ENCLOSURES
Multiple specific requirements for the system design
Nevertheless, a sturdy edge server is not only characterised by its server processor. In fact, extensive knowledge about the technology is also fundamental for fulfilling the needs of system designs built for harsh environments. Each unit should be assessed correspondingly and particular consideration should also be given to the circuit board and board design as well as the specific coatings that shield against condensation water and other environmental influences. Moreover, additional rigid measures are needed to safeguard against external electromagnetic and high frequency signals that might affect device performance. When it comes to embedded computing technologies, manufacturers like Congatec have considerable experience in these system designs as they typically incorporate basic
Figure 2: Developing dedicated edge serv- ers with individual interface layouts has never been easier with the modular server-on-modules approach and individ- ually designed carrier boards.
Figure 3: Edge server with three COM-HPC modules for especially high real-time workloads
PC technologies like Intel Core processors into embedded systems in a manner that is compatible with industrial use. The developers are well-aware of the conditions and certification standards outlined across different industries and are accustomed to creating durable systems to ensure that they meet industry requirements and have the capacity to offer OEM solutions with identical board configurations for 7-15 years. With regards to industrial applications, they understand how the models are quite different from the typical system designs of the office sector since industrial applications usually necessitate some level of scalability that renders modular designs with computer-on-modules the exemplary way to develop boards. Finally, the developers recognise the essentiality of standardisation and that is largely why international standards have been devised for these modules.
This rich experience has now been put to use in the application area of industry-ready edge server designs with the COM-HPC server specification and developers now have unprecedented access to real products with
the emergence of the Intel Xeon D processors. In the context of the COM-HPC server standard, new server-on-modules prove to be significantly beneficial to developers who can incorporate the modules as application-ready embedded computing logic in their individual carrier boards. As such, they would not be inconvenienced with having to deal with the basic technology of the processor and would focus instead on the specifications regarding how to position the board components and implement the interfaces in the correct places on the carrier board. It is precisely for this reason that the PICMG standardisation committee adopted the COM-HPC Carrier Design Guide as of late. Ultimately, it is fundamental for creating interactive and optimisable customer-specific embedded computing platforms hinging on the new standard and facilitating the learning process for developers attempting to get better acquainted with the logic of the standard. To simplify matters even more, Congatec is supporting developers and offering them a panoptic introduction to the design rules through its recently set-up online and
on-site training academy for COM-HPC server and client designs. This opportunity allows developers to take part in expert-led lessons about high-end embedded and edge computing designs based on the new Computer-on-Module standard. During the training, the instructors go over the required and suggested design basics and best practice schematics of COM-HPC carrier boards and accessories like the high-end fanless cooling solutions for server designs that reach up to - and even exceed - 100 Watts. The evaluation carrier boards for COM-HPC server modules serve as the reference point for Intel Xeon D processor implementation training. They provide the complete feature set that developers can use for prototyping platforms whenever additional application development is required.
The main goal of the Congatec training academy is to introduce developers to essential COM-HPC design basics including but not limited to: PCB layer principles, power management rules and signal integrity requirements, and component selection. Sessions specifically about communication interfaces shed light on common mistakes and difficulties faced when dealing with the challenging design of high-speed serial communications ranging from PCIe Gen 4 and 5 to USB 3.2 Gen 2 and USB 4 with Thunderbolt on USB-C to Ethernet at 100 Gigabit as well as the management of sideband signals for the 10G/25G/40G/ 100G Ethernet KR interfaces that have to be deserialised on the carrier board in COM-HPC. Finally, these sessions also point out how best practice designs utilise interface standards like eSPI, I²C and GPIOs.
Congatec
www.congatec.com DECEMBER/JANUARY 2023 | ELECTRONICS TODAY 39
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
