Latest 3U VPX board based on Intel Xeon D-1500 processor family

Concurrent Technologies has introduced its first processor board based on the Intel Xeon Processor D-1500 Family. TR C4x/msd is a 3U VPX board initially featuring the 8-core Intel Xeon Processor D-1548 and up to 32GB of DDR4 ECC DRAM for high performance embedded computing applications. For storage applications, TR C4x/msd has four SATA600 interfaces for external drives plus two SATA600 connections for on-board solid state disk options. For high speed networking applications, two 10 Gigabit Ethernet data plane ports could be used either as a system ingress/egress point or for local data connectivity within the chassis. Two Gigabit Ethernet control plane ports are available on the backplane and two optional Gigabit Ethernet ports are available on the front panel of air cooled boards. Augmenting the 10 Gigabit Ethernet data plane, TR C4x/msd provides up to x16 PCI Express (PCIe) lanes on the backplane with a theoretical bandwidth of 15.6GB/s. The PCIe lanes enable more flexible mesh configurations, for example it is possible to construct a multi-processor 40-core cluster using five TR C4x/msd boards with high-bandwidth 3.9GB/s expansion plane links without the use of an additional switch module. Such configurations are made possible with Concurrent Technologies’ Fabric Interconnect Networking Software (FIN-S) which makes use of the on board non-transparent bridge and DMA capability to aid multiple processor node clustering applications. Glen Fawcett, CEO, Concurrent Technologies, said: "This new 3U VPX board is another proof point of our commitment to advance our SWaP proposition by utilizing the latest processors from Intel®. TR C4x/msd offers many more CPU cores within the same thermal envelope, compared to our previous 3U VPX processor boards, making it a good choice for complex decision making applications. Looking forward, we are expecting TR C4x/msd being used to create accretive solutions predominantly for military server and storage applications.” Samuel Cravatta, product line director, Internet of Things Group, Intel, added: "The Intel Xeon D-1500 Processor Family delivers multi-core processing capability, 10 Gigabit Ethernet and multiple PCIe gen 3 lanes within a System on Chip package which Concurrent Technologies has utilized in their TR C4x/msd design. Mating the processor with up to 32GB of DDR4 ECC DRAM in a 3U VPX form factor will enable customers to run challenging and complex applications.” Initial shipments will be air-cooled boards, followed in 2016 with rugged, conduction-cooled variants to satisfy deployments in the defence, aerospace and transportation markets. In addition, TR C4x/msd is compliant with the recently ratified VITA 46.11 standard, designed to enable uniform system management functions across VPX based equipment, says the company.