processor E5-2695 v3, which is not on Intel’s embedded roadmap and only offered for five years • Up to 128 GB of DDR4 memory with four channels per processor • 2x Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) and 2x 10 GbE ports • 6x USB 3.0 and 4x USB 2.0 interfaces • 8x SATA revision 3.0 interfaces • Baseboard management controller (BMC) • On-board video, audio, and serial interfaces ®
®
The HEP8225 SHB can be combined with other HDEC Series backplanes and system platforms. These backplanes and platforms enable system designers to create solutions that conform to industry standard 2U, 4U, and 5U 19" rackmount form factors, but deliver higher data throughput. Together, the SHB and backplane maximize data throughput directly to the processors while reducing reliance on additional PCIe switches. Figure 2 shows a typical single segment, midsize backplane used in a 4U 19" rackmount chassis.
Figure 2.
The mid-size backplane can be used in a 4U chassis.
The HEP8225 plugs into the high-density PCIe connectors on an HDEC Series backplane, while the backplane’s option card slots support standard-density I/O cards. This approach enables continued support of cost-effective, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) plug-in option cards, and makes hardware platform migration manageable (see Figure 3 for a comparison between PICMG 1.3 and the HDEC Series). The compatibility with existing cards also enhances platform hardware longevity, architecture stability, and system performance, while supporting the fast mean time to repair (MTTR) that plug-in SHB and backplane hardware platforms are known for.
66 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
Intel® Processors Drive the Solution Intel® technology is the foundation of the HDEC Series, offering a wide range of options for diverse military applications. The 12-core options are well suited to high-performance applications, while the lower core count processors have distinct advantages in airborne applications. For example, the Intel Xeon processor E5-2618L v3 and Intel Xeon processor E5-2608L v3 support 8 or 6 cores, maximum thermal design power (TDP) ratings of 75 W and 52 W, and Tcase maximum ratings of 87 °C and 89 °C, respectively. The improved thermal profiles of these
processors make excellent matches for the space-constrained chassis in airborne deployments. Compared to the previous generation, the Intel Xeon processor 2600 v3 family offers a number of important upgrades. In addition to more cores, the processors use Intel’s Haswell architecture. The most notable advancement here is Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions 2.0 (Intel® AVX 2.0). This update introduces a fused multiply-add operation that doubles peak floating-point throughput.
System Host Board (SHB)/ Backplane (BP) Feature Board Size I/O Bracket Opening
PICMG* 1.3
HDEC* Series
13.3" x 4.9" (65 in.2) 0.5" x 3.3" (1.65 in.2)
13.345" x 5.750" (78 in.2) 1.4" x 3.3" (4.62 in.2)
Edge Connector
Single-Density PCI Express* (PCIe*)
Double-Density PCIe
PCI Express* Lanes to BP
20
80
SATA to BP
2x SATA 3 Gbps (Optional)
6x SATA 6 Gbps/SAS
USB to BP
4x USB 2.0 (Optional)
6x USB 3.0
Ethernet LANs
2x GbE I/O Brackets and up to 2x BP Interfaces (Optional)
2x 10 GbE and 2x 1 GbE I/O Brackets with Optional BP Interface Routing
Power Delivery from BP
~500 W Max
~630 W Max
Figure 3.
The High-Density Embedded Computing* (HDEC*) Series offers features not found in PICMG* 1.3.
