Industry Specs: Going Beyond “Five Nines” by RTC Media

Industry Specs: Going Beyond “Five Nines” The magazine of record for the embedded computing industry

August 2007

www.rtcmagazine.com

Mezzanines make Comm systems

RISC Grabs More Tasks for DSP Management Firmware Does FLASHy Upgrades

FAST& FLEXIBLE ed d ith pan on W x ti E ec w o d N an t S c u w Ne rod A P An RTC Group Publication

GE Fanuc Embedded Systems

Wouldn’t you rather have two? Dual core options abound with GE Fanuc Embedded Systems. Choosing dual core technology ought to be a no-brainer, especially when you have the range of choices offered by GE Fanuc Embedded Systems. Our Intel® Core™ Duo and Core™ 2 Duo single board computers are available in a full selection of embedded form factors, including VME, VPX, CPCI and ATCA. We also give you the choice of multiple levels of ruggedization, all the way from standard air cooled commercial grades through extended temperature, up to fully conduction cooled boards. We probably have exactly the configuration you’re looking for, and we even have custom build options.

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TABLEOF CONTENTS AUGUST 2007

Departments

5 Editorial The World Is Bigger than We Think Insider 7 Industry Latest developments in the Embedded Marketplace

& Technology 42 Products Newest Embedded Technology used by Industry Leaders

Technology in Context Mezzanines in Communication

Board Strategies 10 Mezzanine for Communications Rodger H. Hosking, Pentek

Enable 16 Mezzanines Next-Generation

Communication Design

Stuart Jamieson, Emerson Network Power

Mezzanines Make Comm Systems

Fast & Flexible

SOLUTIONS ENGINEERING High Availability

SCOPE Alliance Carrier 24 The Grade Base Platform Middleware

Paul Steinberg and Tapio Tallgren, SCOPE Alliance

Specifications from 28 Latest SA Forum Enhance Middleware Services

Asif Naseem, Service Availability Forum

FEATURED PRODUCTS

10 Mezzanine Board Strategies for Communications

30 6U VPX GbE Multilayer Switch/Router Packs Dense Networking, Security and Management

10-Gigabit ATCA Portfolio 30 Triple Targets Triple Play IPTV-Based Broadband

VPX GbE Multilayer Switch/ 31 6URouter Packs Dense Networking, Security and Management

INDUSTRY INSIGHT DSP

32 SoftDSP Migrates Toward DSP Ilan D. Shallom, AudioCodes

44 Handheld Terminals Support Bar Code and RFID for a Seamless Logistics Solution

49 USB-Based Sensors Provide Simpler Power Measurements without a Power Meter

SOFTWARE AND DEVELOPMENT TOOLS Fault Management

Firmware 36 Interoperable Upgrades for PICMG

Management Controllers

Mark Overgaard, Pigeon Point Systems

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August 2007

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August 2007

embeddedcommad_14v.indd 1

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august 2007

EDITORIAL

The World Is Bigger than We Think by Tom Williams, Editor-in-Chief

am told by those who claim to monitor these things that this is the year that the number of machines communicating autonomously or semi-autonomously on the Internet has exceeded the number of humans communicating on the Internet. Now, of course, this includes such things as banks and financial institutions updating data all over the world, as well as military systems doing whatever arcane things they do and other automated commercial data exchanges But it also includes a truly vast number of embedded and automated devices sending control and status information to each other and to systems that are at least occasionally monitored by human operators. When we think of automation and control, we may be tempted to assume we’re talking about industrial automation, the factory floor and relatively closed systems in factories, While this is undeniably an important and growing field, with innovations coming thick and fast to improve manufacturing of goods, automation also includes a huge number of different commercial applications that fall somewhere between “industrial” in the traditional sense and “consumer.” They are more things that make products and services more convenient for the end user but which the end user does not really need to be aware of. For example, if a company has sold 5,000 commercial freezers that are installed in restaurants, meat packing plants and the like, it is now possible to install a low-cost Internet connection— or even an embedded Web page—to monitor things like power consumption or other diagnostic parameters. Data sent over the Internet can be collected on a server and can alert service personnel of needed maintenance, avoiding downtime and increasing customer satisfaction. The growing field of what is loosely called “machine to machine” involves small individual modules, which by virtue of their connection to other elements actually form a quite large distributed system. Fleet management is a prime example where modules in trucks with GPS give constant location information, while other sensors read codes from cargo loads to update routing

and pickup/delivery data to optimize the use of the fleet. Other units at terminals update data on freight consignments. Such systems consist of many small modules with different functions (location, cargo, routing, freight received, etc.) communicating directly with each other and with a central server to form an overall system that is quite large and complex and which can easily be expanded or reduced—by adding or removing modules—as needed. Such systems can integrate with more traditional industrial automation so that a factory operation could track anticipated arrival of inventory, and shift operations to accommodate anticipated delays or early arrivals of parts. On the other end, such connectivity can make it easier to react to customer demands for custom and semi-custom product configurations, something that is becoming routine in the auto industry. The possibilities are endless. It may just be that we have yet to fully appreciate the potential of connectivity among what are relatively simple units individually, but which can make up vast and highly useful systems. Now that almost all new networking is using IP addressing, and increasingly IPv6, it is possible (though not actually practical or advisable) to connect anything to anything else. Simply hooking a bunch of units together obviously does not make a useful system. But the potential will exist in almost every piece of equipment sold. The possibility of sending control commands and data over almost any IP network to and from almost any device opens up a whole new field of possibilities for system design. The well-known motto from Sun Microsystems, “The network is the computer,” becomes truer every day. It is safe to say that a great deal of thought and energy will be put into just how to use the potential offered by what one is tempted to call “universal connectivity.” And it is also safe to say that we are just at the beginning of discovering that potential, because in addition to the possibilities for connection, there is also now the bandwidth needed to make it truly useful. August 2007

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IndustryInsider AUGUST August 2007

Motorola to Form Consortium to Lead OpenSAF Project Motorola has announced that it intends to form an industry-wide consortium that will assume stewardship for the OpenSAF project the company announced in February. The company also announced the first release of the open source code related to the project. The consortium also will manage any future development of the OpenSAF code base. Leading companies including Ericsson, HP and Nokia Siemens Networks have expressed support for this initiative. The purpose of the open source project is to establish a broadly adopted high-availability operating environment that can be leveraged by computing technology companies, network equipment providers (NEPs) and other industries requiring high availability. Independent software vendors (ISVs) will be able to use OpenSAF as a benchmark for creating highly available applications. OpenSAF includes an implementation of the Service Availability Forum Application Interface Specification (AIS). Details of the OpenSAF code release and additional information on the OpenSAF initiative can be found at www.opensaf.org. As an open source project, OpenSAF has no dependencies on specific vendors’ products, and support plans and future enhancements will be directly determined by the users of, and contributors to, the OpenSAF project. Adopting OpenSAF will enable more efficient use of in-house software engineering resources, and additional tools will be provided to enable application development and deployment services. The goals of the OpenSAF project are as follows: • Create an open source implementation of a high-availability operating environment that includes the SA Forum Application Interface Specification (AIS) • Develop necessary additional complementary services necessary to deploy and manage the software • Help accelerate the development of SA Forum specifications by proposing enhancements • Establish a broadly adopted high-availability operating environment that can be leveraged by computing technology companies, NEPs and other industries requiring high availability and ISVs • Utilize an open source licensing model not tied to any commercial implementation

Cypress Partners with InPhase on Holographic Data Storage Drive

Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (NYSE: CY) announced today that it has partnered with InPhase Technologies to supply a CMOS image sensor solution for InPhase’s Tapestry holographic data storage system. Cypress and InPhase have collaborated since 2005 to develop an ultra-sensitive and ultra-fast CMOS image sensor to meet the high-speed reading of data recorded by InPhase’s Tapestry drive. The Cypress CMOS imager features a digital interface and is sized with a pixel count of 1696 x 1710 and a pixel pitch of 8 microns. The imager enables data to be read at 500 frames per second.

Holographic storage delivers high capacity by recording data throughout the volume of the recording material, and not just on the surface. With each flash of the laser, a data page of approximately 1 million bits is recorded. Each data page is located at a unique address within the material and several hundred pages of data, each with their own unique address, are recorded in the same location of the medium. Each of these collections of data pages is then referred to as a “book.” This new recording technique enables more holograms to be stored in the same volume of material by overlapping not only pages, but also books of data. This dramatically increases the storage density. Cypress’s new sensor of-

ferings address the trend to have digital LVDS outputs for highspeed sensors, as demonstrated with proven custom designs for holographic data storage readers. Cypress’s custom image sensor approach is to provide full turnkey solutions for customers, including design services, package and test development, product prototyping and characterization, production setup and production logistics management.

New and Updated CANopen Specifications Announced

The CAN in Automation (CiA) nonprofit organization has released several new and updated CANopen specifications.

Topping the list is the CiA 311 XML electronic data sheet (EDS) specification. It defines the XML scheme to be used for the electronic description of CANopen devices. The specification is based on the ISO 15745 standard. In the future, XML electronic data sheets will substitute the well-known ASCIIbased EDS as specified in CiA 306. EDS are used by configuration, diagnostic or testing tools to get information about the CANopen device to be configured, diagnosed or tested. The CiA 414-1/2 device profile specifications describe the CANopen interface for weaving machine feeders. They cover simple feeder devices as well as sophisticated multi-feeder devices. “This device profile is the first for modular weaving machines,” said Holger Zeltwanger, CiA managing director. “We are going to develop further device profiles for modular machines, such as for printing, packaging and other industries.” The CiA 425-2 profile for contrast media injectors has been updated. The released version 2.0.1 is going to be implemented by several American, European and Japanese injector manufacturers as well as by several companies producing image processing medical devices. It is the first profile in the range of add-on devices for computer tomography, magnetic resonator and angiography. It also could be used for ultrasonic devices. The updated and reviewed CiA 303-1 recommendation describing the pin assignment for several connectors contains the first Chinese connector. This 3pin connector (em069A-3) is dedicated to low-cost devices. The recommendation contains more than 20 connectors to be used for CANopen devices. August 2007

Industry Insider

Intel Carrier Grade Platforms Certified for Sun Solaris

After a broad agreement between the two companies, Intel has announced availability of Sun Microsystems’ Solaris Operating System on Intel-based telecommunications rack and blade servers. The systems are carrier-grade rackmount servers that are Network Equipment-Building System (NEBS) Level 3 and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI)-compliant, and blades that adhere to the AdvancedTCA (ATCA) standards. The combination of Solaris 10 operating system (OS) on telecommunications servers from Intel increases the choices for service providers and telecommunications equipment manufacturers wishing to keep existing applications and deploy next-generation applications within their preferred operating system environment. The new Intel Carrier Grade Rack Mount Server TIGW1U is the first Intel carrier grade server shipping today that supports both Linux and Solaris OS. The Intel NetStructure MPCBL0050 Single Board Computer (SBC), based on the ATCA architecture, will ship in the third quarter of 2007 and also will support both Linux and Solaris OSs. The TIGW1U and MPCBL0050 allow operators that require NEBS-certified platforms to deploy their applications in both a rackmount server and bladed architecture. The Intel Carrier Grade Rack Mount Server TIGW1U has completed Solaris Hardware Certification Test Suite (HCTS) and is posted on Sun’s Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) Web site (www.sun. com/bigadmin/hcl). This server can now be deployed with the Solaris 10 OS or other carrier-grade operating systems, including MontaVista, Red Hat and Wind

August 2007

River. The Intel NetStructure MCPBL0050 SBC is also going through HCTS and is expected to be certified for the Solaris 10 OS when it is released.

PICMG and CP-TA Wrap Up First Cooperative Interoperability Workshop

The Communications Platforms Trade Association (CP-TA) and PICMG teamed up in Chicago during the week of June 11 for their first joint Interoperability Workshop, demonstrating structured testing to industry profiles. PICMG has hosted Interoperability Workshops for its members since the early days of CompactPCI, but this is the first time it has opened the events to another organization. Previous AdvancedTCA Interoperability Workshops have tested the multi-vendor interoperability of new products designed to the AdvancedTCA specifications. For this event, participation was open to members of both CP-TA and PICMG. As always, testing was conducted in a protected, confidential environment, allowing participants to test and resolve any inconsistencies. Twenty-five companies and 70 participants joined in interoperability workshops, completing tests for thermal, manageability, data transport and other interoperability issues. During the event, CPTA demonstrated its improved AdvancedTCA interoperability test tools. The ATCA-Tester from Polaris Networks tested manageability interoperability while Degree Controls, Inc.’s Chassis Scan and Blade Profiler tested thermal interoperability. CP-TA and PICMG will work together on future Interoperability Workshops. For more information on the next event, visit PICMG at www.picmg. org or visit CP-TA at www.cpta.org.

Embedded Planet to Resell Ultimate Solutions Development Tools

Embedded Planet has announced a partnering agreement with embedded tools provider Ultimate Solutions. Under the new agreement, Embedded Planet will become a North American authorized reseller of Abatron Development Tools, including the BDI2000 BDM/JTAG emulator. The Abatron BDI2000 BDM/JTAG emulator is a flexible and high-performance emulator. It supports numerous CPU architectures and features high-speed file download and debug over its Ethernet interface. The BDI2000 supports kernel debugging when an MMU is enabled on the target processor making it a good choice for developers of Linux board support packages and device drivers. In addition to Linux development support, the BDI2000 can be used for board bring up and supports programming of a wide range of flash devices. Embedded Planet will bundle the BDI2000 with support and configuration files for Embedded Planet boardlevel products for customers in North America.

IEEE Moves Current 802.20 Mobile Broadband Draft Forward

The non-conflicted IEEE 802 Executive Committee has adopted a motion to immediately change the voting approach within the IEEE 802.20 Working Group on Mobile Broadband Wireless Access (MBWA). The new approach requires that all votes and ballots in the working group be cast on the basis of entity affiliation, with a single vote allowed for each entity. After adopting the new procedure, the Working Group voted to accept the new IEEE 802.20 draft standard, and forward it to a Working Group letter ballot. The IEEE 802.20 Working Group is creating an air-interface standard to deliver voice, video

and data services to portable computers and other mobile devices at levels comparable to those of wired broadband systems. The standard, IEEE P802.20, “Standard Air Interface for Mobile Broadband Wireless Access Systems Supporting Vehicular Mobility - Physical and Media Access Control Layer Specification,” will boost real-time data transmission rates in wireless metropolitan area networks to 1 Mbit/s or more. It will do so at a range of at least 15 km from a basestation for users traveling up to 250 km/hr. The latest NC-EC actions are among several the IEEE has taken over the past year after conducting an investigation into a lack of transparency, possible dominance, and other irregularities in the MBWA working group. In addition to the reorganization, which included the naming of a new Working Group chair and officers, a call for proposals was issued to solicit additional technical contributions for a new draft of the IEEE P802.20 standard. Several corporations responded with content that has been incorporated into a revised draft. IEEE P802.20 is sponsored by the IEEE LAN/MAN Standards Committee within the IEEE Computer Society.

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Technology I n C onte x t

Mezzanine Board Strategies for Communications Mezzanines offer an excellent solution to local high-performance signal acquisition and preprocessing, saving costly processor resources. With FPGAs, they can be reconfigured to meet new communications standards extending system life cycle. by Rodger H. Hosking Pentek

exploration er your goal eak directly al page, the resource. chnology, and products

Mezzanines in communication

ew embedded system applications Receive Antenna encompass a more diverse range of signal frequencies, signaling Demod Decode Lowpass Receive IF schemes, numbers of channels, data rates RF A/D Decrypt Digital Filter & Channel Receiver Conv Expand Mixer Decimator and signal processing algorithms than Data Despread Analyze communications systems. Apart from this Digital Down Digital extreme diversity, communications sysConverter (DDC) Local OSC Transmit tems must now handle wider signal bandAntenna widths to meet the needs of new complex panies providing solutions now modulation schemes and higher data rates Modulate ration into products, technologies and companies. Whether your goal is to research theTransmit latest Encode IF to support large numbers of these chanD/A Interpolation Digital RF Channel lication Engineer, or jump to a company's technical page, the goal of Get Connected is to put youEncrypt Conv Filter Mixer Transmit Data Compress nels. ice you require for whatever type of technology, Spread System integrators faced with the ies and products you are searching for. Digital Up Digital task of delivering custom communication Converter (DUC) Local OSC systems using COTS board-level products Figure 1 Basic signal processing blocks for a typical communications transceiver have traditionally relied on mezzanine system. boards (or daughter cards) for modular and flexible interfaces. But new technologies and new mez- costs and boosting performance, choosing converts the antenna signal to an intermezanine standards have cast mezzanines for the right mezzanine boards now becomes diate frequency (IF), as shown in Figure 1. communication systems into complex and a much more significant part of successful This IF signal can then be digitized by a critical roles previously handled by other system design. wide range of monolithic A/D converters full-size boards in the system. By cutting capable of 14- or 16-bit accuracy and samCommunication System Basics pling rates of 100 MHz and higher. The The receiver section of a modern com- IF signal bandwidth usually covers the enGet Connected munication system typically starts with an tire span of the particular communication with companies mentioned in this article. www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected analog RF stage that amplifies and down- band and may contain many different car-

End of Article

August 2007 Get Connected with companies mentioned in this article. www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected

Which Way do You Want Your 10Gb Ethernet?

2500MB/sec 10G b 250MB/se

c 1Gb

Software Stack Conventional NIC Technology

Silicon Stack Critical I/O XGE

Silicon Stack Technology from Critical I/O. 10Gb Ethernet at Wire Speed. [Problem] You’re expecting 10Gb Ethernet to deliver a whole lot more performance to your embedded system. But what if you invest in it and get no gain at all? The performance of nearly all existing 1Gb applications are limited by the software overhead associated with the TCP/IP protocol stack. This bottleneck is in the software stack, not the network hardware. So, simply upgrading to 10Gb pipes will not improve your system’s performance. [Solution] Unlike conventional Ethernet interfaces or processor-based “offload” products, Critical I/O’s Silicon Stack technology eliminates this inherent bottleneck by offloading protocol processing to silicon; thereby achieving sustained line-rate performance, microsecond latency, and rock-solid deterministic behavior. And, Silicon Stack is 100% compliant with Ethernet standards, allowing you to leverage existing applications and hardware.

