Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture: Difference between revisions

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{{Refimprovetechnical|date=August 20072013}}

'''Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture'''<ref>PICMG. "Reference". PICMG 3.0 Revision 2.0 AdvancedTCA Base Specification. http://www.picmg.org</ref> ('''ATCA''' or '''AdvancedTCA''') is the largest specification effort in the history of the [[PICMG|PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group]] (PICMG)]], with more than 100 companies participating. Known as AdvancedTCA, the official specification designation is PICMG 3.''x'' (see below) was ratified by the PICMG organization in December 2002.<ref>Pavlat, Joe. "AdvancedTCA turns 10". CompactPCI and AdvancedTCA Systems Vol. 15, Issue 5. OpenSystems Media: 2011. http://advancedtca-systems.com/advancedtca-turns-10/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604151015/http://advancedtca-systems.com/advancedtca-turns-10/ |date=2011-06-04 }}</ref> AdvancedTCA is targeted primarily to requirements for "[[carrier grade]]" communications equipment, but has recently expanded its reach into more ruggedized applications geared toward the nextmilitary/aerospace generationindustries ofas well.<ref>McDevitt, Joe. "carrierPICMG gradeto Expand Market and Applications for AdvancedTCA". communicationsPICMG equipment- Resources. [http://www.picmg.org/v2internal/resourcepage2.cfm?id=2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100523160054/http://www.picmg.org/v2internal/resourcepage2.cfm?id=2 |date=2010-05-23 }}</ref> This series of specifications incorporates the latest trends in high speed interconnect technologies, next-generation processors, and improved [[Reliability, availability and serviceability (computer hardware)|Reliability, Availability and Serviceability]] (RAS).

== Mechanical specifications ==

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The shelf supports RTMs (Rear Transition Modules). RTMs plug into the back of the shelf in slot locations that match the front boards. The RTM and the front board are interconnected through a Zone-3 connector. The Zone-3 connector is not defined by the AdvancedTCA specification.

Each shelf slot is 30.48&nbsp;mm wide. This allows for 14-board chassis to be installed in a [[Rack_unit | 19-inch rack-mountable system]] and 16 boards in an [[23-inch_rack | ETSI]] rack-mountable system]]. A typical 14-slot system is 12U12 or 13U13 [[rack unit]]s high. The large AdvancedTCA shelves are targeted to the [[telecommunication]] market so the airflow goes in the front of the shelf, across the boards from bottom to top, and out the rear of the shelf. Smaller shelves that are used in enterprise applications typically have horizontal air flow.

The small-medium AdvancedTCA shelves are targeted to the telecommunication market; for the lab research operation, some shelves have an open cover in order to make testing easier.

== Backplane architecture ==

The AdvancedTCA backplane provides point-to-point connections between the boards and does not use a data bus. The backplane definition is divided into three sections; Zone-1, Zone-2, and Zone-3. The connectors in Zone-1 provide redundant -48 −48&nbsp;VDC power and Shelf Management signals to the boards. The connectors in Zone-2 provide the connections to the Base Interface and Fabric Interface. All Fabric connections use point-to-point 100 Ω differential signals. Zone-2 is called "Fabric Agnostic" which means that any Fabric that can use 100 Ω differential signals can be used with an AdvancedTCA backplane.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Bolaria|first1=Jag|title=Understanding backplane, chip-to-chip tech (EETimes) |url=http://www.eetimes.com/industrychallenges/interconnect/showArticledocument.jhtmlasp?articleIDdoc_id=558004391266762|website=EETimes|accessdate=9 August 2017|date=2004-12-20}}</ref>.

The connectors in Zone-3 are user defined and are usually used to connect a front board to a Rear Transition Module. The Zone-3 area can also hold a special backplane to interconnect boards with signals that are not defined in the AdvancedTCA specification.

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The Base Interface can only be 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, or 1000BASE-T [[Ethernet]]. Since all boards and hubs are required to support one of these interfaces there is always a network connection to the boards.

The Fabric is commonly [[SerDes]] Gigabit [[Ethernet]], but can also be [[Fibre Channel]], [[XAUI]] 10-Gigabit [[Ethernet]], [[InfiniBand]], [[PCI Express]], or Serial [[RapidIO]]. Any Fabric that can use the point-to-point 100 Ω differential signals can be used with an AdvancedTCA backplane.