Silicon Motion is a General member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance
intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 67
Military/Aerospace
Intel AVX 2.0 also doubles integer throughput by expanding most operations from 128 bits to 256 bits. Military software is highly classified, but developers report that Intel AVX plays an important role in processing the large volumes of data from multiple video streams in airborne battlefield surveillance applications. The benchmark data in Figure 4 illustrates the performance advantages of dual-processor HDEC boards. In addition to showcasing the benefits of the latest Intel® Xeon® processors, this data demonstrates the leap in performance available by moving from PICMG 1.3 to the HDEC form factor. PICMG 1.3 boards are too small to accommodate the highest performing Intel Xeon processors. Thus, they are limited to using a lower performance version of the last-generation Intel® Xeon® processor E5-2400 v2 series. In contrast, the new Trenton HEP8225 uses the highest performance Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 series processors for a considerable performance advantage. Other key features include Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) and Intel® Turbo Boost 2.0. Intel HT Technology enables each core to run two threads, increasing operational throughput efficiency in high-end applications. Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 varies clocks
speeds according to processor workload, helping maximize performance during high-demand periods while providing thermal advantages in low-demand periods. The latest processors add the ability to independently adjust the speed of each core, and to run the cores and the supporting “uncore” logic at different speeds. These enhancements significantly improve efficiencies. To keep cores fed with data, the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 series includes a large L3 cache – up to 30 MB on the embedded parts – as well as branch prediction improvements and enlarged translation lookaside buffers (TLBs). The on-die bus now includes two fully buffered rings (Figure 5). Each ring can act independently, which increases effective bandwidth. A corresponding Intel® QuickPath Interconnect (Intel® QPI) frequency increase improves multi-socket coherence performance. Last-level cache (LLC) changes reduce latency and increase bandwidth. External interfaces have also been upgraded. The new processors support DDR4 memory, which offers up to a 35 percent power savings and 50 percent performance boost compared to DDR3.
700 Trenton BXT7059 PICMG* 1.3 SBC
600
Trenton HEP8225 HDEC Series
500 400 300 200 100 0
Intel Xeon E5-2428L v2 (2 x 8-core, 1.8GHz)
Intel Xeon E5-2448L v2 (2 x 10-core, 1.8GHz)
■ GOPS: Aggregate Arithmetic Performance
Figure 4.
Intel Xeon E5-2618L v3 (2 x 8-core, 2.3GHz)
■ GIPS: Dhrystone ALU
Intel Xeon E5-2628L v3 (2 x 10-core, 2.5GHz)
■ Whetstone: GFLOPS Single-Float iSSE3 and Single-Float Native AVX
The new Intel® Xeon® processor offers substantial performance advantages. All tests run on Microsoft* Windows* 7 Professional 64 bit. Source: Trenton Systems.
PCIe PCIe IVB
IVB
QPI
QPI
Shared L3 Cache (45MB)
IVB
IVB
HSW
IVB
IVB
HSW
IVB
HSW
IVB
HSW
IVB IVB
IVB Memory Controller
Shared L3 Cache
Shared L3 Cache (45MB)
Memory Controller Memory Controller
Figure 5.
Buffered Switch
HSW
HSW
HSW
HSW
HSW
HSW
HSW
HSW
HSW
HSW
HSW
HSW
Buffered Switch
HSW
Shared L3 Cache
HSW
Memory Controller
The latest Intel® Xeon® processor employs two buffered rings. (Configurations shown are for illustration purposes and are not on Intel’s embedded roadmap.)
68 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
For information about the Trenton Systems HEP8225, see intel.com/SD-Trenton-HEP8225 F or more on performance and security in mil/aero, see intel. com/embedded-milaero
E5-2600 v3
E5-2600 v2
IVB
12-core, Intel Xeon E5-2680 v3 (2 x 12-core, 2.5GHz)
Optimized Performance The architectural advances in the Intel processor Xeon E5-2600 v3 expand possibilities for high-density computing. By pairing this processor with board- and system-level components like Trenton System’s HDEC Series, designers can take full advantage of the processors’ native PCIe capabilities to break through potential bottlenecks. Equally important, the HDEC Series retains all the advantages of PICMG systems, such as compatibility with standard enclosures and I/O cards. Thus, this new architecture can bring high-density embedded computing to life in a wide variety of HDEC-enabled system applications.
Trenton Systems (intel.com/ MR-trenton), an Affiliate member of the Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance, designs and builds high-quality industrial computers, MicroATX and ExtendedATX motherboards, PICMG* 1.3 and HDEC* Series single board computers, and PCI Express*, PCI-X, and PCI backplanes. All Trenton products are produced in our ISO 9001:2008 registered facilities located in the USA.