XGE Silicon Stack Ethernet vs. Software-based Stack

Software Stack 10Gb

1Gb

10Gb

40 varies with protocol

250

2500

1Gb Throughput max sustained rate in MBytes/sec Host Overhead

Very High

Latency

125 μsec

Determinism max sustained rate Reliability

Silicon Stack

Horrible ± 200 μsec Poor when under heavy load

Very Low 12 μsec

5 μsec

Rock Solid ± 1 μsec Excellent under all load conditions, no dropped data

Technology InContext

riers, each at its own frequency. Extracting multiple signal channels from this digitized IF band requires digital down-conversion (DDC). This process starts with a digital local oscillator that produces samples of a sine wave set to the carrier frequency. The samples from the A/D are then mixed with the oscillator samples using a digital multiplier. This translates the carrier signal down to baseband and produces a complex (I+Q) digital signal with upper and lower sidebands centered at 0 Hz. A digital low pass filter set for the signal bandwidth removes adjacent channel signals, leaving only the channel of interest. Because the bandwidth CH A In

105 MHz 14bit A/D

CH B In

105 MHz 14bit A/D

CLK A CLK B Clock & Sync Bus

Dual Timing Bus Gen

CH A Out

500 MHz 16-bit D/A

CH B Out

500 MHz 16-bit D/A

match the sample rate of the digital mixer and local oscillator. These stages up-convert the baseband transmit signal to the IF frequency. A D/A converter produces an analog IF signal, which is fed into the analog RF transmitter section to drive the antenna. All of the signal processing steps to the left of the D/A must be repeated for each channel. Because the A/D and D/A converters generate and require sampled data streams at very high sample rates, general-purpose programmable processors cannot reasonably handle these substantial DSP tasks. Instead, designers often choose ASICs targeted for the specific receive and trans-

August 2007

8/16/07 3:03:44 PM

256 MB SDRAM Data Mux

GC4016 QUAD DDC

320 MHz Interpolator & Digital Up Converter

16 MB FLASH PCI 2.2 Interface 64 bits 66 MHz

64 PCI Bus

Interpolation Filter Core

RocketIO MGT

Dual 4x Gigabit Serial

XMC Fabric Connector

Model 7140-420 Software Radio Transceiver XMC Mezzanine with Communication IP Cores.

of the filtered output has been reduced, an output decimator drops the sampling rate commensurate with that bandwidth. Finally, depending on the type of transmission, additional processing steps for demodulation, decoding and decryption are needed to recover the receive channel data. All of the digital signal processing steps shown in the top half of Figure 1 to the right of the A/D must be repeated for each channel. On the transmit side, the signal processing steps are exactly reversed, as shown in the lower half of Figure 1. Transmit channel data must first be processed with the appropriate modulation, encoding and encryption to make it compatible for the transmission channel protocols. The digital up-conversion (DUC) stage then follows. Here, the digital sample stream signal enters an interpolation filter, which preserves the frequency characteristics of the signal, but boosts the sampling rate to

Untitled-2 1

128 MB SDRAM

Wideband DDC Core

Xilinx XC2VP50 FPGA

Figure 2

128 MB SDRAM

Wideband DDC Core

mit requirements of the signal channel. However, because of the variety of communication signal types and frequency characteristics, the signal processing tasks tend to be quite unique for each system. As a result, there is no single standard ASIC available to handle a wide range of applications.

Emerging Mezzanine Standards Successful adoption of mezzanines springs directly from standardization of mezzanine architectures. Standards create win-win situations by assuring customers of multi-vendor availability and competitive prices, and assuring board vendors of a viable marketplace worthy of investment in product development. Several popular mezzanine standards emerging during the last few years have hit home runs. Topping the list is the ubiquitous PCI Mezzanine Card (PMC) and its unfolding series of performance enhancements.

Technology InContext

The Harsher the Environment, the More You Need MEN Micro! Intel® Pentium®M up to Core™(2) Duo CompactPCI®/Express

Figure 3

Model 7140 Software Radio Transceiver XMC mezzanine.

A new standard that defines gigabit serial links to mezzanine boards for embedded communication systems is defined in the VITA 42 standard, also known as XMC. As an extension to PMC, the XMC specification defines two new connectors that join the mezzanine board to the host or carrier board. At serial bit rates of 3.125 GHz, a dual connector XMC interface supports data rates of 5 Gbytes/s in each direction. Although not yet fully adopted, various draft sub-specifications for VITA 42 shown in Table 1 define the implementation of industry standard switched fabrics. Popular serial fabric clock rates, the number of data lines and the resulting transfer rates in each direction are shown for either one (J15) or two (J15 and J16) XMC connectors.

FPGAs on Communication Mezzanines

Among the first products to take advantage of FPGA technology are mezzanine boards. Because of this, as the features and densities of new FPGA families emerged, they significantly impacted the architectures of communication systems in many different ways. Not only can

FPGAs be configured to implement numerous electrical interface standards, they can also implement a variety of communication algorithms for modulation and demodulation, encoding and decoding, encryption and decryption along with protocol handling. By offloading these real-time DSP, logic and bit-rate processing tasks from general-purpose programmable DSP or RISC processors, fewer processor boards are needed in the system, saving significant costs. Further, these front-end FPGA engines can extract signal information before it leaves the mezzanine module, resulting in less downstream traffic and lower system data rates. Since FPGAs can be reconfigured to perform new functions without having to redesign the mezzanine PC board, they can accommodate new communications standards and protocols to help safeguard against product obsolescence, both at the board level and at the deployed system level. When upgrading older communication systems, a single FPGA-based product can replace several legacy products, thanks to improved logic density and flexible interfaces. As if these benefits were not enough,

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August 2007

Technology InContext

J15 Only

J15 & J16

VITA

Description

42.0

Base XMC Spec

42.1

Parallel RapidIO

Par

8 x 500 MHz

1 GB/sec

16 x 500 MHz

2.0 GB/sec

42.2

Serial RapidIO

Ser

8 x 3.125 GHz

2.5 GB/sec

16 x 3.125 GHz

5.0 GB/sec

42.3

PCI Express

Ser

8 x 2.5 GHz

2.0 GB/sec

16 x 2.5 GHz

4.0 GB/sec

42.4

HyperTransport

Par

8 x 800 MHz

1.6 GB/sec

16 x 800 MHz

3.2 GB/sec

42.5

Aurora

Ser

8 x 3.125 GHz

2.5 GB/sec

16 x 3.125 GHz

5.0 GB/sec

42.10

General Purpose I/O

STD

Table 1

Type

Lanes x Clock

Transfer Rate

Lanes x Clock

VITA 42 - XMC Draft Sub-Specifications define specific implementations for popular fabrics.

FPGAs are the primary enabling technology for the new XMC gigabit serial extensions to PMC modules. During the last few years, FPGA emerged from Xilinx featuring gigabit transceivers called RocketIO MGTs (multi-gigabit transceivers), while Altera offers counterparts dubbed StratixGX MGTs. Data channel encoders and decoders support these physical interface drivers and include serial/parallel conver-

1 14Untitled-3 August 2007

sion so that data and clock are combined in the signaling on each differential pair over the external serial channel. Serializer/deserializer (SERDES) blocks, built right into the FPGA, include circuitry for both receive and transmit functions. A protocol engine within the FPGA interfaces with the SERDES to correctly process packets, header information, control functions, error detection and correc-

8/16/07 3:05:09 PM

tion and payload data format. Since each switched serial fabric standard has its own protocols and rules, FPGAs offer excellent flexibility by allowing users to install the appropriate IP core protocol engine. The strategy makes FPGA-based XMC modules truly â&#x20AC;&#x153;fabric agnosticâ&#x20AC;? and allows one hardware design to be deployed in several different fabric environments.

Enhanced Digital Up- and Down-Conversion

By taking advantage of FPGA technology to extend the bandwidth range of the ASIC devices, commercial off-theshelf mezzanine modules for communication systems can become flexible enough to satisfy a wider range of markets and signal types. Figure 2 shows a typical software radio transceiver PMC/XMC mezzanine module for communication systems. It features two 14-bit 105 MHz A/Ds and two 16-bit 500 MHz D/As connected to a Xilinx XC2VP50 FPGA. Two ASIC devices handle DDC and DUC functions with memory, timing and system interfaces completing the product. Note that the XMC interface uses the built-in RocketIO gigabit serial transceivers of the FPGA. The DDC ASIC is a Texas Instruments GC4016 four-channel narrowband device with decimation settings ranging from 32 to 16,384. Since channel bandwidth is inversely proportional to the decimation factor, a factor of 32 limits the maximum channel bandwidth to about 2.5 MHz, falling far short of many communication signal types. To handle wider signals, two wideband DDC IP cores are installed in the FPGA with decimation settings ranging from 2 to 64, delivering a maximum channel bandwidth of 40 MHz for both A/Ds. Programmable data switches inside the FPGA allow the wideband DDC cores to be driven directly from the A/D converter or in cascade from the outputs of the GC4016 DDC. This extends the maximum decimation of the GC4016 by a factor of 64. By including the new wideband DDC core, the overall decimation range for the mezzanine now becomes 2 to 1,048,576 instead of the previous 32 to

Technology InContext

16,384. This extended range translates directly to an enormous range of input signal bandwidths from 76 Hz to 40 MHz. The DUC ASIC is a Texas Instruments DAC5686 wideband device with interpolation settings of 2 to 16. Like the DDC, the output channel bandwidth is inversely proportional to the interpolation factor, so with a maximum interpolation setting of only 16, narrowband transmit signals are not supported. To handle narrowband signals an interpolation filter is installed in the FPGA with programmable interpolation factors from 16 to 1024. Again, a programmable data switch allows the ASIC DUC to be driven directly from the data interface for wideband signals or from the output of the interpolation filter for narrowband signals. With the interpolation core, the overall interpolation range extends from 2 to 16,384 instead of the previous 2 to 16. It can now accommodate output signal bandwidths from 4.8 kHz to 40 MHz. Since all of these critical functions fit in a such a compact form-factor as shown in Figure 3, it is easy to see why FPGAs have been so widely deployed on mezzanine modules for communication systems. Of course, many other signal processing tasks such as those shown in the transmit and receive signal processing blocks in Figure 1 can also be handled by the FPGA. More sophisticated signal processing operations such as beamforming techniques can lead to significant improvements in communication systems. Examples abound along the highway where numerous cell phone towers show arrays of vertical antennas, usually in groups of four. Signals from multiple receive antennas can be phase shifted by using the mezzanine module memories as digital delay blocks to enhance reception of a signal arriving from a specific direction. Likewise, transmission using multiple antennas with phase-shifted signals can steer the outgoing signal toward a specific target. This not only provides better service to subscribers but also allows frequency reuse within a cell by dividing the cell into beam-formed pie-shaped sectors. When new critical ASIC devices emerge, the standardization and modular-

ity of mezzanines support new technology insertion by simple replacement, rather than scrapping a whole system. This modularity also reduces maintenance, troubleshooting and service costs. And finally, the switched fabric interfaces already available on many mezzanine modules ensure plenty of data bandwidth for future wideband signal types.

Pentek Upper Saddle River, NJ. (201) 818-5900. [www.pentek.com].

August 2007

Technology I n C onte x t

Mezzanines in communication

Mezzanines Enable Next-Generation Communication Design The next generation of communication network equipment will need to be both powerful and easily upgraded. In addition, the lowered cost and adaptability to new technologies are becoming essential. Emerging mezzanine and carrier card technologies will be key to these goals. by Stuart Jamieson Emerson Network Power

ezzanine and carrier cards are a modular design approach that has seen many refinements during the last decade. Essentially, the approach seeks to separate a communication system board design into two sections. One section, the carrier, contains those functions that are common to the boardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s core function. The second section, the mezzanine card, contains those functions that are variable within a board type. Many different types of boards are amenable to this design approach. A server blade, for example, would have a carrier containing the control and data plane interfaces to the server backplane as well as IP packet handling and system management functions. The server blade mezzanine would carry the media access control and physical layers for whatever I/O the blade is intended to handle. In one instance it might be 10 Gigabit Ethernet, while in another instance it could be an E1/T1 link. A different example of the approach might be a controller board with fixed I/O functions. In this case the carrier contains the I/O while the processor resides on the mezzanine. The mezzanine and carrier card ap-

August 2007

Single-Width, Full-Height Modules

Double-Width, Full-Height Module

Single Width, Half-Height Modules Single-Width,

Figure 1

AdvancedMC modules are available in a variety of sizes, with power capacity to 80W, making them flexible enough to encompass a range of cost and performance trade-offs.

proach offers two significant advantages. The first is that it speeds the creation of design variations. Once the server blade carrier is designed, for instance, creating blades that handle a variety of different interfaces becomes simply a matter of designing the appropriate mezzanine cards. The bulk of the blade design has already been done. The second advantage is reduced cost. Proper partitioning of the carrier and mez-

zanine functions enables each to be used in multiple designs. This increases their market and potential production volumes, gaining economies of scale. The gains are even greater if the carrier and mezzanine are based on open standards. Standardsbased mezzanine or carrier card designs can be both used internally and marketed to others, further increasing production economies.

Industrial SBC Supports Wired and Wireless Communications WinSystems’ LBC-GX500 is a highly integrated, single board computer (SBC) designed for machine-to-machine connectivity with a wide variety of wired and wireless options. It provides an open and powerful platform for management of geographically distributed machinery. • AMD GX500@1W processor • PC-compatible: supports Linux and Windows® XP embedded and other popular RTOS • Operates from -40º to +85º C with no fan • 10/100 Mbps Intel Ethernet controller • 10 COM ports and 6 USB ports • Socket support for 56kbps POTS modem, GPRS/CDMA cellular modem, ZigBee and 802.11a/b/g wireless modules • 48 bi-directional TTL digital I/O lines • Flat panel and CRT supported • Onboard AT keyboard, PS/2 mouse, LPT, FDC, and UDMA disk controllers • Type I and II CompactFlash cards supported • PC/104 and PC/104 Plus expansion • Optional 12-bit A/D converter, 8 SE/4 DI • Optional Trimble GPS receiver • EBX-size: 5.75” x 8.00” (147mm x 203mm) • Long-term product availability • Quick Start kits for software development Off-the-shelf delivery, knowledgeable technical support, long-term availability and the right price makes WinSystems’ LBC-GX500 the SBC of choice for your application.

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Technology InContext

Mezzanines Keep Designs Current

The mezzanine approach also provides a method for readily handling the evolution of technology. As I/O technology changes, for instance, a blade design can keep pace simply by upgrading the mezzanine card and keeping the carrier. If the system needs a backplane performance upgrade, the carriers can be replaced but the mezzanine cards retained. The history of standards-based mez-

August 2007

zanine and carrier designs shows that they have proven their worth in communication systems. The earliest communication boards used proprietary designs, limiting their market reach. Later, communication systems began embracing standardsbased designs to lower costs; leveraging technologies such as the personal computer’s peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus as a connection backplane. The PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturer’s Group (PICMG) created CompactPCI as

such a standard for using PCI in an industrial setting. Unfortunately, the initial standards did not fully meet communication systems’ needs. This led to many changes in the CompactPCI standard, including the definition of the PCI mezzanine card (PMC) to allow the creation of common cards with different I/O variations. CompactPCI also embraced system management functions, optional card hot-swap capability, the addition of the H110 timedivision multiplexed (TDM) backplane, and eventually a packet-switched dualstar Gigabit Ethernet backplane (cPSB) to eliminate the single-point of failure inherent in PCI’s parallel backplane. Eventually, however, the CompactPCI approach started hitting performance limits. Designs needed bigger processors, more functionality and greater data rates than the PCI bus/gigabyte Ethernet ports and CompactPCI cards could handle. This led to the creation of the Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA), an open standard based on a protocol-agnostic packet-switched backplane. The ATCA standard offers several advantages over CompactPCI and its cPSB extension. One is that ATCA is designed to require hot-swap and system management functions and to support redundant architectures, rather than making these optional capabilities. Another is that ATCA simplifies the power structure, replacing a collection of different voltages with a single, -48V feed. ATCA cards convert whatever they need on-board from that single supply. This approach also allows the ready implementation of electronic keying, which has the system query the board to find out if it is installed in a compatible slot before giving it the go-ahead to power-up its backplane I/O drivers. A third advantage to ATCA is its highspeed serial backplane, with built-in meshing support, that is protocol-agnostic. The SERDES interfaces that ATCA boards utilize can support Ethernet, RapidIO, or any other serial protocol for backplane signaling, rather than being limited to a single type. ATCA also uses larger boards than cPCI and cPSB, enabling the use of more powerful processor designs and allowing room for increased functionality. ATCA cards retained the advantages

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Technology InContext

of the mezzanine approach by supporting the use of as many as four PMC modules on-board. PMC modules suffer from the drawbacks of their origins, however, and are not individually hot-swappable even though the ATCA card is. Additionally PMCs do not have a means to be part of the ATCA cardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management system. They have also proven too small to contain the kind of processing power that todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s communication systems require. To overcome these limitations, PICMG defined

August 2007

the advanced mezzanine card (AMC) in a variety of sizes (Figure 1).

