X marks the spot

Electronics Times, Nov 30, 1998

German embedded system designer Jumptec is planning to use these parts on a PC processor card that fits into the standard 144pin dimm connectors already used on PC motherboards. This simplifies the cost and complexity of designing embedded systems, specifically compared with PC104 boards.

The dimm PC module measures 68 x 40mm and contains all the functionality of a 33MHz 386 PC with up to 4Mbyte of DRAM and up to 8Mbyte of flash bios or IDE flash hard drive, including the interconnection for ISAbus or to a PC/104 connector.

But it is not just about the hardware. One of the key advantages is that Jumptec has also developed a bios that is compatible with the flash filing system for booting from a remote PC or from the card.

But there is a much wider definition of 'embedded systems' that includes the boards which run some of the most complex systems in the world. Much of the telecoms infrastructure is being designed around the x86 to run databases and mobile telephone networks.

These are also embedded designs, as the standard desktop PCs are not suited to the central office environment. Here, the prospect of the latest version of Windows NT, with hot-swapping of cards and Plug and Play in CompactPCI racks, is driving the use of Pentium II processors.

But Windows NT 5.0 has been delayed and there are concerns about its reliability, which is why Unix and the Sparc architecture are still heavily used.

Richard Lundberg, UK regional marketing manager at Force Computers, said: "There's a huge market for embedded workstations."

Force is seeing a significant increase in interest in Pentium-based boards, says Lundberg. While there is still a legacy of VME cards, almost all the designs are on CompactPCI (CPCI). And the dominant processor in use on cPCI is Pentium II, he says: "When you think of all the deregulation of the telecoms market and all the people selling value-added services, that's a huge market."

Force is using the Pentium mobile modules that offer lower power and a longer product availability than the desktop parts.

"There's still the issue with power, also the longevity," he said. "One of the best records for longevity of products is Intel's OEM division, not the desktop division, and that's where the mobile parts are coming from."

Force has just launched a 16slot cPCI system, known as Centellis, based around a 233MHz Pentium running Windows NT.

"Centellis sits at the top end of Force's CompactPCI platforms for telecoms, and represents the embedded market's premier Windows NT server solution in terms of availability and serviceability," said Lundberg.

"A leading telecoms equipment manufacturer is already integrating the Centellis CO into its solutions for central offices, clearly demonstrating that CompactPCI is central office-ready and that Force can deliver high-quality products in high volumes."

The high-end technology of I2O is also starting to trickle down to the embedded world as a result of the move to x86 systems and the PCIbus. I2O is based around a second I/O processor (IOP) that is used to handle the I/O requirements without having to interrupt the host processor.