Contact Trenton
Featured Solutions
Concurrent Technologies sales@gocct.com http://www.cct.co.uk/products/index.htm AMC processor module: AM C1x/msd The AM C1x/msd is an Advanced Mezzanine Card (AdvancedMC™) module featuring either a dual or quad-core 4th generation Intel® Core™ processor combined with IDT’s Tsi721 PCIe to RapidIO® bridge to deliver a low latency and scalable compute element.
FEATURES
Compared to Concurrent Technologies’ previously released modules, the AM C1x/msd offers improved CPU processing performance as well as incorporating two 10 Gigabit Ethernet interfaces on the front panel for additional high-speed network links. Fabric Interconnect Networking Software (FIN-S) is supported, allowing developers to create applications that transparently span clusters of AM C1x/msd AdvancedMC modules utilising the internal RapidIO® interconnect for low latency complemented with Ethernet links for ubiquitous connectivity.
› 4th generation Intel® Core™ processor
Typical applications for this type of solution include wireless test and infrastructure, Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), image recognition, and database query for the telecoms, defense, and other markets that need High Performance Embedded Computing (HPEC) equipment.
› Optional Fabric Interconnect Networking Software (FIN-S)
› Up to 16 GB of DRAM with ECC support › Up to two x4 RapidIO® I/O fabric ports › 4x Ethernet interfaces including 2x 10Gbase-T interfaces via
front panel
› Up to 3 external USB ports › Support for on board SATA flash disk › Up to 4x SATA interfaces on the rear I/O › Hot swap compliant (AMC.0) › IPMI support
IBASE Technology Inc. TEL: +886-2-26557588 sales@ibase.com.tw www.ibase.com.tw
IDOOH-210-IR Sunlight Readable Panel PC The IDOOH-210-IR sunlight readable (high brightness) Panel PC is an innovative digital out-of-home (DOOH) system that is suitable for both indoor and outdoor deployment. It is manufactured to meet stringent quality standards and requirements for reliability. Not only does it support 24-hour operation in an extended temperature range from -40 °C and up to +50 °C (+122 °F), its IP65 rated (front) enclosure makes it dust-tight and water resistant. IDOOH-210-IR has a 21.5-inch sunlight readable LCD display panel that provides sufficient screen brightness for good image quality. During nighttime conditions, the luminance will adjust automatically to acceptable levels. The touch screen offers heat insulation for effective thermal protection against aging and UV. Infrared energy is reduced by approximately 80 percent and UV decreased to less than 1 percent, but still, 70 percent of visible light can pass through.
FEATURES › Intel® Atom™ processor E3845 QC › 4GB DDR3L system memory › 21.5-inch LCD panel › IR touch screen › 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB 2.0, 1x RS-232/422/485 port › Integrated DP port for second display › 90V~240V AC power input › Extended temperature range from -40 °C to +50 °C (+122 °F) › IP65 rated (high brightness) front panel › ODM requests accepted
The system is an excellent choice for outdoor touch screen kiosks that are popularly used in drive-thru ordering stations. It is designed not only to withstand the rigors of heavy use but also built to work in harsh environments, resisting dust and fluid intrusion. intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 69
Featured Solutions
We are a Turnkey Solutions Provider; from design to manufacturing, logistics and more, our services are customizable and application-specific.
Premio, Inc.
800.977.3646 sales@premioinc.com www.premioinc.com Premio creates unique purpose-built products for ISVs and solutions providers. Our fully-validated off-the-shelf solutions, coupled with globally available value added service, are unmatched by general-purpose products. Our infrastructure is designed to support a mix of high-, medium-, and small-volume customers, accommodating both built-to-order and built-to-forecast assembly. Premio focuses on the fastest growing IT infrastructure vertical markets, such as VDI private cloud, converged server & storage virtualization, software-defined storage, data center warm & cold storage, digital content streaming, and SSD caching for cloud and enterprise storage. Our focus is also on the continuously evolving embedded world, such as industrial automation, transportation, gaming, medical, kiosk, and digital signage.