AMCs Offer Advantages

AMC modules incorporate many attributes that enhance their performance and utility. They have independently powered core logic and backplane interfaces and are under the control of system management by the carrier card. They also offer as many as five clock lines. These features allow AMC cards to support

high-reliability design both through redundancy and the ability to be hot-swappable at the module level. AMC cards can also offer electronic keying, keeping the bus interface disabled until the system can verify that the module is in a slot that will support its function. AMC modules also include as many as 20 lanes of protocolagnostic serial channels to the backplane operating as fast as 12.5 Gbits/s, This is the equivalent of 20 10Gbit Ethernet links to each AMC. The multitude of channels facilitates the creation of various high-reliability network technologies, including star and mesh networks. The high performance and functional capacity of ATCA cards and AMC modules make them suitable for handling the most demanding telecom applications. These include radio network controllers (RNC), media gateways (MG), signaling gateways (SG), Softswitch and IMS infrastructure applications. However, the large 8U card size and high power (potentially greater than 200W) ratings of the ATCA carrier boards that make them telecom powerhouses leave them too bulky for applications where size and power are limited. Such applications include wireless base stations, Gigabit passive optical networks (GPON) and IP private branch exchange (IP PBX) systems. To address the needs of these systems, PICMG developed the MicroTCA specification (Figure 2). MicroTCA reuses the AMC modules designed for ATCA, but eliminates the carrier card. Instead, the AMC modules plug directly into the MicroTCA system backplane. Because AMC modules were designed to be hot-swappable, use a protocol-agnostic serial backplane interface, and support system management functions, a MicroTCA system design retains the reliability features and much of the performance of ATCA, but in a smaller form-factor. MicroTCA systems can range in size from a full shelf to as small as two modules (Figure 3). One key to using AMC modules as stand-alone boards in a card cage rather than simply being mezzanine cards is the replication of ATCA carrier card support functions in the MicroTCA shelf design. Control that resides on the carrier in ATCA systems, including shelf management, clock distribution and switched fabric control for the cards and system,

What if it rains? Would it matter? Hop on and drive. Up winding mountain roads. Across wide open plains. Darting through city trafﬁc. Feel the engine hum, the sun, wind, dirt, and yes, even the rain. Now consider the fact that a fully functional, ultra-mobile PC powers the all-digital dashboard and controls the Intel® Chopper’s mechanical functions. Are you beginning to get the idea? This is not just a really cool bike – it’s a marvel of Intel® embedded technology in an amazing form factor. What would you do with high-performance technology that rugged, that durable? What kind of form factor would you use? To learn more go to: http://developer.intel.com/design/info/893.htm

Intel Embedded Technology. Igniting Innovation. Intel and the Intel logo are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Copyright © 2007 Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

Technology InContext

Optical Mux Workgroup Router Wi-Fi Base

UMTS Base

VoIP

100Kb/S

T1 SDTV

1Mb/S

HDTV

10Mb/S

Edge Router / IP Services Switch

Voice Gateway POTS Switch

PCs

Core Router

Server Farm

RNC

Home Network Entertainment Systems

WDM Box

FttP Host

DSLAM

CMTS

OC-3 OC-12 OC-48 OC-192 OC-768

100Mb/S

10Gb/S

1Gb/S

1Tb/S

100Gb/S

10Tb/S

MicroTCA

Figure 2

The MicroTCA specification expands the market for ATCA’s AMC cards by offering a design option targeting mid-range cost and performance in a form-factor more compact than ATCA.

is handled by a MicroTCA Carrier Hub (MCH). With the MCH providing the control, AMC modules function in the MicroTCA chassis as though it were simply a large carrier card. One of the overriding goals of MicroTCA was to reduce costs, hence the reduction in the number of field replaceable units, and the centralization of that functionality.

the reliability demands of telecom can be satisfied, while their implicit design reuse promises low cost and speedy design, with adaptability for easy system evolution. The proof of these claims lies in the adoption of the standards by telecom system designers. Market statistics show that ATCA-based designs are increasingly being offered for higher-end applications.

AMC Allows Economy of Scale

The creation of MicroTCA provides additional opportunities for economies of scale in AMC modules for both operators and network equipment providers. Because the same modules can be used in ATCA or MicroTCA systems, a single AMC design can now serve in a full range of applications from customer premises equipment to central office switches. The resulting market increase promises to reduce the cost of AMC modules, making MicroTCA practical for cost-sensitive as well as compact applications. AMC-based designs can potentially reduce the operational burden costs by simplifying the sparing model for the operator. By reducing the training for service personnel, the handling and management of spares, the operator can save costs in choosing the equipment that is rolled in their network. With ATCA cards and MicroTCA sub-racks serving as carriers for AMC modules, the benefits of the mezzanine design approach are now available for the entire range of communication system designs. The built-in system management, hot-swap capability and support for redundancy of these standards ensure that

August 2007

Two Tier Mixed Width

Two Tier Fixed, Single-Width Shelf

Single Tier Shelf

MA A A A A A A A A AM P P C MMMMMMMMMM C M M H C C C C C C C C C C H

P MM A C M P H C M

A A M M C C

A A A P M MM M C C CM C A A AH P M MM M C C C

MA A A A A A A A A A AA M P P C M M M M M M MM M M MM C M M H C C C C C C CC C C CC H MA A A A A A A A A A AA M P P C M M M M M M MM M M MM C M M H C C C C C C CC C C CC H

Cube Shelf Back-to-Back Shelf

Pico Shelf MA A A A A A P C M MMMMM M H C C C C C C

MA A A A A A A A A A A AM P P C MMMMMMMMMMMM C M M H C C C C C C C C C C C C H

Figure 3

MA A A A A A P C M MMMMM M H C C C C C C

AMC AMC MCH PM

MicroTCA chassis can range in size from a full-width rack shelf to pico-sized enclosures containing only a few modules.

Market research firm Venture Development Corp (VDC) reported at the 2007 Bus and Board Conference that more than half of the U.S. telecom equipment vendors it surveyed, serving the core, edge and enterprise markets, plan to be purchasing ATCA hardware by the end of 2007, with the majority of European and Asia-Pacific vendors in those markets following suit in 2008. The company also forecasts a total market for merchant ATCA blades as high

as $1.15 billion in 2009, with markets for AMC modules at $763 million and MicroTCA systems at $271 million. Examples of telecom equipment from manufacturers such as NEC and Nortel, Siemens’ RNC products and Alcatel’s GGSN validate this expected drive toward utilizing ATCA. This equipment also demonstrates that reliable and redundant solutions can be generated from the ATCA standard. The recent pairings creating Alcatel-Lucent and Nokia Siemens Networks would appear to continue the momentum for adopting standards-based solutions. The consolidation may change the rate of adoption, but with these companies’ memberships in SCOPE (www. scope-alliance.org) there appears to be no doubt of a continuing requirement for open standards-based products This adoption of ATCA provides an initial market for AMC modules, paving the way for them to be increasingly available for MicroTCA system designs. As MicroTCA is adopted in turn, the two markets will combine to drive down the cost and increase the variety and availability of AMC modules for additional design efforts. The interest in MicroTCA in comparison with ATCA has been significant, with the likelihood that MicroTCA would be adopted much sooner than ATCA. ATCA, MicroTCA and AMC modules thus represent the flowering of the carrier and mezzanine card design approach in telecom systems. As cards become more available, designs based on the approach will become easier and faster to create while dropping in cost. The resulting positive feedback loop will in turn foster innovation, ensuring increasing performance and functionality to meet the demands of next-generation telecom design. Emerson Network Power St. Louis, MO. (314) 553-2000. [www.emersonnetworkpower.com].

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solutions engineering

High availability

The SCOPE Alliance Carrier Grade Base Platform Middleware A reference architecture for carrier grade middleware targets capabilities to enhance the current SA Forum specifications. by P aul Steinberg and Tapio Tallgren SCOPE Alliance

End of Article

CGBP Mgmt. & Configuration

ervice availability requirements for agement (including software lifecycle that the application software is aware of the services implemented by network management and live software upgrade), high-availability services provided by the equipment providers (NEPs) can be as naming services, notification services, ba- CGBP but is not closely tied to the underlyexploration sic security, logging services and others. ing hardware. On the hardware level, reduner your goal high as 99.99999% (seven nines equates to Having all of these available as open spec- dant resources are used to prevent service eak directly unavailability of approximately 3 sec/year), al page, the when taking network redundancy into ac- ification, for the most part, is essential to outages caused by any hardware failure. resource. count. The availability requirement for ap- make the CGBP a stand-alone entity that chnology, can be integrated from a diverse and rich The CGBP Middleware Profile and products plications providing service in a single network element can vary between 99.9% and COTS supplier ecosystem Version 1.0 99.999% or better (five nines equates to unTo achieve the required high levels of The Service Availability Forum (SA availability of approximately 5 min/year). service availability, application services are Forum) is the main organization active The SCOPE Alliance has defined a built on top of the CGBP in a manner such in the middleware standardization effort. reference architecture for a generic Carrier Grade Base Platform (CGBP) that is Carrier Grade Platform documented in a published technical popanies providing solutions now sition paper available on the SCOPE Alration into products, technologies and companies. Whether your goal is to research the latest liance Web site. This architecture, which Operations and lication Engineer, or jump to a company's technical page, the goal of Get Connected is to put you Maintenance includes operating system, opice you require for whateverhardware, type of technology, Application and maintenance functions and ies and productserations you are searching for. Tools tools, also specifies CGBP Middleware (or just â&#x20AC;&#x153;middlewareâ&#x20AC;? for short) as a funApplication Application Services damental component for service availServices ability. This middleware is architecturally positioned on top of the operating system Carrier Grade Base Platform but underlying higher level services such Clustering, HA Services, Hardware Management, Base Platform as databases, protocols and application Software Management, Naming Services, Notification Middleware Services, Logging Services, etc. servers. The functions of the middleware Specialized Operating System include high-availability (HA) services, Processing Engines Software Variation hardware management, software man-

Hardware

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with companies mentioned in this article. www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected

Figure 1

August 2007 Get Connected with companies mentioned in this article. www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected

The SCOPE Alliance Carrier Grade Base Platform Reference architecture.

SOLUTIONS Engineering

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Fanless Intel 852GM Celeron® M 1GHz Embedded System ECW-281

Intel ULV Celeron® M 1GHz

Therefore, initially the SCOPE Alliance focused on profiling the existing SA Forum recommendations. The two cases to consider in the SCOPE middleware profile were: • What SA Forum-defined services would be mandatory/desirable/niceto-have as supplied by middleware product provided for NEPs to use in constructing their own products? • What middleware services should third-party software vendors develop against in their products in order to allow NEPs to integrate those products with the CGBP middleware and the rest of the system? The most important SA Forum services in both lists were the Availability Management Framework (AMF), Notification Service (NTF) and Logging (LOG). The main difference was Cluster Management (CLM): it is a key service for a middleware product to provide, but it is not mandatory that third-party software would subscribe to the same cluster view. This profile is publicly available at the SCOPE Alliance Web site.

The CGBP Middleware Profile Version 2.0 Intel 852GM+ICH4 chipset / DDR memory / Dual Gigabit network / 5xRS-232 & 1x RS-232/422/485 selectable / 9~36VDC available/ DIN mount & Wall mount

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Untitled-2 1

August 2007

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While the CGBP Middleware Profile Version 1.0 focused on the defined services, Version 2.0 now under construction will extend this to identify missing or insufficient capabilities that NEPs would like to see addressed by the SA Forum and middleware providers. The initial focus of the SCOPE Alliance in the CGBP middleware space has been in HA Services and closely related functionality. • A few services provide useful capabilities but were not specified in a way that would allow for a highperformance implementation. The message service (MSG) is one such example: while messaging could be a very important integrating service that a middleware provides, the current SA Forum messaging service stipulates such high reliability that the implementation cannot perform well enough to yield cost-effective solutions. Therefore, high-performance messaging is a clear gap. • Another example is checkpointing: many telecom applications require

very fast failover, which the current SA Forum CKPT cannot provide for some classes of applications. • W hile notifications (NTF) are an important integrating service, the event service (EVT) was not deemed important. The main reason is that NTF defines semantics for the message, while EVT does not. Thus, there is a gap in the semantics for system-wide event channels with defined syntax and semantics. • Completely missing capabilities that were identified include trace, statistics and measurements. These would provide a standard way to provide tracing information and to collect middlewarelevel statistics or measurements. • A cluster-level debugging service and tools would be valuable to improve NEP integration and development activities. Such a capability, when integrated with middleware, could, for instance, stop component healthchecking while the system is stopped for debugging. • Mechanisms for handling overload would be beneficial since this is a big source of service outages. Defined services to detect, report and manage overload conditions are important framework capabilities. While the policy of deciding what to do during an overload is up to the application, there can be a generic service to collect the measurements, report when an overload situation is imminent, and provide a framework for overload notification. In summary, the SCOPE Alliance has identified HA services as a key capability that NEPs would like to source from an open COTS ecosystem. These services take the form of the middleware component of the Alliance’s CGBP Reference architecture and are fundamental to achieve stringent levels of service availability. Through two distinct publications, the Alliance prioritizes and suggests necessary extensions to the CGBP middleware services that have currently been defined by the SA Forum. The SCOPE Alliance. [www.scope-alliance.org].

SOLUTIONS Engineering

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August 2007

solutions engineering

high availability

Latest Specifications from SA Forum Enhance Middleware Services New enhancements in the ongoing development of standards-based middleware. by A sif Naseem Service Availability Forum

he Service Availability Forum (SA Forum) is a vendor consortium dedicated to developing and promoting interface specifications that enable independent software vendors to develop standards-based service availability middleware. Such middleware can then be used to create systems that ensure continuous service availability. The consortium provides two key sets of Application Programming Interface (API) specificationsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the Application Interface Specification (AIS) and the Hardware Platform Interface (HPI). When implemented, the Service Availability Forum specifications provide three major benefits: 1. The ability to discover, monitor and manage the hardware resources in the underlying platform in a manner that is hardware independent. This is accomplished through the implementation of services specified by the HPI. This results in the portability of the HPI-compliant service availability middleware across different hardware platforms that provide HPI services. 2. Portability of AIS-compliant applications across multiple middleware implementations that provide services accessible via the interfaces specified by AIS. 3. Standardized access to management capabilities of HPI and AIS services.

August 2007

The SA Forum regularly updates its specification releases with enhancements and interface specifications for new services. Its latest release offers a richer set of features for both the AIS and the HPI, while maintaining backward compatibility with previous SA Forum specifications. The latest AIS B.03 and HPI B.02 releases can be downloaded from the SA Forum Web site. The new services and enhanced features in AIS make the specification much more intuitive for implementers. The new services include a naming (NAM) service and a timer (TMR) service. The naming service provides a mechanism to associate human-friendly names with objects, allowing users to look items up under their given names. The timer service allows a process to dynamically create a timer object representing either absolute time or a finite duration to get notified when it expires. Some of the existing services within AIS have been enhanced with new manageability features and functional updates. Furthermore, the SNMP MIBS has been enhanced to comply with the updated specifications. The existing services include Availability Management Framework (AMF), Information Model Management (IMM), Cluster Membership (CLM), Checkpointing (CKPT), Event (EVT), Messaging

(MSG), Lock (LCK), Logging (LOG) and Notification (NTF). The latest release also includes updates to the HPI specification with the introduction of new functionality for diagnostics and firmware update, respectively called diagnostic management instrument (DIMI) and firmware update management instrument (FUMI). Included in the release is an improved introduction to major HPI concepts and new functions to simplify the management of the hardware through entities. These updates and clarifications are based on input from users of the existing specification. The latest release offers a powerful set of interface specifications to implementers planning to develop systems that require continuous service availability in the presence of failures. The SA Forum plans to continue to provide updates to its specifications with new services as well as enhancements to existing ones. Some of the areas the Forum is actively addressing at present include software management framework, support for Java programming environment, security usage in AIS services, and enhanced platform management capabilities. Service Availability Forum. [www.saforum.org].

SOLUTIONS Engineering

August 2007

FeaturedProducts

August 2007

OS CB T

BOOTH

501

added functionality. The two AMC slots can be used to host the following configurations: processor AMC modules as main controllers or for load balancing, storage AMC modules as mass storage devices for the Processor AMC, and Network Processing Units for UDP/NAT or load balancing processing AMCs in combination with storage AMCs. Thus, with these two AMC slots the hub blade’s functionality can be increased by using NPU-based AMCs supporting 10GbE for NAT functionality directly on the hub blade. In combination with a general-purpose CPU-based AMC, all intelligence of the traffic management will reside on the hub, including hot-swap capabilities, which frees up bandwidth to the fabric interface to perform load balancing and network access translation. The Kontron AT8904 hub additionally enables redundant 10GbE interlinks between multiple ATCA chassis with the Kontron AM4310 Mid-Size 10GbE Interlink AMC module, featuring 2x10GbE uplinks on the front panel via optical XFP connectors, which are routed to the XAUI ports (ports 4-7 and 8-11) on the AMC connectors.

