New PICMG specifications define full serial systems and migration path from legacy CPCI

 

AMBLER, Pa. January 2012 – MEN Micro Inc., a world-renowned provider of embedded computing and I/O solutions for mission-critical industrial, mobile and harsh environment applications, now offers several board level products based on the recently ratified PICMG specifications, CompactPCI Serial (PICMG CPCI-S.0) and CompactPCI PlusIO (PICMG 2.30). 

 

These products can be used in conjunction with MEN Micro’s readily configured and ready-made systems in a larger number of applications including RAID systems, NAS systems (network attached storage), multi-CPU systems, computer clusters, inherently safe systems, image processing systems, graphics output systems and wireless communication.

 

MEN Micro’s range of board products that meet the new PICMG specifications and are ideal for serial connections on the CompactPCI platform include several high-performance SBCs and a variety of CompactPCI Serial peripheral cards that allow flexible configuration.  All products are easily installed in modular 19” systems to cost-effectively meet the expanding requirements of bandwidth and data processing capacity in embedded applications.

  

Peripheral cards include standard interface cards, quad gigabit Ethernet or fiber optic boards, a PCI Express mini card and an XMC/PMC carrier board as well as a multi-display controller board, a universal interface board, an unmanaged 4+1-port Ethernet switch and a SATA HDD/SSD shuttle.

 

Available SBCs also provide exceptional system flexibility.  Used as either a system slot or a peripheral slot board, the G20 CompactPCI Serial SBC supports Ethernet mesh configurations with up to nine boards using the appropriate mezzanine module.  It comes equipped with the Intel Core i7 microprocessor and supports Intel’s Active Management (AMT) based on the Intel vPro architecture.

 

Accommodating both legacy CompactPCI (PICMG 2.0) and high-speed CompactPCI Serial (CPCI-S.0), MEN’s hybrid F19P and F21P 3U CompactPCI PlusIO SBCs help migrate existing embedded systems to serial architectures.

 

The F19P SBC is available with a range of Intel processors, from the 2.26 GHz Core 2 Duo SP9300 to the 1.20 GHz Celeron M 722 and can dissipate between 5.5 Watts and 25 Watts. Equipped with the Intel Core i7 (2^ndgen) running at 2.1 GHz, the F21P supports second generation PCI Express and third generation SATA as well as faster TurboBoost up to 3 GHz and Intel’s AMT. 

 

As the number of products based on the new PICMG specifications grows, so do the uses.  For designers familiar with legacy CompactPCI architecture, the hybrid CompactPCI PlusIO and fully-serial based CompactPCI Serial specifications offer best-in-class integration of the most current interfaces on a proven technology platform.

 

 

Both RAID and NAS systems that handle large amounts of data benefit from CompactPCI Serial’s ability to interconnect several boards with a high-speed connection to ensure information is passed quickly and accurately.

 

Because multi-CPU systems require reliable processing architecture, CompactPCI Serial enables identical processor boards with switches to be inserted in backplane slots. Even if there is a board failure, the rest of the system remains in a stable operating state.

 

Full-mesh support allows for highly scalable complex computer clusters with built-in redundancy. A system with nine slots can also serve as a sub-cluster for a bigger system that could contain nearly 300 processor cores.

 

In addition, image processing and graphics systems as well as wireless communications benefit from the compact format, robust connectors, effective cooling (convection or conduction) and hot-plug attributes of the specifications.

 

For additional information, visit http://menmicro.com/products/cpci-serial.html or contact Stephen Cunha, MEN Micro Inc., 24 N. Main Street, Ambler, Pa. 19002; Phone: 215-542-9575; Fax: 215-542-9577; E-mail: Stephen.Cunha@menmicro.com.