The [[PICMG]] 3.1 [[Ethernet]]/[[Fibre Channel]] specification thathas describesbeen one of the possible AdvancedTCA fabrics is under revisionrevised to addinclude [[IEEE]] 40GBASE[[100 Gigabit Ethernet|100GBASE-KR4]] signaling to the existing IEEE [[100 Gigabit Ethernet|40GBASE-KR4]], [[10 Gigabit Ethernet|10GBASE-KX4]], IEEE[[10 Gigabit Ethernet|10GBASE-KR]], and [[XAUI]] signaling. Switch boards using the 40GBASE-KR4 signaling were successfully tested in four different manufacturer's shelves at a recent ATCA Interoperability Workshop.

== Blades (boards)==

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AdvancedTCA blades can be Processors, Switches, AMC carriers, etc. A typical shelf will contain one or more switch blades and several processor blades.

When they are first inserted into the shelf the onboard IPMC is powered from the redundant -48V−48&nbsp;V on the backplane. The IPMC sends an [[Intelligent Platform Management Interface|IPMI]] event message to the Shelf Manager to let it know that it has been installed. The Shelf Manager reads information from the blade and determines if there is enough power available. If there is, the Shelf Manager sends a command to the IPMC to power-up the payload part of the blade. The Shelf Manager also determines what fabric ports are supported by the blade. It then looks at the fabric interconnect information for the backplane to find out what fabric ports are on the other end of the fabric connections. If the fabric ports on both ends of the backplane wires match then it sends an [[IPMI]] command to both blades to enable the matching ports.

Once the blade is powered-up and connected to the fabrics the Shelf Manager listens for event messages from the sensors on the blade. If a temperature sensor reports that it is too warm then the Shelf Manager will increase the speed of the fans.

The [[Field Replaceable Unit|FRU]] data in the board contains descriptive information like the manufacturer, model number, serial number, manufacturing date, revision, etc. This information can be read remotely to perform an inventory of the blades in a shelf.

== Shelf Management ==

[[Image:ATCA Shelf Manager.jpg|thumb|AdvancedTCA Shelf manager]]

The Shelf Manager monitors and controls the boards (blades) and [[Field Replaceable Unit|FRU]] in the shelf. If any sensor reports a problem the Shelf Manager can take action or report the problem to a System Manager. This action could be something simple like making the fans go faster, or more drastic such as powering off a board. Each board and [[Field Replaceable Unit|FRU]] contains inventory information (FRU Data) that can be retrieved by the Shelf Manager. The FRU data is used by the Shelf Manager to determine if there is enough power available for a board or FRU and if the Fabric ports that interconnect boards are compatible. The FRU data can also reveal the manufacturer, manufacturing date, model number, serial number, and asset tag.

Each blade, intelligent FRU, and Shelf Manager contains an Intelligent Platform Management Controller (IPMC). The Shelf Manager communicates with the boards and intelligent FRUs with [[Intelligent Platform Management Interface|IPMI]] protocols running on redundant [[I²C]] buses. [[IPMI]] protocols include packet checksums to ensure that data transmission is reliable. It is also possible to have non-intelligent FRUs managed by an intelligent FRUs. These are called Managed FRUs and have the same capabilities as an intelligent FRU.

The interconnection between the Shelf Manager and the boards is a redundant pair of Intelligent Platform Management Buses (IPMBs). The IPMB architecture can be a pair of buses (Bused IPMB) or a pair of radial connections (Radial IPMB). Radial IPMB implementations usually include the capability to isolate individual IPMB connections to improve reliability in the event of an IPMC failure.

The Shelf Manager communicates with outside entities with RMCP (IPMI over TCP/IP), [[HTTP]], [[Simple Network Management Protocol|SNMP]] over an [[Ethernet]] [[computer network|network]]. Some Shelf Managers support the [[Hardware Platform Interface]], a technical specification defined by the [[Service Availability Forum]].

== New specification activity ==

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A working group was formed to extend ATCA to non-telecom markets.

*'''PICMG 3.7 ATCA Extensions for Applications Outside the Telecom Central Office'''

The goals of this new working group are to define enhanced features to support double-wide boards; add enhancements to support 600W single-slot boards and 800W double-slot boards; add support for double-sided shelves with full sized boards plugged into both the front and rear of the shelf; and add support for 10Gbs signaling on the Base Interface.

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== External links ==

*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110622211233/http://www.advancedtca.org/ Official AdvancedTCA Site]

*[http://www.picmg.org Official PICMG Site]

*[http://www.coreipm.com coreIPM Project: Free & Open Source Software for ATCA Platform Management] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818110857/http://www.coreipm.com/ |date=2020-08-18 }}

*[http://advancedtca-systems.com/ AdvancedTCA Systems Magazine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060205100829/http://advancedtca-systems.com/ |date=2006-02-05 }}

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[[Category:Computer networking]]

[[Category:Computer buses]]

[[Category:Telecommunications equipment]]

[[Category:Computer networkingstandards]]

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