VXS Processor Mesh: Bringing VXS Performance to the Next Level

One common misconception about VXS is that can utilize only Star and Dual Star topologies. In other words, have only one or two switch cards running the fabric and the traces going to payload cards. One of Elma Bustronic’s earliest VXS design ideas was to incorporate a “switchless mesh” or “payload mesh”, where a point-to-point mesh interconnection ran across three VXS payload slots. Therefore, the mesh ran across the P0 section of the three slots in the backplane. This configuration is ideal for prototyping and testing VXS, is it does not require the use of switch cards to run the fabric.

However, it is possible to have the kind of mesh connectivity that runs across the connector configurations found in the switch card slots. This provides much more pins for either mesh or redundant mesh configurations or for more I/O. Processor Mesh is a new VXS innovation created by Elma Bustronic in conjunction with Tek Micro and Qinetiq. The concept is quite similar to what a mesh section in 6U VPX (VITA 46) would look like. VXS Processor Mesh offers a defined pinout for the mesh section of the backplane. The initial backplane Elma Bustronic developed offers a combination of legacy VME64x slots, VXS payload slots, a VXS switch slots, and VXS Processor Mesh slots. (See photo 1) The result is a significant jump in bandwidth. While VXS in the star topologies offers up to 20-30 Gbps, (-More-)

Elma Bustronic and our partners introduced the VXS Processor Mesh concept to the industry. The sub-specification will be VITA 41.7

MicroTCA has made some strides and the specification is nearly complete (the technical review to be completed March 19). The Virtual Carrier Manager will now be called a MicroTCA Carrier Hub. The current specification document is 410 pages long.