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First Portable AFDX -- the Next Avionic Data Network
[Vendor: Sysgo]

"Avionic Full-Duplex Switched Ethernet" (AFDX/ARINC664) is a deterministic aircraft data network bus system for public avionic transportation, railway and military systems. The network is based on standard IEEE802.3 Ethernet technology.

The benefit of using commercial off-the shelf (COTS) Ethernet components is to lower overall costs for the aircraft network. Hardware components, cables and test equipment for Ethernet are field proven and much more affordable than the previously used avionic specific solutions. Ethernet itself won't meet avionic network requirements. Therefore, AFDX extends the Ethernet standard by adding Quality of Service (QoS) and deterministic behavior with a guaranteed dedicated bandwidth. This avionic data network was first used in the Airbus A380 and A400M. Airbus and Boeing will extend the usage of AFDX in future developments.

First Portable AFDX at a glance
  • Fully AFDX compliant solution
  • Software-Only implementation
  • Configuration through host
  • Based on COTS Hardware
  • ICMP & SNMP on AFDX Node
  • Easily portable host driver

First Portable AFDX

With Portable AFDX, SYSGO offers the first completely genuine software implementation of AFDX. Portable AFDX consists of the AFDX Node implementation and a very small footprinted host driver. ICMP and SNMP run on the AFDX Node without host assistance. The configuration of the AFDX Node can be done through the host driver which uses a XML based configuration file. This flexibility enables Portable AFDX to be used in several environments simply by changing the configuration.

Software vs. Hardware Solution

Data network stack solutions can be implemented in hardware or in software. When software is an option, and the budget is an issue, the advantages of the software solution can far outweigh the hardware based solution.
  • Hardware Solution -- Companies involved in the AFDX specification design are all hardware development driven. These companies naturally chose to develop dedicated, custom AFDX hardware solutions using ASICs. But hardware solutions suffer for many reasons:
    • Hardware obsolescence
    • Design failures require new chip design
    • More expensive than COTS hardware
    • Not easily adaptable to special customer requirements

  • Software Solution -- The portable AFDX solution from SYSGO is strictly software based and runs on COTS hardware. The advantages of a software solution are quite obvious:
    • Future proof -- Code can be adapted to any future requirement.
    • Hazard free -- Implementation issues can easily be detected and fixed.
    • Flexible -- AFDX Node can be dynamically configured from the host system.
    • Affordable -- COTS hardware is less expensive and the reusability of the software solution makes it even more affordable.

Technical Details
  • Host Driver is layered for easy porting -- High throughput and small footprint combined with easy portability was the design aim of the host driver. The result is a three layer architecture where only the very small Glue Layer has to be adapted when porting to another OS. The host driver API offers all functionality to easily configure the AFDX Node. The BITE API is also incorporated in the driver API (see details below). PikeOS and Linux drivers as well drivers for other Avionic RTOS's are available.


    Portable AFDX BITE Integration


    Portable AFDX Detail

  • ICMP and SNMP reside on the AFDX Node -- Because ICMP and SNMP both reside on the AFDX Node, the host OS dependency is minimized. Having both services on the AFDX Node also leaves more computing time for the host.

  • IM and RM -- Integrity Management and Redundancy Management are basic components of the AFDX Node. The Portable AFDX from SYSGO includes a comprehensive implementation of these components, guaranteeing impressive performance.

  • DO-178B Implementation -- Based on SYSGO's DO-178B certification experiences, the implementation of the Portable AFDX product strictly undergoes DO178B Level B certification.

  • Drivers available for PikeOS and Linux -- Any other safety critical operating system can be easily adapted by SYSGO or the customer if not already available.

  • Configuration Service and MIB -- The configuration service interprets the configuration information given by the host and takes all actions necessary to initialize the AFDX Node as defined. The management information base is responsible for storing information about network packet errors to ease in-flight and in-shop maintenance.

  • Debug and Trace possibilities -- The AFDX Node is also available as an instrumented version, incorporating a debug stub and tracing capability. This enables the use of standard software development environments (IDE) as well as checking the timing behavior without pricy hardware analyzers.

    Reference implementation on PowerQUICC II PMC module
    The first reference implementation for our customer is based on a airborne proven PowerQUICC II PMC module.

  • 100% AFDX performance -- Portable AFDX from SYSGO offers 100% AFDX performance. The performance calculation is based on the AFDX performance specification.

  • BITE already included:

    • Built in Test Equipment (BITE) incorporated in the AFDX Node.
    • BITE solution includes Power on Self Test (POST).
    • Host driver API includes BITE API to be used by the systems health monitor.


FUEL Database on MontaVista Linux
Whether building a mobile handset, a car navigation system, a package tracking device, or a home entertainment console, developers need capable software systems, including an operating system, development tools, and supporting libraries, to gain maximum benefit from their hardware platform and to meet aggressive time-to-market goals.

Breaking New Ground: The Evolution of Linux Clustering
With a platform comprising a complete Linux distribution, enhanced for clustering, and tailored for HPC, Penguin Computing¿s Scyld Software provides the building blocks for organizations from enterprises to workgroups to deploy, manage, and maintain Linux clusters, regardless of their size.

Data Monitoring with NightStar LX
Unlike ordinary debuggers, NightStar LX doesn¿t leave you stranded in the dark. It¿s more than just a debugger, it¿s a whole suite of integrated diagnostic tools designed for time-critical Linux applications to reduce test time, increase productivity and lower costs. You can debug, monitor, analyze and tune with minimal intrusion, so you see real execution behavior. And that¿s positively illuminating.

Virtualizing Service Provider Networks with Vyatta
This paper highlights Vyatta's unique ability to virtualize networking functions using Vyatta's secure routing software in service provider environments.

High Availability Messaging Solution Using AXIGEN, Heartbeat and DRBD
This white paper discusses a high-availability messaging solution relying on the AXIGEN Mail Server, Heartbeat and DRBD. Solution architecture and implementation, as well as benefits of using AXIGEN for this setup are all presented in detail.

Understanding the Financial Benefits of Open Source
Will open source pay off? Open source is becoming standard within enterprises, often because of cost savings. Find out how much of a financial impact it can have on your organization. Get this methodology and calculator now, compliments of JBoss.

Embedded Hardware and OS Technology Empower PC-Based Platforms
The modern embedded computer is the jack of all trades appearing in many forms.

Data Management for Real-Time Distributed Systems
This paper provides an overview of the network-centric computing model, data distribution services, and distributed data management. It then describes how the SkyBoard integration and synchronization service, coupled with an implementation of the OMG¿s Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard, can be used to create an efficient data distribution, storage, and retrieval system.

7 Advantages of D2D Backup
For decades, tape has been the backup medium of choice. But, now, disk-to-disk (D2D) backup is gaining in favor. Learn why you should make the move in this whitepaper.

 


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