Xelerated Reference Design Kits
The Xelerated Reference Design Kits, RDKs, is a family of development platforms for the HX, X11 and X10q family of Network Processors and the AX family of Programmable Ethernet Switches. Together with the Software Development Kit, the reference data plane applications and extensive documentation, they form a start-package that simplifies the software and hardware development efforts significantly and shortens the time-to-market.
The Reference Design Kit includes the documentation needed for the hardware design and all the necessary drivers. With the RDKs, data plane applications can be verified in hardware prior to integration in the target system. Demonstrations and interoperability tests can be conducted with the RDKs as basis, proving both the data plane, and integration of the control plane.
Harpoon
The Harpoon is a reference design for a Metro Ethernet Switch and a member of the Xelerated RDK Family. It takes reference designs one step closer to demonstrating a real product. It is designed as an example of a product that can be used to provision triple-play services and enterprise VLANs at the edge of carrier networks where classification, QoS enforcement and individual service bandwidth management are required. Its capability of flexibly supporting large tables, Provider Bridge, IPv4/v6 Routing and MPLS in combination with guaranteed rate access and QoS differentiation makes it ideal for areas such as PON aggregation, IP-DSLAM aggregation and E-LAN provisioning with VPLS. The Metro Ethernet Switch includes two Xelerated X11 network processors and two Dune FAP20V traffic managers, connected back-to-back.
Reference Design Kit
- Hardware Reference Unit
- Platform Software
- Data plane Software
- Micro Code for look-aside engines
- Reference Documentation
Hardware Reference Unit
The Hardware Reference Unit is packaged in a convenient 1RU pizza box and includes the NPU, a CPU and pluggable I/O interfaces. The pluggable interfaces allow the RDKs to support full validation of both traffic characteristics and data-path protocols. The CPU module with Linux is included to handle management, integration with the Software Development Kit and control plane. The module has a 10/100Mbps Ethernet interface and runs the Platform Software. The line and fabric interfaces come in different flavors depending on the RDK version.
- HX RDK
The HX RDK has SFP for gigabit Ethernet and SPF+ or XFP for 10 gigabit Ethernet, depending on the specific RDK version. The fabric interface is of QSFP-type, but could also be interconnected to CX4-interfaces through an adaption cable.
- AX RDK
The AX RDK has similar interfaces as the HX RDK and utilizes SFP for gigabit Ethernet and SPF+ or XFP for 10 gigabit Ethernet, depending on the specific RDK version. The fabric interface is of QSFP-type.
- Harpoon
The Harpoon Metro Ethernet switch provides SFP and RJ45 client interfaces combined with XFP line interfaces.
- X11 RDK
The X11 RDK is equipped with XENPAK plug-in modules for the line interfaces and an optional plug-in traffic manager module for the fabric interface.
- X10q RDK
The X10q RDK comes with dual 10G Packet-over-Sonet interfaces.
Platform Software
The Platform Software is used for managing the components on the Hardware Reference Unit and to provide integration to the Software Development Kit for debugging of the data plane applications in hardware. The Platform Software provides access to all NPU resources and also to registers and settings in other devices on the board. It includes drivers for the hardware and the simulator and runs on the local CPU. It is accessed over Telnet from a PC.
Data Plane Software
The Basic Forwarding Application is a simple data plane application example intended as an introduction to Xelerated data plane software and an easy way of trying out the RDK. It includes a Basic Bridge Application comprising static Layer 2 forwarding and a Learning Bridge Application, which adds MAC-learning to the Layer 2 forwarding. The Basic Forwarding Application is included in the Reference Design Kit.
Xelerated also provides comprehensive Reference Data Plane Applications, such as the field proven Metro Ethernet Application, MEA, which includes a full feature set for the Metro market.
Micro Code for look-aside engines
The Xelerated families of NPUs and Programmable Ethernet Switches have unique capabilities in terms of flexibility for the memory interfaces. The programmable Look-aside Engines are adaptable to a number of different device types and suppliers, which allow the designers to optimize the solution in terms of performance and price to fit their particular solution.
Reference Documentation
The reference documentation includes Data Sheets, Design Guidelines, User’s Guides, Reference Manuals, Application Notes, Test Reports, Simulation Models and much more. There are also comprehensive design materials for the printed circuit boards. Schematics, Bill of Materials, Assembly Drawings and Gerber Files describing the PCB layout are all included.
More information is found in the RDK Product Briefs.