September 2016
10
E
mbedded
C
omputing
The future starts now:
Next generation Computer-on-Modules
Interview with Dirk Finstel,
ADLINK Technology
With the release of two new
specifications from the standardization
bodies PICMG and SGET, there are
significant improvements happening
right now to simplify the design of next
generation carrier-grade network
equipment, cloud services based on
embedded edge and fog servers
as well as IoT devices.
Boards & Solutions spoke with Dirk Finstel,
Executive Vice President Global Module
Computer Product Segment with ADLINK,-
to get the latest insights from one of the
originators of these standards.
B&S:
ADLINK Technology is one of the
eading embedded Computer-on-Module ven-
dors in the world and has significantly shaped
recently released new SGET SMARC 2.0 spec-
ification and pre-release of the new COM
Express Type 7 specification by PICMG. What
is the reason behind the concurrent launch of
two new next generation standards?
Finstel:
The tremendous performance
improvements within carrier networks
together with the trends to IoT, cloud com-
puting and network virtualization change
the way we want to set up new applications.
That makes it necessary to specify Comput-
er-on-Module standards that meet these new
requirements most efficiently.
B&S:
Aren’t Computer-on-Modules one-for-
all platforms and therefore suitable for nearly
all embedded system designs? Why do we
need new standards?
Finstel:
Yes. They are of course standardized,
application-ready computing cores for custom-
ized designs with carrier boards and thus uni-
versally applicable. But the standards are only
defined for their specific application areas. The
well-established COM Express Type 6 speci-
fication, for example, is designed to meet the
requirements of powerful stand-alone rugged
systems that, from a performance, graphics
and TDP point of view, are comparable to what
we use on the desktop PC and notebook level.
But with the IoT and cloud trends we need
high-end cloud computing intelligence and
optimized I/Os for headless edge and fog server
technologies, and that’s what COM Express
Type 7 as well as the latest Intel Xeon proces-
sors with a maximum power draw of 65 watts
are designed for. And we need IoT gateways
and a large number of cloud-connected smart
devices in the field that support smart cameras
and wireless antennas natively in order to build,
for example, smarter and more secure cities
or to connect vending machines and ticket-
ing systems with their dedicated clouds. These
are major application areas that SMARC 2.0 is
designed for.
B&S:
So you see SMARC 2.0 as the platform
for IoT connected devices and IoT gateways;
and COM Express Type 7 modules for head-
less edge and fog servers as well as virtualized
carrier-grade network equipment?
Finstel:
Yes. These are among the most
important new horizontal application areas
for which nearly every vertical market that
uses embedded computing technologies
needs to be prepared.
B&S:
Let’s start going more into the details.
What are the differences between COM
Express Type 7 and the widely accepted COM
Express Type 6 specification?
Finstel:
One of the most fundamental inno-
vations of the COM Express Type 7 pin out is
the support of more performance and more
I/O bandwidth with server-grade headless
Intel Xeon processors that have a maximum
power draw of 65 watt, up to four 10GbE
KR interfaces and up to 32 PCIe lanes. On
the module, they are implemented as 10GbE
KR single backplane lanes according to IEEE
802.3, paragraph 49. The physical shaping of
the 10GbE interfaces takes place on the car-
rier board itself. Here, developers can define
the signal transmission as optical SFP+, cop-
per cable (T) or as KR – in order to implement,
for example, module-to-module connections
on multi-module carrier boards. This pro-
vides maximum flexibility for new designs.
B&S:
So are we talking about a completely
new specification here?
Finstel:
It is a new specification suitable for
many new high-end embedded systems such
as virtualized carrier-grade network equip-
ment or IoT edge and fog servers. But it is not
entirely new. It is backed up by the highly reli-
able embedded high-end COM Express Com-
puter-on-Module standard and thus reliable
right from the start of the specification release.
