VXFabric™ support and 16GByte RAM option propel the Kontron 6U VPX dual processor node VX6060 into deployed embedded platforms

VPX/OpenVPX™ solution for high memory applications

Eching, Germany, April 28, 2011 – Kontron has announced today the immediate availability of an additional SKU of its 6U VPX dual processor node VX6060 with 16 GByte soldered ECC RAM; several significant programs are already utilizing a cluster of these powerful processor nodes. All versions support the Kontron VXFabric™ API for IP based data transport over PCI Express to accelerate application development. OEMs benefit from a performance boost and simplified data flow management in high performance embedded computing (HPEC) applications based on 6U VPX/OpenVPX™ architectures and can begin with the development and deployment of high memory architectures based on Intel® Core™ i7 technology.

Each of the independently implemented dual-core Intel® Core™ i7 processing nodes of the Kontron VX6060 have full access to 8 GByte ECC RAM. Through this enhanced memory capacity, extensive application data can be hosted in the low latency RAM without the need for reloading data from high latency mass storage devices. Additionally, data buffering and inter-board dataflow benefit from the extended memory resources, simplifying resource-management and improving overall application performance. Application domains for this architecture include radar, sonar, imaging systems, airborne fighters and UAVs.

The two processing nodes are connected via PCI Express to each other and to the data plane. By using Kontron VXFabric™, OEMs can implement efficient inter-board communication at hardware speed, leveraging PCI Express for the highest bandwidth. Kontron VXFabric™ simplifies the complex task of data flow management. It is equivalent to an Ethernet network infrastructure mapped over a switched PCI Express fabric. It implements the layers allowing the user to handle the communication with an IP socket programmatic interface. This API allows direct access to all classic protocols like TCP or UDP. Furthermore, Kontron VXFabric™ requires no modification of the existing applications, which helps reduce development efforts and simplifies migration to the new VPX architecture. Additionally, an integrated Gigabit Ethernet switch on the Kontron VX6060 serves as an interconnect to the control plane. Combined with the power of 6U VPX backplane infrastructure, the Kontron 6U VPX dual processing node VX6060 enables a new range of outstanding HPEC applications using only standard technology (Linux or RTOS on x86 and TCP/IP) for a shorter time to market.

The Kontron 6U VPX dual processing node VX6060 is available in forced air cooled and conduction cooled versions. It comes with PowerMP, a collection of off-the-shelf software featuring complex computer cluster health management and a stress test tool allowing computer qualification prior to the final application availability, a key asset to shorten large program development time. PowerMP software is used today in UAVs, radars and sonars throughout the world, where it runs on current and previous generations of Kontron VME and CompactPCI® computing nodes.

Kontron’s 6U VPX dual processing node VX6060 comes with EFI BIOS and supports Linux and VxWorks 6. It is covered by Kontron’s long term supply program, which guarantees customers multi-year supply of the product. For rapid prototyping, simple system build and software development, Kontron offers the EZ2-VX6060, a turnkey 6U VPX system based on the Kontron VX6060.

For more information on the Kontron 6U VPX dual processing node VX6060, please visit:
http://www.kontron.com/products/boards+and+mezzanines/6u+vpx/vx6060.html

For more information on the Kontron turnkey development platform EZ2-VX6060, please visit:
http://www.kontron.com/products/systems+and+platforms/vpx+systems+and+platforms/ez2vx6060.html

For more information on VPX, please visit: http://www.kontron.com/vpx/

To download the Kontron VXFabric™ Whitepaper, please visit: http://www.kontron.com/VXFabric