Premio provides custom-off-the-shelf, turnkey solutions for: • High Availability Server. • High Performance Server. • High Density Storage. • COM Express Modules and Carrier Boards. • Industrial & Embedded Motherboards. • Ruggedized Fanless Systems. • Applied Panel Computing. So whether your project calls for a short-term rapid launch or you need a stable solutions provider over the long-term, Premio is ready when you are.
PERFECTRON TEL: +886-2-8911-8077 http://www.perfectron.com/ SR200 MIL-STD Rugged Visual System
SR200 is driven by the Intel® Core™ i7-4700EQ with NVIDIA GT730M, supporting 4 cores turbo up to 3.4 GHz and 4 independent DisplayPorts that have 6 total display outputs, extended temperature from -40 °C to 75 °C, and wide range DC-in, from 9V to 36V. FEATURES ›
Intel® Core™ i7-4700EQ
›
4 independent Displayports supported
›
NVIDIA GT730M (CUDA384)
›
MIL-STD 810G certified
›
Onboard μSSD and XR-DIMM
›
2x miniPCIe expansion
70 | 2015 | 11 th Edition | Embedded Innovator | intel.com/embedded-innovator
NEXCOM
HARDWARE FEATURES
TEL: 510-656-2248 http://www.nexcom.com
› Choice of Intel® Atom™ processor
E3826 or E3815
› 2x RS232/422/485 ports, 2.5k
optical isolation protection
NIFE 100
› 1x mini-PCIe socket for fieldbus,
The NEXCOM PC-based controller NIFE 100 series supports the Intel® Atom™ processor E3800 product family and integrates fieldbus technologies to consolidate computing, communication, and control capabilities onto one robust platform. The NEXCOM NIFE 100 series links enterprise domain and operation domain to enable smart and digital manufacturing. Advanced manufacturing requires integration of multiple control tasks, high volumes of data processing, and cross-protocol communication. Supporting the single-core Intel® Atom™ processor E3815 and dual-core Intel® Atom™ processor E3826, the PC-based controller NIFE 100 series can perform a wide variety of tasks ranging from aggregating field data and performing endpoint data analytics to controlling field devices. To enable crossprotocol communication, the PC-based controller NIFE 100 series supports seven fieldbus protocols, including PROFINET, PROFIBUS, EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet, EtherCAT, CANopen, and Modbus. An internet connection is also available. As a result, the NIFE 100 series can integrate PLCs, remote I/Os, and legacy field devices using different protocols and across different control subsystems and take field data to the cloud to enable big data analytics.
