Product category:
CompactPCI Boards and Assemblies
News Release from: Inova Computers | Subject: GoldMine
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial
Team on 02 March 2006
3U CompactPCI CPU promises 6U
performance
The GoldMine from Inova Computers is a 3U CompactPCI Express CPU that offers the performance and functionality levels typically reserved for 6U boards.
The new GoldMine from Inova Computers is a 3U CompactPCI Express CPU that offers the performance and functionality levels typically reserved for 6U boards During the board's design phase, Inova Computers considered, in particular, the requirements of the embedded server market and, as a result, integrated a baseboard management controller (BMC)
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 19 Jul 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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On one hand, it can be used as a free stand-alone operating system, thereby reducing the total cost of ownership by doing away with OS licence costs.
On the other hand, the full integration of the Linux operating system makes light work of system commissioning in the field.
As an added free bonus, boot times are kept to a minimum.
Integrating the operating system in robust, nonwearing and vibration-resistant BIOS Flash, immunises the system against the effects associated with conventional rotating-disk mass storage solutions in extreme climatic conditions (high humidity, temperature, or vibration).
This is certainly the case in mobile (transportation) or outdoor applications.
Yet another benefit gained from integrating the OS in BIOS Flash is that there is no real price difference between standard Flash and Flash suitable for extended operational temperatures.
This is not the case however, for hard disks which have a completely different pricing policy.
The base design of the CPU board supports all 1.0 to 2.0GHz Dothan as well as all mobile Yonah processors from Intel.
Up to 2Gbyte of DDR-2 memory is soldered for mechanical integrity and clocked at either 400 or 533MHz.
This memory is split into two 1Gbyte banks - each bank can be individually populated with different memory sizes such that, compared with single bank layouts, a performance of some 30% can be expected.
Apart from the more than generous volume of RAM, the CPU is well equipped with I/O.
The single slot, 4HP CPU has three USB 2.0 interfaces, a gigabit Ethernet interface and DirectX 9.0 compatible video from the i915 chipset available on the front panel.
Mass storage is also no problem; either a 1.8in standard 30Gbyte hard disk can be used or conventional CompactFlash.
In addition, a bootable USB uDOC device can be installed for very robust, embedded applications.
An 8HP version has an additional independent gigabit Ethernet, three more USB 2.0 interfaces, a configurable RS232/RS485 COM port and legacy PS/2 mouse/keyboard interface.
This version can host serial ATA (SATA) hard disk with capacities, to date, up to 160Gbyte.
Both CPU variants can extend their already rich I/O feature set through rear I/O, which offers Fast Ethernet connectivity alongside a serial ATA, which suits RAID systems for example, and additional USB, COM and legacy PS/2 support.
Routing the LPC bus through the backplane frees real-estate on the main CPU board, as practically any Super I/O chip can be installed on a rear I/O module for complete flexibility in the module's function.
An added bonus being the expense, in terms of space and cost, of integrating the Super I/O on the baseboard, is not burdened on the customer - especially if these features are not required.
Where high-performance is desired, the CPUs are actively cooled whereas, lower performing applications suffice from the passive, cooling concept of the 1GHz processors.
This new generation of CPU platform has obvious advantages for the customer when it comes to price/performance, compactness and thermal efficiency.
These CPUs open the door for CompactPCI Express to address high-end server, mission-critical or high-availability applications, such as those found in demanding control systems, video servers or data servers in production areas.
The fully functional, high-end CPU is available for Eur 1500 in OEM quantities.
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