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Migration from PCIe to VPX-based SystemsApplication Note Migrating from SDR-2010 to SDR-7001 Systems

PCIe

to V

PX

Introduction

Spectrum’s SDR-2010 PCI Express (PCIe) system and SDR-7001 3U VPX system are high-performance Linux-based signal processing platforms that share a common base architecture that enables software portability. Users can develop their applications in a PC-based environment then migrate to a different hardware platform with virtual transparency to the software. This enables the applications to be rapidly deployed on a wide range of form factors from PC/Server-based to OpenVPX air-cooled format to rugged conduction-cooled OpenVPX.

This application note describes how an application developed on the SDR-2010 can be easily migrated to the SDR-7001.

Develop in Xilinx System Generator

Develop in MATLAB

Deploy on VPX

3U VPXVPX-1131VPX-2131

3U VPX SBC

quicC mmSDK

Your FPGA Application

Your PC Application

PCIeSDR-2010XMC-1131XMC-2131

PC

Develop on a PC

quicC mmSDK

About the Platforms

The SDR-2010

Spectrum’s SDR-2010 is a PC-based platform that combines Spectrum’s analog I/O and FPGA processing modules with one or more powerful Intel processors in a PC server environment. The standard confi guration includes:

• PRO-2910 PCI Express carrier board with two XMC sites • XMC-1131 dual ADC FPGA processing module • XMC-2131 dual DAC FPGA processing module

These boards and modules are mounted in an Intel-based tower PC running Red Hat Linux.

The modules communicate with the host using a PCIe interconnect. A sample application is depicted in Figure 3.

Figure 1. Migration from PC-based SDR-2010 to VPX-based SDR-7001

Figure 2. SDR-2010

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The SDR-7001

The SDR-7001 is a VPX platform that uses the same analog I/O and FPGA processing modules as the SDR-2010, along with one or more powerful Intel-based single-board computers (SBCs) in an OpenVPX environment. The standard confi guration includes:

• VPX-1131 consisting of the PRO-7900 carrier board hosting the XMC-1131 dual ADC FPGA processing module

• VPX-2131 consisting of the PRO-7900 carrier board hosting the XMC-2131 dual DAC FPGA processing module

These blades operate with an SBC in an OpenVPX chassis that is available in rugged air-cooled and conduction-cooled format.

The modules communicate to the host using the same PCIe interconnect as found in the SDR-2010. Since the architecture is very similar, applications that have been developed on one platform can be used on the other.

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Figure 4. SDR-7001

PC(Linux)

Intel CPU(Xeon, Core i7)

PRO-2900

XMC-1131

ADC ADC

Virtex-5FPGA

XMC-2131

DAC DAC

Virtex-5FPGA

PCIeSwitch

External RFUp/Down Converter

PCIe

Analog IFAnalog IFAnalog IFAnalog IF

GPIO34 pins

x8 Gen 2.0

VPX-1131

SBC(Linux)

Intel CPU(Core i7)

PRO-7900

PCIeSwitch

XMC-1131

ADC ADC

Virtex-5FPGA

XMC-2131

DAC DAC

Virtex-5FPGA

PRO-7900

PCIeSwitch

External RFUp/Down Converter

PCIe

Analog IFAnalog IFAnalog IFAnalog IF

GPIO34 pins

x8 Gen 2.0

PCIe

x8 Gen 2.0

VPX-2131

Figure 3. SDR-2010 PC-based platform in a typical application

Figure 5. Equivalent application on the SDR-7001 VPX platform

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Spectrum’s quicComm software provides an API to let users rapidly set up communications between the various I/O and processing elements of the system. It takes advantage of the high-speed, low-latency communications paths provided by the hardware without requiring the user to deal with the complexities of setting up communications.

Both Spectrum’s SDR-2010 PC-based and SDR-7001 VPX-based platforms allow users to easily develop their signal-processing applications on the processing elements, and interconnect them using Spectrum’s quicComm software suite.

Users can develop signal processing applications in the FPGA using The Mathworks’ Simulink and Xilinx System Generator, along with Spectrum’s FPGA “wrapper“ blocks to connect to external devices. Baseband processing on the Intel general-purpose processor (GPP) is easily developed using The Mathworks’ tools such as MATLAB. Spectrum’s quicComm API and software examples make it easy to get the data between the FPGA- and GPP- based segments of your application.

Due to the different physical platforms, there are some differences in interconnect. If you make use of only the common interfaces, your software can be made compatible with both platforms. The following table shows the differences.