Kontron America Poway, CA. (888) 294-4558. [www.kontron.com]. OS CB T

Kontron has unveiled its triple 10-Gigabit AdvancedTCA (ATCA) product portfolio that enables network equipment providers (NEPs) and telecom equipment manufacturers (TEMs) to accelerate their IMS and IPTV-oriented application system designs. All three are designed for Communications Platforms Trade Association (CP-TA) compliance. Together they reflect the demand in the industry for 10-Gigabit Ethernet-based open modular systems that are appropriately scalable and versatile to master the increasing traffic demands for IPTV-based media content and broadband media servers that deliver Video on Demand (VoD) over FFTx, DSL or cable TV networks. The Kontron AT8030 processor board is designed with three Intel Core2 Duo Low Voltage dual-core processors that maintain an overall low-power envelope of 140W. Each CPU core runs at 1.5 GHz and is paired with a dedicated set of DDR memory, up to 8 Gbytes for one CPU core, and up to 4 Gbytes for each of the remaining two core processors. Each CPU can be managed separately via IPMI and IPMC, and can run an OS independently. With the combination of the onboard GbE switch, multiple VLAN settings can be established with a capacity of 6GbE combined, and routed to one of two 10GbE ports on the fabric interface. The node board also supports PCI Express x4 to the one AMC mid-size slot for added customization. The Kontron AT8030 is available with the RTM8030, a rear transition module (RTM) that incorporates on-board one SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) HDD with IPMI support. The PICMG 3.0/3.1-compliant ATCA Kontron AT8404 carrier board has four mid-size AMC slots that support a range of AMC modules, including TDM interfaces (E1/T1, STM-1, OC3), NPUs, DSPs, Processor AMCs and Storage AMCs. The Kontron AT8404 has redundant 10GbE on the fabric interface, and meets the newly adopted AMC.0 rev 2, AMC.2 and AMC.3 PICMG specifications. This includes 5x1GbE to each AMC with L2 switching support and direct AMC interconnect for PCI Express, SRIO, 10GbE or SAS/SATA. To meet the high traffic demands of IPTV-based “on demand” media content, the AT8904 ATCA 10GbE hub has switching features and flexibility with two AMC slots for

Triple 10-Gigabit ATCA Portfolio Targets Triple Play IPTV-Based Broadband

BOOTHS

Embedded Systems Conference September 18-21, 2007 Boston, MA

6U VPX GbE Multilayer Switch/Router Packs Dense Networking, Security and Management Announced as the first high-density 6U VPX Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) multilayer switch/router board, the VPX6-684 FireBlade II from Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing is designed for rugged embedded aerospace and defense applications. The board is available with 12, 20 or 24 GbE ports and up to 4x 10GbE ports and is suitable for system integrators developing secure high-performance IPv4/v6 Intra-Platform Networks (IPNs). The board, which operates as either a fully managed or an unmanaged switch/router, provides performance and configuration advantages to developers building Layer 2 or Layer 2/3+ networks. With support for a “de facto” industry-standard CLI, the FireBlade II helps speed time-to-market by reducing set-up, configuration and maintenance times. The VPX6-684 FireBlade II extends the design of its 6U VME predecessor, the SVME/DMV-682 FireBlade, with the VPX (VITA 46) board architecture. Additional features include support for routing up to 4x10GbE to the FireBlade’s P1 connector, and support for copper interfaces to the backplane for all of the board’s 12, 20 or 24 GbE ports. The Layer 2/3+ management and configuration software runs on the FireBlade’s Freescale 8245 Power Architecture processor. The VPX6-684 FireBlade II is targeted for use in applications that require high levels of security. When used as a Unified Threat Management (UTM) router, the VPX6-684 FireBlade II provides strong perimeter defense via an ICSA-certified firewall. Additional security features supported by the board include Access Control List (ACL) filtering, Network Address Translation (NAT), Virtual Private Network (VPN) with tunneling support (IPSec/L2TP), IPv6 ESP/AH payloads and Encryption/Decryption/Authentication support. When configured with Curtiss-Wright’s PMC-110 Kryptonite mezzanine card, the FireBlade provides enhanced security including Statefull firewall, NAT with Multicast support, VPN support, IPSec and Crypto Engines. Statefull firewall can be used to protect against various network attacks such as denial of service (DoS). Cryptography, provided by the security engines on the Freescale MPC8555E processor, can be used for encryption/decryption to protect data using algorithms such as AES256, 3DES. The Kryptonite PMC module can also perform Authentication using MD5 and SHA.

FireBlade’s switched Gigabit Ethernet architecture enables system designers to easily inter-connect boxes, compute blades and compute nodes within platforms. It’s ideal for deploying COTS-based Gigabit Ethernet switching in harsh environments. The VPX6-684 FireBlade II is available in both air-cooled and conduction-cooled configurations. VPX-REDI (VITA 48)compliant 2-Level Maintenance versions of the board, which can drastically reduce the costs of in-field maintenance, will also be supported. FireBlade’s set of network management interfaces includes CLI, Telnet, SNMP and Web for easy configuration and network management. Additionally, complete layer 2 switching, layer 3 routing, Quality of Service (QoS), IP multicasting and security software over either IPv4 or IPv6, extensive BIT capability, and secure memory erase are supported to provide a switching solution that can support the simplest to the most complex network connections.

Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing Leesburg, VA. (613) 254-5112. [www.cwcembedded.com].

August 2007

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

DSP

SoftDSP Migrates Toward DSP RISC processors compete with DSPs in several consumer market niches by increasing the Instruction Set Architecture overlap between SoftDSP and DSP. by I lan D. Shallom AudioCodes

SP and RISC share the following three common architectural structures: instruction and data memory separation, multilevel memories including caches, and pipelines for efficient instruction fetch end execution. In the first of these architectural structures, both DSP and RISC processors apply the wellknown Harvard architecture, which separates the program memory (instructions) and the data memory. The major advantages of this concept are the de-correlating of the instruction fetch and data load/ store operations, a feature that enables implementation of the pre-fetch strategy. Due to instruction and data memory separation, an optimal selection of each one of the memories is performed, i.e. optimization in sense of size, width of data bus and address bus, access time, type, etc. In the second structure, both processors use hierarchical, multilevel memories. The use of two levels is most popular, which takes the form of adding instruction cache and data cache. The caches are on-chip memories, and adding high-speed caches can lead to major memory speed-up. This means that the average access time per read/ write operation is much shorter than in the case of a processor without a cache. Practically, memory speed-up depends highly on the following: cache size, cache structure

August 2007

(N-Ways) and the policies used for block replacement in case of a miss, both in read and write. In addition, the memory speed up measure is highly sensitive to the program nature and the way it’s aligned in the main program memory. The third architectural structure is an instruction pipeline that is implemented on most modern CPUs including DSPs and RISCs. The basic assumption is that the instructions are decomposable to a set of basic operations that are executed serially. The supportive hardware is a pipeline, built from a set of data processing elements connected in series, so that the output of one element is the input of the next one. The result is an increase in the processor’s instruction throughput, i.e., the number of instructions that can be executed in a unit of time. Digital signal processing algorithms require by definition strong arithmetic capabilities. Basic operations such as add, subtract, multiply, divide and their combinations such as multiply-add, must be part of the DSP core ISA. A digital signal processor’s major functionality includes primarily fast and flexible multiply accumulate (MAC). The MAC instruction appears extensively in matrix manipulations, such as convolution for filtering, dot product and many other operations.

Another mandatory requirement is hardware support for a type of safeguard in order to detect overflow or saturation after each arithmetic operation. Adding the hardware-based saturation extensions to the arithmetic instructions significantly reduces instruction count, cutting cycles CISC-based ISA Memory access performed by various instructions, including advanced address manipulation. Very long Instruction Word Compiler based-parallelism. Advanced DSP-oriented ISA High-level parallelism architecture - Multicore - Multithread Concurrency Tasks Low-level parallelism architecture - SIMD - Superscalar - Out of Order Execution Basic DSP-oriented ISA - MAC - Saturation/Overflow - Normalization Harvard Architecture Multi Level Memories Pipeline Structure RISC Load/Store ISA SoftDSP RISC with a DSP extension DSP

Figure 1

The growing overlap between DSP and Soft DSP.

INDUSTRY Insight

and lowering power consumption. In many algorithm implementations there is a requirement for normalization, which permits the optimal usage of the finite length of a computer word. The instruction, known as “count leading zeros,” supports the normalization requirement and performs it efficiently (Figure 1). The RISC architecture, while defining the DSP enhancements, needs to meet three major design goals. First, the extended core performance must provide real-time execution of DSP tasks. Second, the enhanced RISC core should preserve the original clock frequency, in order to preserve both general-purpose and DSP performance. The third is to keep the die-size increase, resulting from the DSP enhancement of the core, minimal. The resultant processor is a type of hybrid, a combination of generalpurpose processor (GPP) plus DSP capability marked as “SoftDSP” (or DSP free). The DSP’s capabilities commonly adapted to the SoftDSP instruction set architecture are MAC and its variations, saturation/ overflow indication and handling, including normalization. Another aspect to present in context of the DSP versus SoftDSP is several architectural strategies that handle instruction parallelism, namely single instruction multiple data (SIMD), superscalar architecture, out-of-order execution (OoOE) and very long instruction word (VLIW). The idea in SIMD is to execute the same instruction (single) on many data entries, such as vectors and matrices. Examples of SIMD are instruction such as dual MAC and quart MAC. Such types of parallelism reduce computing the dot product of 12 elements per vector, to six or four operations respectively. A superscalar architecture executes more than one instruction during a single pipeline stage by pre-fetching multiple instructions and simultaneously dispatching them to disused functional units on the processor. Therefore a superscalar processor can be envisioned as having multiple parallel pipelines, each of which is processing instructions simultaneously from a single instruction thread. In a superscalar architecture, the amount of execution units is invisible to the instruction set. Each instruction encodes only one operation. It was recently announced by one of the major RISC core companies that the

DSPE

CORE 1

CORE 2

CORE N

DSPE

MT Hardware

CORE

MEMORY CONTROL

MAIN MEMORY

Figure 2

Multicore (a) and Multithread (b)

concept of out-of-order execution (OoOE) had been adapted to its new RISC core architecture. The motivation to implement OoOE is to make use of cycles that would otherwise be wasted by avoiding a class of stalls that occurs when the data needed to perform an operation is not ready. The OoOE procedure is based on the following sequences of operations: instruction fetch and instruction is “posted” to an instruction queue, and then the instruction is in a wait state until its input operands are ready. Regardless of the original ordering of the instruction in the program, as the instruction operands are available, the instruction leaves the queue instantly and is issued to the appropriate functional unit for execution. The results, which are out of original order, are queued, and only after re-ordering all the older instructions in the results queue, the current result is written back to the register file. The goal of VLIW was to increase the ability of processors to execute instructions in parallel by using the compiler, rather than complex on-die circuitry, to identify and leverage opportunities for parallel execution. In contrast to the superscalar and out-of-order execution approaches, one VLIW instruction encodes multiple operations; specifically, one instruction encodes at least one operation for each execution unit of the device. For example, if a VLIW device has three execution units, then a VLIW instruction for that device would have three operation fields, each field specifying what operation should be done on that corresponding execution unit. In the VLIW the instructions are rearranged for optimal parallel execu-

tion by the compiler, which is, by definition, ISA-oriented. Usually machines with VLIW are featured with an instruction word length of more then 64 bits in comparison to superscalar machines in which the instruction word length is limited to 32 bits or less. The VLIW technologies are not implemented yet in the SoftDSP architecture (Figure 1).

Increase Speed for a Given Frequency with Existing Resources

Multithreading and multicore architectures are both designed for speeding up the processor in which they are implemented. The architectures support high level parallelism by aiming towars concurrency in program execution. In most of the applications there is some degree of concurrency. At least part of the time, there are two or more independent tasks that need to be executed. Recently, new approaches adapted from the PC processor, known as multithreading and multicore processing, are entering embedded processors. These new approaches bring the parallelism era to the embedded and SoftDSP cores as well, and introduce better performance. Multicore systems exploit concurrency to spread work around a system. This can be used to improve absolute performance, cost or power/performance. Clearly, once one has built the fastest single processor possible in a given technology, the only way to get even more computational power is to use more than one core (Figure 2a). In many applications it is often possible to analyze and August 2007

INDUSTRY Insight

decompose an application program into specialized tasks, and assign tasks across multiple cores, each of which has a specific responsibility, and each of which can be specified and configured optimally for that specific job. Multithreaded processors also exploit the concurrency of multiple tasks, but in a different way, and for a different reason. Instead of a system-level technique to spread CPU load, multithreading is a core-level optimization to improve area and energy efficiency (Figure 2b). A multithreaded architecture is driven to a large degree by the observation that single-threaded high-performance processors spend a surprising amount of time doing nothing. When the results of a memory access are required for a pro-

gram to advance, and that access must reference RAM whose cycle time is tens of times slower than that of the processor, a single-threaded processor is condemned to stall until the data is returned. The multithreading hypothesis can be stated as: if latencies prevent a single task from keeping a processor pipeline busy, then a single pipeline should be able to complete more than one concurrent task in less time than it would take to run the tasks serially. The principle is to conduct context\thread switch when a pipeline stall is detected. Multicore processing here refers to multiple cores running single code divided to tasks that use the same main memory. This multiprocessing approach also exploits the fact that processing tasks are divisible and can run concurrently, but

on different cores and caches. Obviously the speed-up factor is roughly the number of cores running in parallel. In the case of multi-threading, the performance improvement is much more complicated to evaluate. The speed-up of a multithread core depends on the program nature, especially the amount of stalls, in particular memory stalls, and the size and structure of each case. The parameters that must be taken into account for multithreading or multicore selection include processor total speed-up factor, how the work-to-stall ratio reflects processor efficiency factor, die size and power consumption. The migration to multithread and multicore architectures requires the DSP programmer to run in a multitasking OS and convert programs from a single processing thread into a multiple threads program. Multithreading and multicore processing performance improvement is limited by the pipeline structure, maximal utilization of execution units and the caches connected to the core. Multithreading a single processor can only improve performance up to the level where the execution units are saturated. However, up to that limit, it can provide a significant payback for the investment in die size. It might be said, from the standpoint of area and energy efficiency, that the optimal solution would be the use of multithreaded cores as basic processing elements, and to replicate them in a multicore configuration if the application demands more performance than a single core can provide. In an embedded system aimed at the consumer market, it is optimal to use a single chip using a standard SoftDSP core with re-written software that eliminates the external DSP. In the VoIP application, it results in some kind of a Soft VoIP implementation that combines the functionality of the dual-chip GPP&DSP approach with the benefits of a single chip. It enables system developers to create solutions with shorter development times, a single code base, a limited need for development tools, and ease of design portability. AudioCodes Lod, Israel. +972-3-976-4000. [www.audiocodes.com].

August 2007

Photographer: Remco Frank

What Do These Embedded Applications Have In Common? Each embedded application is unique. That’s why VersaLogic offers an extensive line of embedded products with choices of size, performance, and features. That’s also why VersaLogic works closely with customers to tailor standard products to meet their needs. Product customization is available in quantities as low as 100 pieces! More importantly, embedded customers have many common needs. Meticulous quality standards, dedicated customer support, and reliable product delivery are just a few that VersaLogic provides. That’s why customers from a wide range of industries rely on VersaLogic for their embedded computer needs. Could you use uncommonly-good support? Call today to see if your unique application is a good match with VersaLogic’s unique approach to service and support. We may have more in common than you think!

Call 800-824-3163. Visit www.VersaLogic.com.

Rated a “Platinum Vendor” by Venture Development Corporation (2002-2006) for excellence in customer service. (800) 824-3163 • info@VersaLogic.com

Software & development TOolS

Fault Management

Interoperable Firmware Upgrades for PICMG Management Controllers A specification-based upgrade process for hardware platform management means that firmware upgrades can be done in systems across components from multiple vendors. by M ark Overgaard Pigeon Point Systems

August 2007

If all the IPM controllers in a shelf are HPM.1-compliant, a single HPM.1-compliant upgrade agent can upgrade the firmware in all the controllers, even if each element of the system is implemented by a different vendor, including the shelf managers and the upgrade agent, itself. HPM.1 IPM controllers must support upgrades over IPMB0 or IPMB-L, but can also support any other IPMI interface for this purpose. One popular option is the payload interface that 1 AdvancedTCA Shelf Manager

MicroTCA Shelf Manager

Upgrade Agent

Shelf-Carrier Manager Interface

IPMC

Carrier IPMC

Carrier Manager MCMC IPMB-L

IPMB-0

EMMC IPMB-L

A recently adopted PICMG specification addresses an important gap that had existed in the PICMG hardware platform management (HPM) architecture: there was no spec-defined way to upgrade the firmware on management controllers. As a result, AdvancedTCA (ATCA) and MicroTCA systems built from a mix of components from different vendors could need a mix of incompatible firmware upgrade tools. HPM.1, the Intelligent Platform Management Controller (IPMC) firmware upgrade specification, closes that gap for all the board and module level management controller types defined in the ATCA, MicroTCA and AdvancedMC (AMC) architectures. This specification is the first in what will likely be a series of PICMG specifications covering hardware platform management aspects of all three architectures. Even though this specification was developed in the PICMG 3.0 subcommittee, it is immediately applicable to the other two architectures as well. Figure 1 shows the overall vision for HPM.1 firmware upgrades, which includes the board- and module-level controllers. Collectively referenced as IPM controllers in HPM.1, these also include AMC carrier IPMCs and module management controllers (MMCs), plus MicroTCA carrier management controllers (MCMCs) and enhanced MMCs (EMMCs). It also covers the ATCA and MicroTCA shelf managers that provide access to their respective types of shelves. HPM.1 was not engineered to cover upgrading of shelf manager firmware, which is usually substantially larger than board-level controller firmware. An upgrade agent applies HPM.1 upgrade images to the appropriate controllers by communicating with those controllers, often via the shelf managers and the intervening in-shelf buses, such as IPMB-0 and/or IPMB-L.

MMC

Header Action 1

Data

Action 2

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Upgrade Transfer Options: 1 RMCP indirect via Shelf Manager 2 IPMI Direct over Payload Interface

Figure 1

An HPM.1 upgrade agent can upgrade firmware in any HPM.1-compliant IPM controllers (via any IPMI interface) in ATCA/AMC or MicroTCA/AMC configurations.

All the cards...

…for all the solutions Bringing P.A. Semi to PMC, Extreme Engineering Solutions introduces the XPedite8000, the highestperformance, lowest-power PrPMC (Processor PMC) solution available today. With the P.A. Semi PA6T-1682 integrated platform processor, the XPedite8000 offers: • Dual 2.0-GHz Power Architecture processor cores. • Two independent DDR2 SDRAM channels for maximum bandwidth. • Two front-panel Gigabit Ethernet ports. • Two PTMC-compliant P14 Gigabit Ethernet ports. • PCI /PCI-X PMC interface operating at up to 133 MHz. • Linux, VxWorks, and QNX support. For customers looking for one vendor to provide the complete system solution, X-ES provides full component selection, operating system support and integration services.

www.xes-inc.com www.xes-inc.com

Software&DevelopmentTools

links the IPM controller to the main processor(s) on a board. In this scenario, an upgrade agent could execute directly on a payload processor and communicate directly with an IPM controller over the payload interface. Figure 1 shows this option for the two MMCs, as an example. Each upgrade image identifies the type (including the implementer and compatible version range) of IPM controllers it can be applied to. IPM controllers can identify themselves in these same dimensions. As a result, an independently implemented upgrade agent can apply firmware images of different types (for example, types A and B in Figure 1) to appropriate IPM controllers (for example, type A IPMCs and type B MMCs in Figure 1). In addition to a descriptive header, each upgrade image includes a sequence of upgrade action records, some of which may include data, which is typically the new firmware to be uploaded. An upgrade agent communicates via HPM.1-defined IPMI commands with an IPM controller that is a candidate for upgrade and, for a compatible upgrade image and controller pair, proceeds to affect the upgrade actions on the controller.