3.5G, LTE, or Wi-Fi module
› Extended operating temperature
range of 20 ºC to 70 ºC › 24V DC with optional power isolation module
SOFTWARE FEATURES › Integrates with SCADA OPC
server software
› FBI Fieldbus modules for various fieldbus networking › Built-in CODESYS SoftLogic kernel based on IEC 61131-3 edition › Bundled with distributed I/O of VIPA SLIO® Series › Xcare 3.0 Suite for remote management › Supports RTOS, Windows, QNX Linux, and Wind River Linux › Supports Intel® Gateway Solutions for IoT
ADLINK Technology, Inc. TEL: +49 621 43214-0 emea@adlinktech.com www.adlinktech.com
cExpress-BL COM Express® Type 6 Compact Size Module
The ADLINK cExpress-BL computer-on-module with builtin SEMA Cloud functionality is ready-made for Internet of Things (IoT) applications. The cExpress-BL is able to connect legacy industrial devices and other IoT systems to the cloud, extract raw data from these devices, determine which data to save locally and which to send to the cloud for further analysis. The results can provide valuable information for policy decision making and generate innovative business opportunities. See us at Embedded World Hall 1, Booth No. 1-538
FEATURES › Low Power 5th Generation Intel® Core™ i7/i5/i3 Processor
System-on-Chip
› Up to 16 GB DDR3L at 1600 MHz › Two DDI channels, one LVDS supporting 3 independent displays › Dual channel 18/24-bit LVDS (or optional eDP) › Four PCIe x1 or 1x PCIe x4, Gigabit Ethernet › Four SATA 6 Gb/s, two USB 3.0, six USB 2.0 › Supports Smart Embedded Management Agent (SEMA) functions › Extreme Rugged™ operating temperature: -40 °C to +85 °C (optional)
intel.com/embedded-innovator | Embedded Innovator | 11 th Edition | 2015 | 71
Intel® Internet of Things Solutions Alliance Member Directory
Advantech www.advantech.com
Dell OEM www.dell.com/oem
Kontron www.kontron.com
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Portwell www.portwell.com.tw
Aaeon-Onyx www.aaeon.com
ADI Engineering, Inc. www.adiengineering.com
Amax Engineering Corp. www.amax.com
Artesyn Embedded Technologies www.artesyn.com/computing/products/
Avalue - BCM www.avalue.tw.com
Avnet - North America www.avnet.com AXIOMTEK Co. Ltd. www.axiomtek.com
CIARA Technologies www.ciaratech.com
congatec AG www.congatec.com
Dedicated Computing www.dedicatedcomputing.com
DFI-ITOX www.dfi-itox.com
Digi International www.digi.com
Eurotech www.eurotech.com
Evoc Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. www.evoc.com
Contec DTx Inc. www.dtx.com
Fujitsu Technology Solutions www.ts.fujitsu.com
Gigabyte www.gigabyte.com
GraniteMEDSystems www.granitemed.com
Hewlett-Packard www.hp.com/go/oem
IBASE Technology Inc. www.ibase.com.tw
IEI Integration Corp. www.ieiworld.com
National Instruments www.ni.com
Norco-Habey www.norco-group.com
QNAP Systems, Inc. www.qnap.com
Radisys www.radisys.com
SBS Ltd. Science & Technology Co. www.sbs.com.cn
Seneca www.senecadata.com
Shenzhen Topstar Technology Co., Ltd. www.cszte.com
Super Micro Computer Inc. www.supermicro.com
Telit Wireless Solutions www.telit.com
Toshiba TEC Corporation www.toshibatec.co.jp/en
Premio Inc. www.premioinc.com/ems/about/?pg=embedded
UNICOM Engineering (fka NEI) www.nei.com
Wind River Systems www.windriver.com
Xyratex International Inc. www.xyratex.com
6WIND SA www.6wind.com
Adeneo Embedded www.adeneo-embedded.com
ads-tec GmbH www.ads-tec.de
ALT Software Inc. www.altsoftware.com Altera Corporation www.altera.com
Patriot Technologies, Inc. www.patriot-tech.com
Aewin Technologies Co. Ltd www.aewin.com.tw
Oracle www.oracle.com/us/products/servers-storage/servers/index.html
Venture Corporation Limited www.venture.com.sg
Network Allies www.networkallies.com
NCS Technologies, Inc. www.ncst.com
Nexcom www.nexcom.com
Microsoft Corporation www.windowsembedded.com
McAfee www.mcafee.com
M&A Technology, Inc. www.macomp.com
Gemalto M2M GmbH www.gemalto.com/m2m
Lanner Electronics Inc. www.lannerinc.com
GE Intelligent Platforms www.ge-ip.com
Intequus (a division of Equus Computer Systems) www.intequus.com
Affiliate Members
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ADLINK www.adlinktech.com
Arrow - North America www.arrow.com
Associate Members
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From modular components to market-ready systems, Intel and the 250+ global member companies of the Intel® IoT Solutions Alliance provide the performance, connectivity, manageability, and security developers need to create smart, connected systems. Close collaboration with Intel and each other enables Alliance members to innovate with the latest technologies, helping developers deliver first-in-market solutions. Learn more at: intel.com/iotsolutionsalliance. Explore their products and services at: intel.com/iotsolutionsalliance-sd.