SDR-2010 SDR-7001

Host Processor PC motherboard processor: Intel Xeon or i7 or Core2Duo

SBC processor: Intel i7 or Core2Duo

Most SBC processors are mobile type processors designed for lower power-consumption, similar to those used in laptops.

Operating System Linux Red Hat Enterprise v5.3 Linux Red Hat Enterprise v5.3

Off-board PCIe Onboard PCIe switch has one PCIe x8 Gen2 port to the PC motherboard.

Onboard PCIe switch has two PCIe x4 Gen2 ports (2 GB/s full duplex) to the VPX backplane.

These can be connected in various topologies. One convenient topology is the daisy chain: one port connected upstream towards the host, and the other downstream to other boards I/O boards.

Each VPX-1131 or VPX-2131 has I/O rates up to 400 MB/s full duplex, so several boards can be daisy chained on a 2 GB/s PCIe link.

Connection through switches is transparent to the software, providing operation equivalent to the PC environment.

Front-Panel GPIO XMC-1131 and XMC-2131 each have 15 LVDS pairs and 4 single-ended LVTTL pins from FPGA to front panel connector.

VPX-1131 and VPX-2131 each have 15 LVDS pairs and 4 single-ended LVTTL pins from FPGA to front panel connector.

Backplane GPIO None XMC site’s JN4 connector signals brought to VPX J2 connector, for XMC or PMC modules with JN4.

Inter-site Solano links 2 links between sites +2 cabled Solano ports (1 per site)

None

Table 1. Differences between SDR-2010 and SDR-7001 Platforms

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Rev 2011.02.10_BK.TD.CSSpectrum reserves the right to modify or discontinue any product or piece of literature at anytime without prior notice. All Trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Compliance with export control laws: Various export control laws of Canada, the United States or other counties may restrict or prohibit the export to certain countries of products sold by Spectrum. Spectrum shall not be liable for anything arising from compliance, or efforts to comply, with export control laws.

Software Steps Required to Migrate from SDR-2010 to SDR-7001

The steps required to migrate are straightforward, and very minimal due to the fact that the quicComm abstracts much of the lower level board details from the application developer.

1. Reference the new System Defi nition File (SDF). This fi le a text fi le that specifi es the names and confi guration of the boards and resources available in a system. Changes are indicated in bold text below.

a. SDF fi le example for the SDR-2010:

pro2910_0, pro2910, 0 # The pro2910 carrier board xmc1131_0, xmc1131, pro2910_0:xmc_a, fpga_sample_clock_divide=1, adc_sample_clock_divide=1 xmc2131_0, xmc2131, pro2910_0:xmc_b, fpga_sample_clock_divide=6, dac_sample_clock_divide=3

b. SDF fi le example for the SDR-7001

pro7900_0, pro7900, 5 # The pro7900 carrier board in slot 5 pro7900_1, pro7900, 3 # The pro7900 carrier board in slot 3 xmc1131_0, xmc1131, pro7900_0:xmc_a, fpga_sample_clock_divide=1, adc_sample_clock_divide=1 xmc2131_0, xmc2131, pro7900_1:xmc_a, fpga_sample_clock_divide=6, dac_sample_clock_divide=3

2. Modify quicComm (QC) Open API command to use different carrier board name as indicated in bold.

a. For the SDR-2010:

QC_Open (&channel, ““xmc1131_%d:aesop_fpga:endpoint_%d:chan_%d|xmc1131_%d:diocles_fabric:solano_port_%d|pro2910_%d:pcie:chan_%d”);

b. For the SDR-7001:

QC_Open (&channel, “xmc1131_%d:aesop_fpga:endpoint_%d:chan_%d|xmc1131_%d:diocles_fabric:solano_port_%d|pro7900_%d:pcie:chan_%d”);

3. Recompile and run.

Real World Example

Spectrum developed an application on the SDR-2010 to demonstrate the modules digitizing and down-converting an analog signal within the FPGA on the XMC-1131, then streaming it directly into MATLAB on the host PC for processing and display. This demonstration application was migrated to the SDR-7001 hardware platform within two days using the simple steps described above.

Conclusion

This application note has summarized the process of migrating between an SDR-2010 PC-based system and an SDR-7001 3U VPX system. The process is very fast. Should you have questions about this application note, or concerning applications that Spectrum can help realize, please contact Spectrum’s sales and applications staff.

Sales: sales@spectrumsignal.com

Tech Support: support@spectrumsignal.com

Tel: +1.800.663.8986 / 604.676.6700

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