Key Requirements

In addition to multi-vendor interoperability, the developers of HPM.1 in PICMG identified and achieved the following requirements for the firmware upgrades supported by this new facility: • Reliable: an IPM controller can store redundant firmware images and automatically fall back to the prior image if it de-

tects that a newly uploaded image has a serious error or loses connection to the upgrade agent. HPM.1 encourages and provides infrastructure for self-tests that the IPM controller can execute to validate a newly uploaded image. • On-line: an IPM controller can accept a new firmware image while continuing to perform its normal management functions, executing a previously installed image. • Deferrable: new firmware can be uploaded, but not activated until some later time, perhaps after all needed downloads are done and the system is in a low load period. • Flagged payload effects: IPM controllers and upgrade images indicate whether an upgrade can affect the payload of the parent field replaceable unit; any such impact should be the rare exception, but may not be entirely avoidable. It may be critical for the upgrade agent and/or its operator to know whether an upgrade operation could require, for example, a reset of the payload. • Multi-component: an IPM controller can apply upgrades to other low-level elements of a board, such as an FPGA. • Flexible implementation: an HPM.1-compliant IPM controller may not implement any of the above features, perhaps because it is a very low-cost implementation that doesn’t require such features or because it was initially implemented before the advent of HPM.1 and is being retrofitted for HPM.1 compliance. • Self-describing: IPM controllers and upgrade images identify the features they support, so that an upgrade agent and its operator can adjust upgrade scenarios to fit.

Upgrade Process Check IPMC & upgrade image identificatoin

Check Failed

Check IPMC & upgrade image capabilities

Check Failed

Check Failed Check properties for next component

All components checked, proceed with upgrade

Figure 2

Abandon Upgrade

Preparation stage: confirming that the properties of the target IPM controller and the selected upgrade image are compatible. August 2007

An HPM.1 upgrade for a particular upgrade image and a particular IPM controller includes three stages: preparation, upgrade and activation. Figures 2, 3 and 4 show these stages. Note that activation can be deferred (if supported by the IPM controller), and therefore may occur long after the corresponding upgrade stage. The identification check step in the preparation stage confirms that the target controller and upgrade image have the same manufacturer and device type, as well as suitability of the current firmware revision for upgrading by this image. The subsequent capabilities check step can cover compatibility topics (for instance, that both image and controller support manual rollback if one of them supports only that recovery option) as well as upgrade policy topics (such as an operations policy that controllers will only be upgraded if they support deferred activations). In addition, the upgrade agent collects data that will guide its later upgrade actions, such as the IPM controller’s estimates of the maximum time it needs for key operations. Finally in the preparation stage, similar checks are made for compatibility at the component level (for example, the new FPGA load, versus the new microcontroller firmware). These checks include confirming that the number and identity of the components in the image are compatible with the components supported by the IPM controller. The upgrade process next enters the upgrade stage, as shown in Figure 3. In the upgrade stage, the upgrade agent proceeds sequentially through the upgrade action records in the upgrade image. The IPM controller developer provides the image and takes re-

Software&DevelopmentTools

Mass Storage Modules for VMEbus and CompactPCIÂŽ

Process next upgrade action record

Backup or prepare components

Upload component firmware blocks

PMC CompactFlash Module

All upgrade action records processed, upgrade complete

Figure 3

Two Type I/ Type II CF Sockets

See the full line of Mass Storage Products at

Upgrade stage: applying the upgrade actions from the upgrade image to the IPM controller.

www.RedRockTech.com

sponsibility for ensuring that the upgrade actions are appropriate for the target controller. If necessary, the image includes explicit steps to backup an existing image or perform implementationspecific preparation for the upgrade. Then, the upgrade agent uploads the blocks of upgrade data in an upgrade action record to edrock_04.indd the IPM controller. The upgrade data is opaque to the upgrade agent, so the detailed structure of that data can be completely different between different IPM controller vendors without affecting HPM.1 upgrade interoperability. After the upgrade agent completes the uploading process, it activates the new firmware, as shown in Figure 4. For IPM controllers that support deferred upgrades, the upgrade agent may delay activation until some later time of its choosing. The activation step is not triggered by an upgrade action record; the upgrade agent or its operator decides when to activate an upgraded controller. IPM controllers optionally include a self-test function that is invoked automatically as the final step of activating new firmware, independent of whether the activation is deferred or not. This function can include, for instance, checks of the controllerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s memory and its key peripherals. The upgrade agent knows from its earlier capabilities checks whether the IPM controller implements a self-test function and a maximum for the time the selftest will take. If the self-test passes, the IPM controller proceeds into operation with the new firmware. If the self-test fails, the IPM controller can automatically roll back to the previous firmware or the upgrade agent can initiate a manual rollback. In either case, the IPM controller proceeds with operation on the previous firmware.

Untitled-5 1

or call Toll-Free: 800-808-7837 Red Rock Technologies, Inc. 480-483-3777

2/2/07 1:21:52 PM

August 2007

8/13/07 5:30:17 PM

Software&DevelopmentTools

Activate firmware & optionally self-test

Implementation Experience

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Figure 4

Activating and optionally self-testing the new firmware, rolling back to the previous firmware if necessary.

1 40Untitled-2 August 2007

Though HPM.1 was just adopted in May 2007, several independent hardware platform management subsystem developers have already done initial implementations. As part of their work with HPM.1, Kontron took the initiative to add HPM.1 upgrade agent support to the popular open source IPMItool utility (www. ipmitool.sourceforge.org). At least one Tier 1 TEM is already integrating upgrade agent functionality into their system management application. Pigeon Pointâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s several years of experience with supplying IPM controller upgrade facilities was a strong input into the development of HPM.1. With HPM.1 compliance, these facilities are now even stronger, including several important new features. Upgrades can now be accomplished over any IPMI interface of the IPM controller, including the payload interface. Online upgrades allow normal operation of the IPM controller to continue while new firmware is uploaded. Deferred upgrades allow system operators to decouple uploading of new firmware and activating it, so that both can be done at an appropriate time. The bootloader, a special firmware module that executes when a controller comes out of reset, can now be upgraded as an HPM.1 component. Pigeon Point Systems Scotts Valley, CA. (831)438-1565. [www.pigeonpoint.com].

7/31/07 9:14:53 AM

&TECHNOLOGY

Products

Graphics PMC Pulls Together Advanced Features

Built around the Carmine MB86297 GPU, the third generation of high-end graphics products developed by Fujitsu, a new COTS graphics PMC provides multiple features including geometry processing for 2D/3D graphics, pixel processing hardware and video capture. The IC-GRA-PMCa from ACT/Technico is an IEEE 1386-compliant PMC that also offers 3D performance of up to 10 Mpolygons/s, the highest rendering performance available in the embedded market, with the lowest power consumption.

The IC-GRA-PMCa features a 128 Mbyte DDR memory at 266 Mbits/s, two video output channels with resolutions of up to 1280 × 1024 pixels at 60 Hz and multiple interfaces (DVI, VGA, RGsB, STANAG). Each digital video output port allows transparent processing, such as an overlay display up to eight layers and alpha planes for four layers. The IC-GRA-PMCa has a DVI 1.0compliant digital interface or a VGA-compatible interface. The VGA interface can be routed on the DVI-I connector or PN4 I/O connector through a video multiplexer. Two video inputs support an SVGA capture resolution. The board has two CVBS/S-Video/YUV capture interfaces. A video decoder automatically detects and converts standard analog signals compatible with established NTSC, PAL and SECAM video broadcast standards. Current software support is available for Linux-based platforms with support for VxWorks and other operating systems available upon request. The board will be manufactured and supported for a minimum of five years. Pricing starts at $2,500 per unit. A conduction-cooled version is also available. ACT/Technico, Warminster, PA. (215) 956-1200. [www.acttechnico.com].

Non-Intrusive Recording of High-Throughput Data to Distributed Real-Time Systems

A software solution for logging the high-throughput data, events and messages that drive the behavior of distributed real-time applications can be used for future analysis and debugging, regulatory compliance, and replay for testing and simulation purposes. RTI Recorder from Real-Time Innovations is designed to be non-intrusive and can record high-rate data arriving in real time while having minimal impact on system behavior. RTI Recorder can record about 15,000 messages per second with a message size of up to 256 bytes.

Uses of RTI Recorder include: • Financial trading – Recording market data, analytic results and trade decisions so that algorithm and real-time performance can be analyzed and optimized, providing playback for testing software and algorithm updates, and demonstrating best execution per regulatory requirements such as Reg NMS and MiFID • Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance – Recording data for post-mission analysis, particularly when network connectivity is not available during a mission, is unreliable, or is not of sufficient bandwidth to stream available data in real time • Combat management – Recording of mission or exercise data for later analysis, testing of system upgrades and optimizations, and simulation In addition to user data, RTI Recorder can log system data and metadata, such as when applications join or leave a system, which Quality-of-Service (QoS) settings each application uses and microsecondresolution timestamps for each message and data update. This provides tremendous visibility into system behavior and allows developers and system engineers to optimize efforts based on real-world performance. Recorded data is stored in a platform-independent file format and can be accessed using an included SQL interpreter or converted into popular, interoperable file formats such as Comma Separated Value (CSV). RTI Recorder is available for $24,000.

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Real-Time Innovations, Santa Clara, CA. (408) 200-4700. [www.rti.com].

BOOTHS

August 2007

Embedded Systems Conference September 18-21, 2007 Boston, MA

4-Axis Stepping and Servo Motion Control Card with Modularized Design

A 4-axis pulse train modularized motion control card for controlling steppers, servos and linear motors delivers high-frequency pulse rates of up to 6.55 MHz. The PCI-8154 from Adlink Technology also features a hardware-controlled emergency stop to terminate movement in case of system malfunction, a software security protection to prevent illegal copying of custom software, and a card index switch to support multiple cards in a single system. The card is compatible with Mitsubishi, Panasonic and Yaskawa servos and steppers, the PCI-8154 allows for movement through multiple axes with linear and circular interpolations using continuous OS contouring thus providing smooth motion control for a wide-range of manufacturing applications. The CB T PCI-8154 also offers 13 homing modes to support a variety of applications, backlash compensation for BOOTH improved movement accuracy, and performs simultaneous starting and stopping of multiple axes in a 1716 single card or multiple card configurations. The modularized design of the PCI-8154 supports extension boards that can be attached for distributed I/O control, high-speed triggering and ECAM control. Combining centralized 4-axis motion control and distributed I/O via the extension board simplifies integration by reducing controller requirements. With a high-speed triggering extension board, the triggering output frequency can reach 2 MHz and the onboard SDRAM can store many more compare points, making it ideal for high line rate line scan applications. Pricing starts at $850 with volume discounts available. Adlink Technology, Irvine, CA. (949) 727-2099. [www.adlinktech.com].

Series of Media Processing Modules Provides Voice Quality for VoP NEMs

A series of PTMC media gateway modules offers a set of VoP features that carrier and enterprise VoIP and VoATM media gateway manufacturers require. The OCT9400 series from Octasic is designed to be a building block to reduce time-to-market. Powered by Octasic’s carrier-grade OCT6100 echo cancellation and OCT8304 packetization/ aggregation devices, these modules deliver voice quality and advanced packet-handling capabilities. The OCT9400 Series of modules provides a low-cost, scalable solution that offers excellent voice quality and that includes low bit rate codecs such as G.729AB and fax and modem transport. With features fully enabled at power-up, the OCT9400 is an autonomous addition to an OEM solution. The OCT9400 Series of PTMC media gateway modules for compressed VoP offers densities up to 672 voice channels with 128 ms tail echo cancellation on all channels. Advanced voice features include conferencing, G.729AB, G.723.1, T.38, tone detection, message playback and Caller ID. The module is also available with MEGACO (H.248) pre-loaded. OctWare, a subsidiary of Octasic, provides software solutions for VoIP end-user communication equipment. Its flagship product, SoftEcho, is optimized for softphones, Asterisk IP PBXs, IP & speaker phones, handheld devices and Integrated Access Devices (IAD). Octasic, Montreal, Canada. (514) 282-8858. [www.octasic.com].

Fanless Industrial Computer Powered by Geode LX800

An industrial computer with a compact footprint that allows customers to mount the unit in the most convenient location is powered by the low-power AMD Geode LX800 processor running at 500 MHz. It can be mounted to walls, under counters, on tabletops, or to DIN rails using available optional brackets. The Relio R1300 from Sealevel Systems boasts fanless operation, which significantly improves reliability in industrial environments where dust and airborne particulates are present. Plus, the fanless Relio R1300 is rated to operate from 0° to 50°C, which accommodates harsh industrial environments. To achieve maximum reliability customers can opt for a solid-state solution by operating from CompactFlash. The Relio R1300 supports both XP Embedded and embedded Linux operating systems. Customers using Windows XP programs can engage Sealevel technical support to assist in migrating applications to the XPe platform. Customers requiring disk storage can select optional high-temperature hard drives. Standard I/O features include two 10/100BaseT Ethernet, four USB 2.0 ports, 8-bit GPIO, a parallel printer port and four serial ports. Local or remote I/O expansion is available using Sealevel SeaI/O modules that are available in numerous configurations including optically isolated inputs, Reed and Form C relay outputs, TTL interfaces, A/D, and D/A. The Relio R1300 communicates with SeaI/O devices using Modbus RTU allowing one or more SeaI/O modules to be located with the computer or remotely up to 4,000 feet. The Relio R1300 base price is $679 and product is available for shipping. Sealevel Systems, Liberty, SC. (864) 843-4343. [www.sealevel.com]. August 2007

Products&TECHNOLOGY Data Acquisition Analog Outputs with Isolated Grounds; No Phase Errors

Handheld Terminals Support Bar Code

A new data acquisition processor (DAP) board can eliminate two and RFID for a Seamless Logistics serious potential problems - ground currents and phase errorsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from Solution analog outputs in applications. The MSXB 076 from Microstar LaboraWith a secure built-in wireless module, a set of motories includes eight single-ended analog outputs with an isolated ground bile terminals is designed to significantly improve logistics for each output. Eight boards in a 19-inch rack-mountable industrial enoperations. Operators can easily access real-time data from closure can connect to a single DAP board. Additionally, multiple DAP warehouse management systems, giving them the capabilboards can work together in a PC and across a network as a synchroity to immediately locate and identify stocks. Support for nized system. MSXB 076 boards, as output boards, do not themselves 1D/2D barcode protocols and RFID enables massive volumes include signal conditioning. They do, however, share significant aspects of data capture, making improved efficiency and productivof the new engineering design implemented in the input boards in the ity in warehouse management a reality. Manufacturers with signal-conditioning family that they complement. Specifically, they ofhuge warehouse inventories need monitorfer high signal density, they enable high channel counts, they include ing systems for tracking production an isolated ground for each channel, and they allow for simultaneous for each day. Usually this requires updates across all channels. recording all materials in a host MSXB 076 boards slot into a backplane in a standard industrial database, and assigning each item enclosure like other signal-conditioning products that conform to the Get Connected with technology and assigned its own control number. external hardware specifications of the Microstar channel companies providingLaboratories solutions now However, with large numbers of architecture. A backplane connector on each board connects it to a digiGet Connected is a new resource for further exploration employees accessing the database, tal backplane factory-fitted into the industrial enclosure. An interface into products, technologies and companies. Whether your goal such a system can become exboard that also plugs intoisthe backplane receives digitized waveforms to research the latest datasheet from a company, speak directly from a DAP board in a PC. with an Application Engineer, or jump to a company's technical page, the tremely error-prone. goal of Get Connected is to put you in touch with the right resource. The Advantech MARS-1030, a Whichever level of service you require for whatever type of technology, portable data terminal bundled with Get Connected will help you connect with the companies and productsa proprietary data collection system you are searching for. along with a wireless link, can solve www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected all these problems. A handheld terminal can simplify the daily work of operators by providing comprehensive data collection capability and instantaneous processing, all the while offering genuine mobilGet Connected with technology and companies providing ity on solutions the job. now Operators can apply Get Connected is a new resource for further exploration into products, technologies Whether yourproduction goal is to research the latest barcode scanners and or companies. RFID, both on the line and datasheet from a company, speak directly with an Application Engineer, or jump to a company's page, the goal of Get for Connected in the warehouse. With technical MARS-1030, when parts compo- is to put you in touch with the right resource. Whichever level of service you require for whatever type of technology, nents are incorrectly mapped to the wrong production line, Get Connected will help you connect with the companies and products you are searching for. the system automatically generates a warning message, alwww.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected lowing the operator to quickly note and rectify the mistake. Every DAP board includes an onboard processor running a realAlso, after line operators access and request materials, the time operating system, which Windows applications that support DLL accounting system is automatically alerted of any shortfalls calls can communicate with and control. DAP boards also commuin remaining stocks, thereby anticipating the time required nicate among themselves independently of Windows to synchronize to order additional supplies. When the central host system retheir clocks with one another. They then all work synchronously as ceives the alert messages through a wireless link, the factory a networked data acquisition system. The MSXB 076 board is priced manager can quickly place real-time orders for new materiat $695. als and parts, according to the manufacturing schedule. The Microstar Laboratories, Bellevue, WA. (425) 453-2345. planning process for production line management becomes [www.mstarlabs.com]. much more efficient and far less stressful than ever before. The MARS-1030 comes in two versions, the MARS-1030N numeric keypad version priced at $950, and the MARS-1030F Get Connected with companies and Get Connected full alphanumeric keypad version priced at $1,100.

