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Switch blade for OpenVPX systems in harsh environments

The FR331/306 from Concurrent is a 3U OpenVPX1 fabric switch board with a x4 PCI Express dataplane and a Gigabit Ethernet control plane, for use in VPX or VPX-REDI2 environments. Typical applications include high-speed datacom and control applications in military vehicles, and C4I systems.

Concurrent Technologies announces two new fabric switch boards to complement their range of single board computers. The FR 331/306 (VPX) provide switching technology to enable multiple single board computers to inter-communicate effectively. The FR 331/306 fabric switch provides backplane connectivity compliant with VITA 46.x standards ensuring seamless system integration of full line rate net-centric architectures for rugged, aerospace, military, industrial and telecommunication secure networks. Both fabric switches can be configured using Concurrent Technologies' fabric switch configuration software (SW FSC/001).

The FR 331/306 is a 3U OpenVPX™ (VITA 65) fabric switch offering Gigabit data transfer rates in a form factor that is fast becoming the bus architecture of choice for many aerospace, defense and harsh environmental deployments. The FR 331 supports: x4 PCI-Express™ (Gen1 or Gen2), 6 payload boards; DMA on two PCI-E ports and user configuration via RS232. The FR331/306 is designed to complement the TR 501/36x Core™ 2 Duo VPX single board computer.

The FR 331/306 offers high bandwidth, low latency, flexible port architectures to infrastructures requiring high performance and secure connectivity for centralized switching systems, Network Centric Operations (NCO) and data management servers.

1) VPX is a broadly defined technology utilizing the latest in a variety of switch fabric technologies in 3U and 6U format blades. OpenVPX is the architecture framework that defines system level VPX interoperability for multi-vendor, multi-module, integrated system environments. The OpenVPX framework defines clear interoperability points necessary for integration between Module to Module, Module to Backplane and Chassis. OpenVPX recommends, but does not specify development systems to assist evaluation, prototype and development of VPX systems. OpenVPX will evolve and include new fabric, connector and system technology as newer standards are defined.

2) The Ruggedized Enhanced Design Implementation (REDI) laid out in VITA 48 describes how to implement layout techniques to better support cooling methodologies on specific board form factors. Currently, it covers enhanced forced-air cooling (using baffles and plenums), advanced conduction cooling (using larger and more efficient thermal interfaces), and liquid cooling. It also addresses the use of ESD covers on both sides of the board, a necessary feature for military two-level maintenance strategies.