Arbor Technology www.arbor.com.tw
DUX Inc. www.dux.jp
EEPD www.eepd.com
EMBEDTEC Science & Technology Co., Ltd www.embed-tec.com
Ennoconn www.ennoconn.com
Green Hills Software, Inc. www.ghs.com
HCL Technologies Ltd www.hcltech.com
Hectronic AB www.hectronic.se
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Jabil Ltd www.jabil.com
Klocwork www.klocwork.com
KW-Software GmbH www.kw-software.com
LynuxWorks, Inc. lnxw.com
Macraigor Systems LLC www.macraigor.com
Mentor Graphics www.mentor.com
Nanjing Byosoft Co., Ltd www.byosoft.com.cn
Phoenix Technologies, Ltd. www.phoenix.com
PROMISE Technology Inc. www.promise.com
Protech Systems www.protech.com.tw
Qosmos www.qosmos.com
Shenzhen Prafly Technology Co. Ltd www.prafly.com
TenAsys www.tenasys.com
TimeSys Corporation www.timesys.com
Trenton Systems www.trentonsystems.com
u-blox AG www.u-blox.com
Tieto Signaling Solutions www.tieto.com
Universal Scientific Industrial Co. Ltd www.usi.com.tw
Wipro Technologies www.wipro.com
Wistron Corporation www.wistron.com
Toshiba Personal Computer System Corporation www.toshiba-tops.co.jp
Signal Integrity Software, Inc. www.sisoft.com
Real-Time Systems GmbH www.real-time-systems.com
ROHM Co., Ltd. / Lapis Semiconductor Co., Ltd. www.rohm.com/index.html
QNX Software Systems, Ltd. www.qnx.com
NASoftware Ltd www.nasoftware.co.uk
MindTree Ltd www.mindtree.com
Mobica Limited www.mobica.com
Lauterbach GmbH www.lauterbach.com
Xilinx, Inc www.xilinx.com
Insyde Software Corp. www.insydesw.com
WIN Enterprises www.win-ent.com
ILS Technology www.ilstechnology.com
Thecus Technology Corporation www.thecus.com
Shenzhen Seavo (China) Technology Co., Ltd. www.seavo.com
DT Research,Inc. www.dtresearch.com
SECO www.seco.com
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CriticalBlue www.criticalblue.com
Quanta Computer www.quantatw.com
Bsquare www.bsquare.com
PFU Ltd. / PFU Systems, Inc. www.pfusystems.com
BroadWeb Corporation www.broadweb.com
MSC Vertriebs GmbH www.msc-ge.com
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Axeda Corporation www.axeda.com
Mitac www.mitac.com
Market Segments
Arium www.arium.com
Affiliate Members
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Archermind Technology (Nanjing) Co. Ltd www.archermind.com
Micro Star International us.msi.com
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Anovo Co., Ltd. www.anovotech.com
MEN Mikro Elektronik GmbH www.men.de
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J&WIPC Technology Development Ltd. www.jwipc.com
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American Megatrends, Inc. www.ami.com
Concurrent Technologies www.gocct.com
Expertise Areas
Company Name
* Intel® IoT Solutions Alliance memberships as of 12/08/2014. Premier, Associate, and Affiliate listing only. For the latest listing of membership visit: http:/intel.com/iotsolutionsalliance-members.
The mobile communications revolution is driving the world's major technology breakthroughs. From wearable devices to connected cars and homes, mobile technology is at the heart of worldwide innovation. As an industry, we are connecting billions of men and women to the transformative power of the Internet and mobilising every device that we use in our daily lives. The 2015 GSMA Mobile World Congress will convene industry leaders, visionaries and innovators to explore the trends that will shape mobile in the years ahead. We’ll see you in Barcelona at The Edge of Innovation.
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