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with companies mentioned in this article.

Advantech, Irvine, CA. (949) 789-7178. www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected [www.advantech.com].

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August 2007

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PC/104 Plus and PC/104 Express SBCs for Full Industrial Temperature Range

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A new single board computer line for highly demanding, embedded applications from Fastwel is designed in PC/104-Plus (CPC1600) and PC/104-Express (CPC1700) formats. The boards feature Intel Pentium M processors up to 2.0 GHz and with a 533 MHz front side bus. The 82915GM Chipset and ICH6 dual-channel memory interface provide for access to up to 1

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6U CompactPCI Express Core Duo-Based CPU Board A 6U CompactPCI Express (CPCIe) Core Duo 1.66 GHz CPU Board features front panel IO with standard interfaces including two Gigabit Ethernet ports, two Serial ATA ports, four USB 2.0 ports, one RS-232 port and activity LEDs. It also includes a SXGA-compatible display interface and onboard Compact Flash interface. The CPU board supports up to 4 Gbytes of DRAM. The board can accept up to four Gbytes of PC23200 registered DIMM and supports 1280 x1024 SXGA graphics via a high-density D-sub 15-pin female connector. According to One Stop president Steve Cooper, the 6U processor with all the features of standard CPCI and the bandwidth of PCI Express is the first of several CPCIe CPU boards One Stop Systems will introduce this year. The board provides basic tools for developers and a solid work engine for high-speed applications. The 6U CPCIe IntelCore Duo CPU Board lists for $4,595. One Stop Systems, Escondido, CA. (760) 745-9883. [www.onestopsystems.com].

Gbyte of PC4200 DDR2. A conduction-cooling solution provides effective heat dissipation from CPU and GMCH to external enclosure to ensure fan-free operation through the full industrial temperature range of -40° to +85°C. All components including CPU and memory are soldered on board to provide reliability in high shock/vibration environments. A video system supports two independent displays, CRT or flat panel and an LVDS interface; resolution is up to 2048 × 1536. Peripheral devices can be connected to the boards through four high-speed USB 2.0 channels. Input/output capabilities can be expanded by means of additional features: for CPC1600 a 32-bit, 33 MHz (3.3/5V) PCI interface, for CPC1700 a x4 PCI Express interface. Two Gigabit Ethernet channels and 16-bit ISA interface make these SBCs perfect for developing communication and I/O-intensive applications and most suitable for use in compact computing systems in ground vehicles, ships, aircraft and other vibration- and shock-intensive environments, as well as in industrial applications. Additional reliability of CPC1600 and CPC1700 is provided by a hardware monitoring subsystem, watchdog timer and reserved copy of BIOS in CMOS memory. The boards are available in two versions—for industrial temperature range (-40° to +85°C) and for commercial temperature range (0° to +70°C).

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SeaLINK USB serial adapters are the fastest, most reliable way to connect peripherals to any USB-equipped computer.

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Fastwel, Brooklyn, NY. (718) 554-3686. [www.fastwel.com]. Untitled-2 1

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Products&TECHNOLOGY

Pentek, Upper Saddle River, NJ. (201) 818-5900. [www.pentek.com].

Compact, Versatile Embedded Web Controller

An embedded Web controller module specially designed for industrial control and communications includes processor, RAM and flash memory along with a number of serial interfaces, system clock generation and GPIO. The IPC@CHIP SC23 from BeckIPC addresses applications that benefit from the use of a pluggable embedded module for convenience in manufacturing and service. The module combines an SC186 processor at 96 MHz with 8 Mbyte RAM and 2 Mbyte flash with its pluggable DIL32 housing. The 3.3V design reduces the current consumption and the parallel address/data bus was replaced with a modern and fast SPI and I2C bus interface. RS232/TTL interfaces are provided as usual and 17 GPIO pins enable the direct control of the local I/Os. In addition there are 2xCAN2.0 interfaces with optional CANopen stack, a USB 1.1 Host/Device interface, a 1x hardware SPI and a 1x hardware I2C interface. The module includes 17 GPIO lines, three interrupt inputs and two programmable hardware timers. A development kit, the DK55, will be provided to enable fast entry and an immediate start on your application development. The DK55 development kit will be available in December 2007. The SC23 will be supplied as a series product from January 2008. Preliminary versions of the development kit and SC23 samples are already planned for October 2007. Beck IPC, Pohlheim, Germany. +49 6404 695-225. [www.beck-ipc.com].

August 2007

A new Mini-ITX mainboard based on the VIA CX700 system media processor incorporates a number of features for the x86-based embedded market, such as greater device performance, clearer definition video and storage technologies, and an I/O set including two LAN ports and native support for two LVDS

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A 2.2 GHz clock, synch and gate distribution board for synchronizing multiple I/O modules facilitates sampling and timing for a wide range of multichannel, high-speed data acquisition, DSP and software-radio applications. Configured as a 6U VME board, the Model 6890 from Pentek synchronizes up to eight modules, each receiving a common clock up to 2.2 GHz along with timing signals for synchronizing, triggering and gating functions. The Model 6890 currently supports Pentekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Model 6826 Dual 2 GHz, 10-bit A/D Converter VME board. The Model 6826 features single- or dual-channel data acquisition at 2 Gsamples/second with 10-bit resolution using the Atmel AT84AS008 A/D device. By accepting single-ended transformer or DC-coupled inputs, the board preserves signal integrity across a variety of analog signal sources. The AT84AS008 combines dynamic performance, compactness and ease of use to speed system development with Pentekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high-performance VME board. Developed specifically to address the critical timing needs of synchronous multichannel data acquisition and DSP systems, the Model 6890 board simplifies system integration tasks. For example, when combined with eight Model 6826 Dual-Channel 2 GHz, 10-bit A/D Modules, the resulting system provides 16 A/D converters all sampling at 2 GHz, plus eight FPGAs with a total of 352,000 programmable slices and 800,000 logic cells. Additional resources of up to 8 Gbytes of DDR memory and 128 Mbytes of flash provide a complete real-time data acquisition and DSP environment for extremely wide band signals. Pricing for the Model 6890 starts at $4,995. The single-channel version of the Model 6826 starts at $19,345.

Dual-LAN, Dual-LVDS Mini-ITX Mainboard

Clock, Sync and Gate Distribution Board Synchronizes 2 GHz A/D Modules

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panels, four COM ports, a PCI slot and up to six USB 2.0 ports. Project-based customers also have the option of a VIA CX700M2 version with added TV-out functionality. Incorporating the ultra-low-power consumption VIA C7 processors at 1.5 GHz or fanless at 1 GHz, the VIA EPIA LT-Series platform provides high performance per watt and a feature set dedicated to connectivity. Supporting up to 1 Gbyte of 533 MHz DDR2 memory, the VIA CX700 drives a range of connection options including dual LVDS support and two 10/100 fast Ethernet modules, with a Gigabit option, two SATA connectors and up to six USB 2.0 ports. Digital multimedia is provided with VIA UniChrome Pro II IGP, featuring MPEG2 video decoding acceleration and 2D/3D graphics, plus a built-in HDTV encoder up to 1080i for MPEG-2 HD DVD playback, while the VIA Vinyl Multichannel HD audio chip also provides an exceptional listening experience. Additionally, the boards will support the forthcoming MFX module for greater system security, energy efficiency and data protection, featuring key storage, wake-up and event logging functions. The VIA EPIA LT Mini-ITX mainboard is compatible with Microsoft Windows 2000/XP, XPe, CE and Linux, as well as being fully compatible with all Mini-ITX, FlexATX and MicroATX chassis and associated accessories. VIA Technologies, Fremont, CA. (510) 683-3300. [www.via.com.tw].

IEIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leading-edge Solutions Powered by AMD 690G

Products&TECHNOLOGY USB-Based Sensors Provide Simpler Power Measurements without a Power Meter

A series of USB-based power sensors is more affordable and lighter weight than typical power meters and similar power-sensing solutions. The sensors can be used with a variety of Agilent signal sources, spectrum analyzers and network analyzers, extending each instrumentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capabilities to perform accurate average-power measurements. In addition to fast and easy setup with plug-and-play USB connectivity, the sensors also ease monitoring and troubleshooting with the N1918A Power Analysis Manager software. Because the Agilent U2000 Series sensors are USB-powered and provide built-in triggering, they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t require external power adapters and triggering modules for synchronization with external instruments or events. The Agilent U2000 Series currently includes four models that deliver up to 250 readings/s, 9 kHz to 24 GHz frequency range and -60 dBm to +20 dBm power range. Each sensor includes a high-speed USB 2.0 interface for simple, quick setup. With internal zeroing capability, calibration can be done without disconnecting the sensor from the device under test, hence reducing test time and sensor wear and tear. The sensor displays power measurement results on a PC or selected Agilent instrument with the N1918A Power Analysis Manager software. On top of the normal waveform monitoring option, the software also eases monitoring and troubleshooting with functions such as limit and alert settings, record and playback, multiple-list view, overlay and channel mathematics. Pricing starts at $2,300. Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA. (408) 345-8886. [www.agilent.com].

Intelligent Plug-in Servo Drive for Limited Space Integration

An intelligent servo drive controls DC, brushless, linear and step motors up to 75W (24V, 3A) and embeds motion control, drive and PLC functionalities in one open-frame unit (size 59 x 42 x 20 mm). The PIM2043intelligent plug-in module PIM2403 from Technosoft is based on the MotionChip drive technology. Typical feedback devices include incremental encoder, digital and linear Halls. Distributed control is done over CAN, CANopen, RS-232 networks, or Ethernet through an external adapter. The drive is programmable in EasyMotion Studio with Technosoft Motion Language (TML) and graphical tools. It is best valued in systems with distributed intelligence, where the motion application tasks are split between master and drives. Its embedded motion controller offers the same high-level motion language for all motors, making their technology differences transparent to the user. Complex movement sequences can be programmed directly on the drive, while system control functions are handled from the supervising PC/PLC. Motion modes such as contouring, profiling, gearing, electronic camming and PVT are easily executed in stand-alone or multi-axis operations. Libraries for C, C++, C#, Delphi, Visual Basic, Labview and motion libraries for various PLCs are available for quick integration into applications. Technosoft, Bevaix, Switzerland. +41 32 732 55 00. [www.technosoftmotion.com]. Untitled-3 1

August 2007

7/10/07 12:37:56 PM

Products&TECHNOLOGY PICMG 1.3 Backplanes Optimized for 2U Chassis Applications

Two new PICMG 1.3 butterfly form-factor backplanes support SHB Express system host boards and a variety of PCI Express (PCIe) option cards. The BPG6741 and BPX6736 from Trenton Technology are optimized for use in 2U chassis systems that operate in graphics-class or server-class embedded computing applications. Side A of the BPG6741 graphics-class backplane supports one PICMG 1.3 SHB and one x16 PCI Express option card slot. This slot is driven by a x16 PCIe link from a graphics-class system host board and is designed to support x16 PCI Express option cards such as those used in video, graphics and vision inspection systems. Side A also includes the USB Audio interface. Side B includes two x8 PCIe slots driven with x1 links from an SHB like a Trenton MCG-series system host board. Side A of the BPX6736 server-class backplane supports one PICMG 1.3 SHB, one x16 and one x8 PCI Express option card slot. These two option card slots are each driven with a x8 Get with technology and board. The side A PCIe linkConnected from a server-class system host providing now slotscompanies of the BPX6736 aresolutions designed to support two PCI Express Get Connected a new resource for further exploration option cards whereis multiple high-bandwidth, server-class opinto cards products, Whether yourA goal tion aretechnologies needed inand thecompanies. application. Side also includes is to research the latest datasheet from a company, speak directly the USB Audio interface. Side B includes two x8 PCIe slots with an Application Engineer, or jump to a company's technical page, the driven with x1is links from an SHB like a Trenton goal of Get Connected to put you in touch with the right resource. MCX-series system host board. Whichever level of service you require for whatever type of technology, Connected help you connect with the companies and products A new featureGet on the Trenton will BPG6741 and BPX6736 is the USB Audio Controller. you are searching for. USB audio takes advantage of the optional USB edge connector routings between a PICMG www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected 1.3 SHB and the backplane. This allows a designer to implement system audio with a minimum of cables and without the added expense of an audio option card. USB audio also has the net effect of freeing up an option card slot. The backplanes are available now and typical pricing starts at $316.

Data Recorder Slurps up 480 Mbytes/s

A new high-speed recorder provides over 480 Mbytes/s (3.8 Gbits/s) recording and playback performance in a space-, weight- and power-efficient package designed for remote or portable applications. The Big River LTX2 from Conduant can operate as a stand-alone system with network control or can be directly connected to a host computer via its StarFabric PCI bridge interface. The 1U (1.75”) high chas-

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sis, which is less than 16” in width and depth, accepts sixteen 2 1/2” disk drives for up to 3.2 Terabytes of storage capacity. The user may choose lower-cost, high-performance rotating disk storage or solid-state drives for more environmental tolerance such as shock, vibration, temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure, depending on the user application. The Big River LTX2 is based on Conduant’s StreamStor Amazon architecture, which supports a wide variety of external, Trenton Technology, Atlanta, GA. (770) 287-3100. [www.TrentonTechnology.com]. interchangeable interface mezzanine cards Get Connected with technology and companies providing solutions now including FPDP, FPDP2, LVDS, Serial FPDP Get Connected is a new resource for further exploration into products, technologies andand companies. Whether yourCommand goal is to research latest Camera Link. and the control datasheet from a company, speak directly with an Application Engineer, or jump to a company's technical page, the goal of Get Connected is to put you functions can be performed through the Star4-Ohm Quad SPST CMOS Analog Switches in touch with the right resource. Whichever level of service you require for whatever type of technology, Fabric interface or through an Ethernet conTwo new series ofGet quad SPST CMOS analog switches highand switching speeds with for. Connected will help you connect withcombine the companies products you are searching nection. Connectivity to a host computer using high signal bandwidth for use in a wide range of switching applications, inwww.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected the StarFabric interface provides full PCI percluding audio, video, data and power. The Vishay Siliconix DG451 and formance for data retrieval at 200 Mbytes/s. DG454 series of devices has four independently selectable 44-V The Big River LTX2 Software applications SPST switches, each with a typical on-resistance of 4 ohms can also utilize the StreamStor application and a typical flatness of 0.2 ohms, ideal parameters for lowprogram interface (API) from a network condistortion audio signal switching. nected host computer for control of the device The DG454 series does not require a logic voltage pin. The adfrom a remote location. Base pricing starts at vantages of this feature include no requirement for a 5V power supply to around $28,000 for a 1.6 Terabyte system. operate, no need for a PCB trace connecting the logic voltage pin, and no need for power supConduant, Longmont, CO. ply sequencing. The DG451 and DG454 are normally closed, while the DG452 and DG455 are (303) 485-2721. [www.conduant.com]. normally open. The new switches are optimized for analog switching, including audio, data, video and power Connected within companies andvideo systems, precision automatic test equipment, switching, Get and data acquisition audio and Get Connected products featured in this section. with companies mentioned in this article. data acquisition systems, relay replacement, communications systems, automotive and avionics www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected systems, and sample and hold systems. Pricing is $1.95 in quantity 1,000.

Products

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Vishay Intertechnology, Malvern, PA. (619) 336-0860. [www.vishay.com].

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August 2007

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Two ultra-high-speed analog capture modules featuring the latest Giga-sample Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs) from National Semiconductor have been introduced by Nallatech. The new products offer customers multiple ultrawide-band analog I/O capture channels directly coupled to a Xilinx Virtex-4 FPGA—a combination suited for addressing the processing requirements of demanding embedded applications such as SIGINT, RADAR and LIDAR (light detecting and ranging). The Nallatech BenADC 3G features two National 8-bit 3 Gsample/s ADCs, an external clock input and digital trigger. Each ADC083000 ADC can achieve up to 7.0 effective number of bits (ENOB), 44.5 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and 54.5 dB spurious free dynamic range (SFDR) when sampling

An ultra-high-density analog input data acquisition card combines high density with high bandwidth via an x1 PCI Express bus. The DAQe-2208 card from Adlink is capable of sampling up to 96 single-ended AI channels at 12 bits and 3 Msamples/s with different gain settings and scan sequences. It offers differenOS CB T tial modes for 48 AI channels to provide opBOOTH timal noise elimination, making it compatible 1716 with ultra-high-density analog signals with various input ranges and sampling speeds. The DAQe-2208 features also include analog and digital triggering and 24 programmable digital I/O lines. The DAQe-2208 offers a system synchronization interface (SSI) bus to allow up to four cards to be synchronized for simplified expansion of testing capabilities, auto-calibration that adjusts the gain and offset to within specified parameters to ensure testing accuracy regardless of the environment uncertainty, and scatter-gather bus mastering to allow the acquisition of large amounts of data at a high speed by transferring data directly to and from the memory through the DMA controller. The DAQe-2208 supports Windows, including Vista, and Linux, and also comes with software support for LabVIEW, MATLAB, .NET, Visual C++ and Visual Basic. Single unit pricing starts at $1,095. ES

Multichannel Analog Capture Modules Feature 8-bit 3 Gsample/s ADCs

96-Channel PCI Express Analog Input DAQ Card with SSI Bus

Adlink Technology, Irvine, CA. (949) 727-2099. [www.adlinktech.com].

a 748 MHz input signal at 3 Gsample/s. Trigger and clock signal inputs allow simultaneous sampling of both channels, enabling synchronous data acquisition on a single card. Two banks of DDR-II SRAM memory are directly coupled to the user FPGA allowing algorithm and ADC data to be locally buffered. National’s LMX2531LQ1500E delta-sigma phaselocked loop and voltage-controlled oscillator (PLL+VCO) integrated circuit is also featured on the BENADC-3G module. It provides a very stable, low-noise clock source in order to achieve the highest SNR (or ENOB) possible from the Gsample rate ADCs. The BenADC 1.5G features the same FPGA and memory back-end as the BenADC 3G, however it utilizes two ADC08D1500 National ADCs providing users with four 8bit 1.5 Gsample/s analog capture channels as well as external clock and trigger inputs. This product is the ideal solution for applications such as beam forming that requires a high number of input channels per FPGA. This product will be available Q3 2007. Both products are available with a choice of Virtex-4 SX55, LX100 or LX160 user FPGAs. Both products are delivered with a suite of optimized IP cores and reference designs. Xilinx System Generator library components are also provided allowing non-VHDL users to target the hardware using Simulink. Software support includes Windows, Linux and VXWorks. Nallatech, Inc., Eldersburg, MD. (410) 552-3352. [www.nallatech.com].

Safe CAN-Data Transmission via Fiber-Optic Line

A fiber-optic repeater for the transmission of CAN messages in an environment with high electromagnetic influences as well as the dependable galvanic isolation of subassemblies has been introduced by IXXAT. The new CAN-CR210/FO offers a lineup version of its approved FO-Repeater. Several CANCR210/FO can be connected via the integrated backbone bus, which allows the set-up of a star-coupler with an almost unlimited number of channels. The CAN-CR210/ FO allows the automatic recognition and separation of a defective segment from the rest of the network, so that the remaining network can continue working. After elimination of the defect, the segment is automatically switched into the network again. The CAN-CR210/FO has one highspeed CAN interface (ISO/IS 11898-2), an integrated backbone-bus and a fiber-optic interface (50/125 μm duplex). For the fiber-optic interface, a version with FSMA or ST-Socket is available. The repeater is delivered in a small plastic case for DIN rail mounting. The power supply can be provided in a wide range from 9 to 35 VDC. IXXAT, Bedford, NH. (603) 471-0800. [www.ixxat.com]. August 2007

Products&TECHNOLOGY Simulation and Testing Services for Cabinet Enclosures

A number of design services for cabinet enclosures offered by Optima EPS, an Elma company, include thermal simulation, structural analysis, environmental testing, agency approvals, and more. Using computational fluid dynamics and finite testing, Optima can identify potential hot spots in the cabinet. From there, Optima can use a combination of techniques to resolve the issue. These include fan placement and type, heat exchangers, blocking or redirecting airflow, and more. Customers can be assured of a cooling solution that meets their specifications. Optima can also provide structural analysis and environmental testing. Also, the humidity, salt fog, corrosion and temperature stresses can be measured. The simulation and testing can be performed on Optima’s various cabinet enclosure styles. The company offers cabinets for Mil/Aero, EMC, Harsh Environments, Seismic, Telecom/DataCom, Industrial and Medical applications. Optima specializes in customization and modifications to its base platforms—in any volume.

FPGA DSP Devices Target Sweet Spot for Wireless, Video, Consumer Apps

Shipping in production, the Spartan-3A DSP platform from Xilinx offers 20 GMACs for under $30 for a wide range of low-cost, dataintensive applications including wireless, video surveillance, personal medical and consumer applications. The Spartan-3A DSP platform is part of the Xilinx XtremeDSP solutions that provide developers with a complete portfolio of

Optima EPS, Tucker, GA. (770) 496-4000. [www.optimaeps.com].

4-Channel Video Frame Grabber in PC/104-Plus Format

For high demands in security and surveillance applications, image recording (digitizing) and image evaluation, Advanced Digital-Logic has developed the video frame grabber, Microspace MSMG104+. The PC/104-Plus extension card is based on a BT878 frame grabber with 4-channel video multiplexer. Three video cameras (CVBS) and one S-Video camera can be connected to the product. The compact video frame grabber supports common image formats like PAL and NTSC. Software supports toggling between both formats. The bandwidth for PAL resolution is 30 frames/ sec. The 32-bit/33 MHz PCI bus permits simultaneous operation of two video streams in PAL resolution. More cameras (3-4) are possible with a reduced number of frames or lower OS CB T resolution or by using multiple MSMG104+ cards respectively. Drivers for Windows and Linux are available. BOOTH 409 The card is connected to the 32-bit PCI bus and requires only one PCI resource. The MSMG104+ requires a 5V power supply and operates within the standard temperature range of -25° to +70°C. On request, it is also available for an extended operating temperature range from -40° to +85°C. Digital-Logic, Luterbach, Switzerland. +41 (0)32 681 58 00. [www.digitallogic.ch].

programmable logic devices, IP, development tools and a third-party DSP ecosystem. The Spartan-3A DSP platform gives developers the opportunity to leverage the flexibility and inherent parallel processing capabilities of FPGAs in low-cost and mobile applications. The platform is based on Xilinx’s Spartan-3 generation FPGAs, with the added power management and connectivity features of the Spartan-3A platform. At the heart of the Spartan-3A DSP architecture is the XtremeDSP DSP48A slice that enables designers to implement many independent arithmetic functions. Xilinx XtremeDSP solutions come complete with silicon platforms, design tools, development boards and kits, reference designs and a host of signal processing IP for wireless and multimedia video applications. The XtremeDSP silicon portfolio delivers three device platforms: the Virtex-4 SX platform with over 250 GMACS at 500 MHz, Virtex5 SXT platform for ultra-high-bandwidth with over 350 GMACS at 550MHz and integrated low-power serial connectivity, and the Spartan-3A DSP platform with over 30 GMACS at 250 MHz. The 3SD1800A device is priced at $29.85 and the 3SD3400A device is priced at $44.95. Pricing is for 25,000 units in volume production, end 2008. Xilinx, San Jose, CA. (408) 559-7778. [www.xilinx.com].

August 2007

AMC SHOWCASE Featuring the latest in AMC technology AM4520 AdvancedMC SAS Module - Full-Size/Mid-Size

AM4301 AdvancedMC Quad GbE Module - MidSize

Highly reliable storage AMC to achieve higher IOPs performance in spaceconstrained network infrastructures. Full-Size/Mid-Size (AMC.0 Rev 2.0) AMC.3 compliant Up to 146 GB capacity 10,000 rpm, 4.1ms average seek time 8-Mbyte cache buffer for improved performance S.M.A.R.T. technology capable Management through IPMI 1.5 implementation Power On Hour (POH) IPMI counter support to diagnose disk usage in terms of number of hours

Kontron Phone: (888) 526-ATCA Fax: (858) 677-0898

Ideal multi-port AdvancedMC module for maximum performance 4 x Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) via RJ45 connectors, sharing a PCIe x4 link as per AMC.1 Rev 1.0 Full fast path buffer for QoS Virtual LANs 802.3q VLAN tagging Manages hot-swap control, power and temperature Supports remote management via IPMI v1.5, and features a Management Controller that is run-time field reprogrammable without any payload impact

Kontron E-mail: sales@us.kontron.com Web: www.kontron.com/OMS

Phone: (888) 526-ATCA Fax: (858) 677-0898

E-mail: sales@us.kontron.com Web: www.kontron.com/OMS

AM4010 AdvancedMC Processor Module

AM4100 AdvancedMC Processor Module

High performance with Intel® Core™ Duo or Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Full-Size / Mid-size (AMC.0 Rev 2.0) Intel® Core™ Duo (up to 1.66 GHz) or Intel® Core™ 2 Duo (up to 1.5 GHz) Up to 2 GByte SDRAM memory (soldered) with ECC running at 400 MHz Up to 4 GByte NAND Flash memory via onboard USB 2.0 Flash Controller Flexible Gigabit and PCI-Express fabric interface Two dual Gigabit Ethernet controllers each with a x4 lane PCI Express interconnection to the Intel® 3100 chipset Superb monitoring features PICMG AMC.0/.1/.2/.3 compliance IPMI v1.5 support

Freescale dual-core MPC8641D PowerPC Full-Size / Mid-Size (AMC.0 Rev 2.0) Freescale dual-core MPC8641D PowerPC, 1.0/1.33/1.5 GHz 0.5/1/2 GByte soldered SDRAM memory with ECC running at up to 533 MHz 512 MByte (up to 2 GByte) onboard NAND Flash controller Flexible Gigabit and PCI-Express fabric interface Excellent monitoring features PICMG AMC.0/.1/.2 compliance (prepared for AMC.4) IPMI v1.5 support VxWorks and Linux support

E-mail: sales@us.kontron.com Web: www.kontron.com/OMS

Kontron Phone: (888) 526-ATCA Fax: (858) 677-0898

GX-AMC

E-mail: sales@us.kontron.com Web: www.kontron.com/OMS

AMC131

Mid-size, single wide, fully-connected Advanced Mezzanine Card High-density Altera® Stratix® II GX FPGA BittWare’s ATLANTiS™ framework BittWare’s FINe™ bridge Over 1 GByte of memory Front panel I/O BittWare I/O Module: 76 LVDS pairs, 4 SerDes, Clocks, I2C, JTAG, DIO

Bittware, Inc. Phone: (603) 226-0404 Fax: (603) 226-6667

Freescale Dual Core 1GHz MPC8641D PowerPC® Processor High-Performance, Networkoptimized Computing Solution for ATCA and uTCA Systems Up to 2GB ECC DDR2 SDRAM Four Gb Ethernet Interfaces AdvancedMC .0, .1, and .2 Compatible Supports CGL Linux and Windows

Performance Technologies E-mail: info@bittware.com Web: www.bittware.com

Phone: (585) 256-0200 Fax: (585) 256-0791

E-mail: sales@pt.com Web: www.pt.com

portabledesign conference & exhibition

santa clara october 3rd - 4th 2007 c o n v e n t i o n

c e n t e r

Join industry leaders in portable and mobile design for this 2 day executive summit. Conference sessions, Analyst Presentations and Panel Discussions on: Low-power design--tools and techniques Wireless communications--3G LTE, WiMAX, Zigbee, NFC, 802.11n, Bluetooth Consumer electronics--design challenges and innovative solutions Industrial control, portable medical, mobile military and more

www.portabledesignconference.com sponsored by

Products&TECHNOLOGY Modular Flat Panel Computing Fits Industrial Environments

A flat panel touch-screen computer combines an AMD Geode processor with a wide selection of touch-screen LCDs and I/O expansion modules. The modular design of the SeaPAC-LX from Sealevel Systems gives designers a wide range of configuration options and makes field maintenance and upgrades easy. SeaPAC-LX systems are suited for a variety of operator interface and machine control applications requiring small size and versatile I/O connectivity. Powered by a fanless 500 MHz AMD Geode LX800 processor, SeaPAC-LXs are equipped with a robust standard I/O feature set. Dual 10/100Base-T Ethernet, four serial ports, four high-speed USB 2.0 ports and eight-bit general-purpose digital I/O are available on each system. For flexible local and remote I/O interface, SeaPAC-LXs expand using Sealevel’s SeaI/O data acquisition modules. Designers can choose from Reed and Form C relays, optically isolated inputs, TTL, A/D, D/A and serial options. The SeaPAC-LX’s processor communicates with SeaI/O devices using Modbus RTU allowing one or more SeaI/O modules to be physically attached to the SeaPAC-LX or located remotely up to 4000 feet away. Get Connected with technology and companies SeaPAC-LX systems are available with displays ranging providing from 6.4 solutions - 17” andnow include Get Connected is a new resource for touch further exploration a rugged panel mount bezel that provides Nema 4/IP65 protection from sprayed liquids on the front surface. The optional resistive into products, technologies companies. Whether your goal screen enables intuitive operator interface and offers years of durable service. SeaPAC-LXs are powered by 12VDC, and and power is provided to research the latest datasheet from abracket company,alspeak directly to SeaI/O expansion modules using convenient pass-through connectors. The system is rated foris0°-50°C operation, and a VESA with an Application Engineer, or jump to a company's technical page, the lows attaching to a mounting arm. SeaPAC-LX systems are priced beginning at $1,495, and product is available immediately from stock.

Ad Index

Sealevel Systems, Liberty, SC. (864) 843-4343. [www.sealevel.com].

goal of Get Connected is to put you in touch with the right resource. Whichever level of service you require for whatever type of technology, Get Connected will help you connect with the companies and products you are searching for.

www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected

AdvancedTCA Packet Processing Appliance for Multi-Service IP Networks

Get Connected with technology and companies providing A low-profile bladed ATCA packet processing system delivers up to 20 Get Connected is a new resource for further exploration into product Gbits/s of deep packet inspection capability in a very compact system. The datasheet from a company, speak directly with an Application Engineer, o ATCA Packet Processing Appliance from Continuous Computing supports in touch with the right resource. Whichever level of service you require for Get Connected will help you connect with the companies and products y all the quality of service (QoS) and traffic engineering functions required by telecom equipment manufacturers (TEMs) in order to rapidly deploy multi-serwww.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected vice Internet Protocol (IP) networks and meet time-to-market requirements. To complement this new system, Continuous Computing also offers a range of ATCA FlexChassis options, including 12U, 5U and now 2U/3U chassis, to address the scalability and pricing needs of the next-generation telecom market. Continuous Computing’s integrated ATCA Packet Processing Appliance comes with a suite of Trillium software including control plane, networking and routing protocols—such as SIP, Diameter, IPv4, IPv6, IPSEC, IGMP, BGP and OSPF—as well as customized Trillium Professional Services. Each low-profile system contains a FlexPacket ATCA-PP50 deep packet inspection blade and a FlexCompute ATCA-XE30 general processing blade, both housed in either a carrier-grade 2U DC-powered or a 3U AC-powered ATCA chassis. A key element of Continuous Computing’s new security appliance, the FlexPacket ATCA-PP50 packet processing blade incorporates two XLR732 multicore MIPS devices from Raza Microelectronics, Inc. (RMI) that deliver packet processing and security at line rates up to 20 Gbits/s. Get Connected withand companies FlexPacket supports a dual redundant 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) backplane fabric with a range of 10GbE 1GbE and ports to the front and rear deproducts featured in this section. pending on a customer’s specific cabling requirements. Each XLR732 multicore MIPS64 processor supports up to 8 Gbytes of memory (16 Gbytes www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected per blade) and can connect to mezzanine sites for supporting TCAM and dedicated content processors via the on-chip HyperTransport interface.

Products

Continuous Computing, San Diego, CA. (858) 882-8800. [www.ccpu.com].

Get Connected with companies and products featured in this section. www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected

August 2007

Products&TECHNOLOGY Low-Cost Motion Control Cards Deliver High-Speed Motion Trace

Two motion control cards from Performance Motion Devices provide real-time, high-speed servo trace capture with 40 Kbytes onboard dual-port memory. This trace feature allows up to four motion variables to be stored at the same time. Each variable can be either 16 or 32 bits in size. Twenty-eight separate parameters can be selected for trace such as position, velocity, acceleration, servo lag, and much more. The capture “trigger” for the trace feature is programmable, and can be based on a variety of conditions such as motion start or external signal change. The captured data is automatically loaded into an external RAM chip, and may be downloaded by the host during capture, or after capture is complete. Designed with PMD’s Magellan Motion Control IC, the Prodigy Motion Cards provide board-level, multi-axis motion control for DC brush, brushless DC, step and microstepping motors. They are available in PCI and PC/104 configurations, and provide 1, 2, 3 or 4 axes of control. In addition to trace capture, Prodigy cards provide motion control features including trajectory generation, servo loop closure, quadrature signal input, motor output signal generation, on-the-fly changes, commutation, and much more. Additional features include S-curve, trapezoidal, velocity contouring, electronic gearing and user-generated profile modes. The cards accept input parameters such as position, velocity, acceleration and jerk from the host, and generate a corresponding trajectory. Instantaneous on-the-fly changes can be sent by the user, and external signal inputs can be used to program automatic profile changes. Prices start at $380 in OEM quantities.

Core Duo EPIC SBC Boasts Dual Display Capability

A stackable EPIC single board computer with onboard Intel Core Duo processor is built entirely with industrial-grade components and special vibration-proof connectors to provide a rock-solid, reliable embedded platform suitable for high vibration and wide temperature range applications. The PCM-4390 from Advantech can support dual independent LVDS (36-bit/ 48-bit) displays. The module is compliant with PCI-104, PC/104+ and PC/104, allowing additional I/O expansion modules to be easily stacked for greater functionality. PCM-4390 is designed with industrialgrade components for higher reliability and a wider operating temperature range. It is also equipped with robust connectors: male and fe-

Performance Motion Device, Lincoln, MA. (781) 674-9860. [www.pmdcorp.com].

Time-to-Digital Converter for Precise Timing-Measurement Applications

A time-to-digital converter (TDC) features six independent stopwatches for precise timing measurements from a common start event to multiple stop events at a high resolution. The TC890 from Agilent Technologies is designed for precision time measurement applications, including laser detection and ranging (LIDAR) for 3D mapping and navigation, fluorescence lifetime spectrometry and ion counting in timeof-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS). Many pulse-timing measurements, such as period, frequency and time interval analysis (TIA), also benefit from the new TDC’s precise measurement technology. The TC890 records multiple events or hits on each of its six input channels, with a timing resolution of 50 picoseconds and a mean dead time between sequential pulses on the same input (double pulse resolution) of less than 15 nanoseconds. Running at full speed, the instrument offers a 25 million events-per-second data-throughput rate. It enables event counting or histogram creation for easy data and spectra comparison. Pricing starts at $13,700. Agilent Technologies, Santa Clara, CA. (408) 424-4536. [www.agilent.com].

August 2007

male connectors with locking clasp to enhance anti-vibration capability. To further enhance its robustness, PCM-4390 uses a USB-DOM Solid State Disk (SSD) solution. USB-DOM supports quicker boot-up and read/write performance, an improvement over CompactFlash (CF) and regular Hard Disk Drives (HDD). PCM-4390 comes with Advantech Secure and Unified Smart Interface (SUSI) support. SUSI is a suite of APIs that simplifies hardware and software application implementation. It additionally supports socket SODIMM DDR2 400/533/667 MHz SDRAM up to 1 Gbyte. It also has two SATA II ports, dual BroadCom Giga LAN, eight GPIO, four COM (3 x RS232, 1 x RS232/422/485) and eight USB 2.0 ports. PCM-4390 offers a choice of a fanless solution and/or Windows XPe. Advantech, Irvine, CA. (800) 866-6008. [www.advantech.com].

Embedded Device Networking Module/ Web Server with Advanced Security

OS CB T

A turnkey, application-ready programmable device server module delivers secure Ethernet connectivity and advanced Web server capabilities for under $40 in volume quantities. The MatchPort AR from Lantronix enables OEMs to rapidly network-enable their products with the ability to send serial data over standard Ethernet with virtually no programming required. Running on a 32-bit processor with the Evolution OS operating system, MatchPort AR provides performance that allows it to address data-intensive machine-to-machine (M2M) applications such as medical, security, retail/POS, industrial/ building automation, metering, gaming and signage applications to name a few. BOOTH

812

3U Carrier-Class NEBS-3 Server for HighAvailability Apps

Boasting space-saving size—3U high by 20 inches deep—a 3U Carrier-Class Rackmount Server from One Stop Systems fits easily and comfortably in a telecom rack. The server can withstand extreme heat, humidity, altitude and zone 4 earthquake shocks. With an intelligent alarm management system, the 3U NEBS-3 certified server provides visual, audible (optional) and simple network management protocol (SNMP) indications of faults when conditions warrant administrative attention. These features are consistent with the rigid requirements of the telecom Central Office environment. The 3U server employs easily replaceable fan filters providing greater cooling capacity. The dual hot-swappable power supplies provide redundant power, further extending the system’s service life. The 3U server offers ample expansion capabilities with two PCI Express (PCIe) x8 slots, two PCIe x4 slots, one PCI-X 100/133 MHz slot and one PCI-X 100 MHz slot. The 3U Carrier-Class Server lists for $11,950. One Stop Systems, Escondido, CA. (760) 745-9883. [www.onestopsystems.com].

The MatchPort AR provides a platform for secure networking with SSH and SSL protocols, advanced Web services such as AJAX, a full-featured protocol stack and SNMP device management capabilities. Now OEMs have the ability to rapidly develop network-ready, Web-enabled devices by simply connecting the host microcontroller’s serial port to one of the MatchPort AR’s two available serial ports. MatchPort’s Evolution OS offers a variety of data encryption and authentication options including industry-standard secure SSH v2 and SSL v3 protocol support with a choice of AES, 3DES encryption coupled with SHA-1 or MD5 authentication. In addition, the MatchPort AR optionally provides end-to-end FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard -197 Compliant) AES encryption. The Evolution OS also supports public/private key infrastructures and provides the flexibility to use any key size to deliver ease of integration with host applications. Evolution OS was also designed with defenses to hostile Internet attacks such as denial of service (DoS) and port mapping. MatchPort’s integrated advanced Web server can transform a stand-alone device into a fully functional network node that can be remotely managed, monitored and configured via a standard Web browser—from anywhere in the world. Users can remotely monitor and collect information from the device in real time using the CGI (Common Gateway Interface)-compliant server, and send the information to dynamic Web pages. Its integrated AJAX support delivers an intuitive and dynamic user experience for data acquisition and display. Additionally, it supports open standards such as “Cisco-like” CLI, XML and serial and Telnet management options, enabling users to easily configure the MatchPort AR. A software development kit (API) will also be available to enable OEMs to customize their delivered applications. Pricing will be below $40 to qualified high-volume customers.

PC/104+ Fanless CPU Module Hits Cost/ Performance Sweet Spot

A PC/104+ fanless single board computer designed to meet the requirements of various types of industrial computing is a suitable solution for communication, gaming and medical applications that require flat panel support using digital displays with TTL interfaces. For superior performance and low power consumption, PCM-4153 from Advantech uses an AMD Geode LX800 processor clocked at 500 MHz in conjunction with onboard DDR333 system memory. With a convenient connector layout and easy assembly, PCM-4153 is a good choice for customers wanting easy system expansion. It is equipped with multiple I/O ports for flexibility, including two 10/100 Mbit/s Ethernet, four USB 2.0, one RS-232/422/485 and three RS-232 ports. For applications situated in harsh environments, PCM4153 is designed to be of industrial grade, with an operating temperature ranging from as low as -40° up to 85°C. Advantech, Irvine, CA. (800) 866-6008. [www.advantech.com].

Lantronix, Irvine, CA. (949) 453-3990. [www.lantronix.com]. August 2007

Products&TECHNOLOGY

Ad Index

A rugged COTS DSP processing card integrates a Freescale MPC8641D processor, two Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGAs and a VXSbased high-speed serial interconnect fabric. The VPF2 from VMetro tackles both high-bandwidth preprocessing and demanding back-end processing in one 6U VME64/VITA 41 product for advanced DSP applications such as real-time video processing, surveillance, radar and others that demand the extremely high levels of flexibility and performance. The processing heart of the Phoenix VPF2 is a Freescale MPC8641D dual-core processor based on Power Architecture technology. The cores run up to 1.25 GHz with 2 Gbytes of memory to support operating systems such as VxWorks and Linux. Integrated within the MPC8641D processor is a complete I/O subsystem, including two Gigabit Ethernet ports, serial I/O, dual DDR/DDR2 memory controllers, VME interface and independent x8 PCI Express links to the Xilinx FPGAs and the XMC/PMC site. The VPF2 has Ethernet options that support both RJ45 and optical interfaces or backplane I/O. Closely coupled to the MPC8641D are two Xilinx Virtex5 SX95T FPGAs, optimized for DSP performance, or LX110T FPGAs, optimized for high-performance logic. With their on-chip serial transceivers, either of the Virtex-5 FPGA options provide high-bandwidth off-board serial communications channels to processing and I/O subsystems. Since the FPGAs connect to fast I/O streams, they can preprocess incoming data in real time without bottlenecks. The FPGAs are fully user-programmable and can be configured from flash memory. VMetro speeds up the development time by providing TransComm, a data streaming communications toolkit. This toolkit simplifies connecting VPF2 FPGA-centric systems together allowing the user to focus on key IP core development. Both FPGA devices are supported with 4x 4M x 18-bit banks of QDR SRAM and 2x 64M x 16-bit SDRAM. These memories allow large data sets, such as frame buffers or large FFT information, to be stored locally for maximum FPGA performance. The VPF2 will be available in a number of environmental build options ranging from air-cooled commercial to rugged conduction-cooled.

Measuring just 12 cm x 12 cm, the VIA EPIA NR is a Nano-ITX mainboard that natively supports LVDS in two single or one dual-channel monitor configuration without the need for a daughterboard. This makes it suitable for a wide range of ultra-compact embedded devices requiring two displays, such as healthcare, industrial control, retail and signage systems. It is powered by a fanless 1.0 GHz VIA C7 processor and VIA CX700 system media processor with a maximum CPU TDP of just 9 watts and average operating power of well below 1 watt. Coupled with up to 1 Gbyte of power-efficient DDR2 533 system memory, the VIA EPIA NR mainboard operates at an average of below 15.5 watts for regular applications. The VIA EPIA NR also provides considerable storage options, with Serial ATA and IDE hard drive connectors for mainstream systems and Compact Flash for local OS Get Connected with technology and in now industrial companies providingstorage solutions automation. The Get Connected is a new resource for further exploration I/O setWhether in- your goal into products, technologies and companies. cludes broadis to research the latest datasheet from a company, speak directly band Ethernet with an Application Engineer, or jump to a company's technical page, the goal of Get Connected is to put you in right resource. astouch wellwith as the a miniWhichever level of service you require for whatever type of technology, PCI port, USB2.0, COM, O S CB T Get Connected will LPC help youand connect with the Super I/Ocompanies headers;and products you are searching for. BOOTH while WLAN connectivity can be 306 www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected supported through an add-in card for greater flexibility in system design. Additionally, the VIA EPIA NR leverages the display, storage and I/O flexibility of the VIA CX700 system media processor, the all-inone, highly integrated embedded chipset featuring the VIA UniChrome Pro II IGP graphics core, to provide embedded developers with an exGet Connected with technology and companies prov tensive range of options enabling highly customized systems. There is Get Connected is a new resource for further exploration into pro also an optional upgrade to Gigabit Ethernet support. Expansion is easy datasheet from a company, speak directly with an Application Engin through an array of compatible VIAtheaccessory cards, including fur- you requir in touch with right resource. Whichever level ofa service ther 4 COM ports (through the LPC interface), andconnect both USB and mini- and produ Get Connected will help you with the companies PCI-based wireless modules. www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected ES

VXS DSP Card Blends Dual Core PowerPC, Dual Virtex-5 FPGAs

Nano-ITX Mainboard for Healthcare, Retail and Industrial Apps

VIA Technologies, Fremont, CA. (510) 683-3300. [www.via.com.tw].

Products Get Connected with companies and products featured in this section. www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected

VMetro, Houston, TX. (281) 584-0728. [www.vmetro.com].

Get Connected with companies and products featured in this section. www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected

August 2007

REAL-TIME & EMBEDDED COMPUTING CONFERENCE NEW TRAINING WORKSHOPS & SEMINARS Register Today at www.rtecc.com

Enter a World of Embedded Computing Solutions Attend open-door technical seminars and workshops especially designed for those developing computer systems and time-critical applications. Get ahead with sessions on Multi-Core, Embedded Linux, VME, PCI Express, ATCA, FPGA, Java, RTOS, SwitchFabric Interconnects, Windows, Wireless Connectivity, and much more.

Meet the Experts Exhibits arranged in a unique setting to talk face-to-face with technical experts. Table-top exhibits make it easy to compare technologies, ask probing questions and discover insights that will make a big difference in your embedded computing world. Join us for this complimentary event! Be sure to enter the drawing on-site for an iPod Video

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Pump Up Your ARM ® Powered Design! October 2-4 2007 Santa Clara Convention Center

ARM Developers’ Conference and Design Pavilion

Strengthen your skills and speed your time-to-market Only the ARM Developers’ Conference offers: �

� �

�

Over 90 track sessions providing a complete end to end design tutorial for leveraging ARM IP in advanced embedded applications Combined tutorials with Portable Design Conference Design Centers and exhibitions from leading ARM licensees and Connected Community members offer a full complement of workshops and presentations Forums and analyst presentations on industry trends

Plus: through the combination of track sessions, presentations and company design centers you will be fully immersed in leading strategies and methodologies for building complex designs with the ARM architecture. And Finally-- Conference Delegates who pre-register before September 10 receive the conference proceedings on a 4 GB iPod Nano to take home!

www.arm.com/developersconference

Co-Located with the Portable Design Conference & Exhibition

Products&TECHNOLOGY Modules Allow Fast Integration of DeviceNet Fieldbus into OEM/Embedded Systems

A new BradCommunications DC100DN OEM module for the DeviceNet Fieldbus has been added to the DC100 product family of OEM modules from Woodhead Industries. The modules are characterized by small size (90 x 40 mm) and provide a connection to a choice of field buses (CC-Link, PROFIBUS-DP, DeviceNet). The DC100 modules are designed for machine builders, system designers, and operator interface manufacturers who want to implement a field bus connection in their products quickly and at a lower cost. The modules of the DC100 family are interchangeable, interfacing with the host system through a 60-point connector. Its pin-out is identical regardless of the type of module used, requiring minimum effort by system designers to integrate the entire range of DC100 modules. The data exchanges and the various network services (configuration, diagnostic, etc.) are carried out directly through dual-port memory (DP-Ram), reachable via a generic library of functions. The DC100 modules include 256 Kbytes flash memory for storing configuration data and a dedicated processor for managing communication protocols. This embedded architecture provides optimal performance in data acquisition without overloading the host system.

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Woodhead Industries, Northbrook. IL. (847) 272-7990. [www.woodhead.com]. Get Connected with technology and companies providing solutions now

6U CompactPCI Board Monitors and Communicates System Parameters to Remote PC

A new 6U CompactPCI (CPCI) System Monitoring and Control Board monitors the health and status of chassis systems, making it perfect for telecom, datacom, ISP and wireless server applications that require monitoring of critical system parameters. The 6U SYSMON II from One Stop Systems installs in the system enclosure and communicates to a remote PC via a 100Base-T Ethernet connection. It monitors eight fan tachs, eight temperature sensors, up to eight voltages and eight inputs and eight outputs. All configuration parameters are stored in non-volatile flash. The 6U SYSMON II provides a complete system package for applications requiring continuous operating computing. It lists for $1,280 and is available immediately as part number OSS-CPCI-6U-SYSMON2. One Stop Systems, Escondido, CA. (760) 745-9883. [www.onestopsystems.com].

Get Connected is a new resource for further exploration into products, technologies and companies. Whether your goal is to research the latest datasheet from a company, speak directly with an Rugged Application Engineer, or jump toSwitches a company's technical page, the Ethernet goal of Get Connected is to put you in touch with the right resource. Target Harsh Environments Whichever level of service you require for whatever type of technology, Get Connected help you of connect with the companies and products A willseries industrial Ethernet you are searching for. from Moxa Technologies come switches

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and are designed to be resistant to the effects of dust, dirt, humidity, vibration and shock. The EDS-305-M12 series of 5-port industrial unmanaged Ethernet switches with M12 connectors is Get Connected with companies providin designed for thetechnology toughest and industrial applications. The rugged Get Connected is a new resource for furtherdesign exploration into produc datasheet from a company, speak directly withswitches an Application Engineer, makes the EDS-305-M12 in touch with thesuitable right resource. Whichever level of enviservice you require fo for use in outdoor Get Connected will help you connect with the companies and products ronments, such as in the transwww.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected portation, mining, and water and wastewater treatment industries. The EDS-305-M12 switches use M12 connectors for the Ethernet interface. M12 connectors can ensure a tight connection and keep Ethernet connections from popping loose in high-vibration applications, such as in moving vehicles. In addition, the EDS-305-M12 switches have received industrial and safety approvals, such as UL508, Class 1, Div. 2, and will also receive DNV/ GL maritime certification for specialized applications. Two models are available. One model has an operating temperature range of 0째 to 60째C, and the other model has an extended operating temperature range of -40째 to 75째C. Get Connected with companies and Moxa Technologies, Brea, CA. (714) 528-6777. products featured in this section. [www.moxa.com]. www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected

Products

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August 2007

is to research the latest datasheet from a company, speak directly with an Application Engineer, or jump to a company's technical page, the goal of Get Connected is to put you in touch with the right resource. Whichever level of service you require for whatever type of technology, Get Connected will help you connect with the companies and products you are searching for.

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Advertiser Index Get Connected with technology and companies providing solutions now Get Connected is a new resource for further exploration into products, technologies and companies. Whether your goal is to research the latest datasheet from a company, speak directly with an Application Engineer, or jump to a company's technical page, the goal of Get Connected is to put you in touch with the right resource. Whichever level of service you require for whatever type of technology, Get Connected will help you connect with the companies and products you are searching for.

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Company

Page

Website

ACCES I/O Products.............................................................................................. 18................................................................................................. www.accesio.com Acromag................................................................................................................ 23................................................................................................www.acromag.com ACT/Technico........................................................................................................ 20........................................................................................... www.acttechnico.com

Products

End of Article

ADLINK Technology America, Inc............................................................................ 63...................................................................................www.adlinktechnology.com. Advanet Technologies............................................................................................ 40.......................................................................................... www.advanettech.com Ampro Computers, Inc........................................................................................... 25................................................................................................... www.ampro.com

Get Connected with companies and ARM Developersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Conference. ................................................................................ 60.................................................................... www.arm.com/developersconference Get Connected products featured in this section.

with companies mentioned in this article. www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected

BittWare. ............................................................................................................... 53.................................................................................................www.bittware.com www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected Corvalent.............................................................................................................. 39.......................................................................................................corvalent.com Critical I/O............................................................................................................ 11................................................................................................ www.criticalio.com ELMA Electronic, Inc.............................................................................................. 15..................................................................................................... www.elma.com

Get Connected with companies mentioned in this article. www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected Embedded Systems with Conference. ............................................................................ 48.......................................................................... www.embedded.com/esc/boston Get Connected companies and products featured in this section. www.rtcmagazine.com/getconnected

Extreme Engineering Solutions, Inc........................................................................ 37.................................................................................................. www.xes-inc.com GE Fanuc Embedded Systems................................................................................. 2.................................................................................. www.gefanucembedded.com Harting, Inc. EPT.................................................................................................... 19............................................................................ www.harting.com, www.ept.com Hybricon Corporation............................................................................................. 34................................................................................................ www.hybricon.com IEI Technology.................................................................................................... 26, 47........................................................................................www.usa.ieiworld.com Innovative Integration......................................................................................... 12, 14.................................................................................... www.innovative-dsp.com Intel...................................................................................................................... 21...................................................................................................... www.intel.com Kontron America.............................................................................................. 6, 53 & 64........................................................................................... www.kontron.com McObject LLC........................................................................................................ 49............................................................................................... www.mcobject.com MEN Micro, Inc...................................................................................................... 13.............................................................................................. www.menmicro.com One Stop Systems................................................................................................. 41.................................................................................... www.onestopsystems.com Performance Technologies................................................................................... 9, 53........................................................................................................www.pt.com Phoenix International.............................................................................................. 4.................................................................................................www.phenxint.com Portable Design Conference.................................................................................. 54..................................................................... www.portabledesignconference.com Real-Time & Embedded Computing Conference...................................................... 59..................................................................................................... www.rtecc.com Red Rock Technologies, Inc................................................................................... 39...........................................................................................www.redrocktech.com Sealevel Systems.................................................................................................. 45................................................................................................ www.sealevel.com VersaLogic Corporation.......................................................................................... 35..............................................................................................www.versalogic.com WinSystems.......................................................................................................... 17........................................................................................... www.winsystems.com

RTC (Issn#1092-1524) magazine is published monthly at 905 Calle Amanecer, Ste. 250, San Clemente, CA 92673. Periodical postage paid at San Clemente and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to RTC, 905 Calle Amanecer, Ste. 250, San Clemente, CA 92673.

August 2007

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