DATASHEET

Ensemble 3000 Series

OpenVPX System
Scalable Computing Power in a Small Form Factor
Suitable for operation in next-generation sensor platforms
Rugged versions for deployment in harsh environments
System flexibility from 5 types of communications planes
Architected to meet OpenVPX design principles

The Ensemble 3000 Series OpenVPX System delivers highdensity, high-performance real-time processing in a 3U form
factor, suitable for use in applications with space, weight, and
power (SWaP) limitations. Ensemble 3000 Series solutions can supply
advanced levels of computing to small sensor platforms operating
in difficult conditions.
Each system is comprised of three module types:
System controller hub (SCH)
Data-plane switch (DPS)
Payload modules, which can include processing modules, I/O
carriers, or combinations of both

FCN3110 FPGA Compute

Node Module
SCH3000 System
Controller hub Module

Scalable Processing Power

With up to ten payload modules, Ensemble 3000 Series 3U VPX
Systems can be configured with a variety of compute options
including the Xilinx Virtex-5 LX-330T FPGA, and multi-core
Power Architecture processors such as the 1.067-GHz Freescale
MPC8640D.
For multiprocessor systems like the Ensemble 3000 Series, deciding
on a processor type is not an all-or-nothing decision. A powerful
option is to partition the application across several processors of
multiple types, so that the right type of processor handles each
processing step. To put this type of design into practice, Ensemble
3000 Series systems offer a choice of high-bandwidth
communications planes to efficiently move the processing stream
from processor to processor.

Flexible, High-Performance Systems Architecture

The communications among all system components are partitioned
into five independent planes:
IPMI-based system management plane

SFM3000 Switch Fabric Module

Gigabit Ethernet control plane

HCD3200 High Compute

Density Module

High-bandwidth data plane for direct support of multi-stage

processing

CCM3010 Carrier Card Module

Sensor plane with associated sensor control-plane interface

Daisy-chain expansion plane

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The Ensemble 3000 Series SCH3000 is a critical component,

functioning as both a control-plane Ethernet switch and a
system-management-plane communications hub/controller. The
Gigabit Ethernet modules control-plane switch enables
application flexibility. This architectural approach allows
applications to support a range of control functions without
compromising or being affected by data-movement operations.

Advanced Reliability, Maintainability,

and Availability
The IPMI-based management plane communications support
a range of sophisticated functions, including voltage and
temperature monitoring.
The conduction-cooled versions of all modules, including payload
modules, offer the ability to support two-level maintenance (2LM).

The system manager function within the SCH3000 performs the

tasks accomplished in an ATCA/MicroTCA system by a carrier
management controller and a shelf manager. This comprehensive
system control uses communications over a dedicated
management plane based on the Intelligent Platform
Management Interface (IPMI) standard. Operating independently
of the control and data planes are IPMI communications lines
from the SCH3000 to the data-plane switch and the payload
modules within a 3U VPX system.

Three Styles of Data Movement

Ensemble 3000 Series 3U OpenVPX Systems offer three styles
of data-plane operations, all of which can be used concurrently.
Each application can implement the data movement style that
best fits its processing model, or use multiple styles at different
stages within complex models.
The most flexible mode of data-plane communications is via
a high-bandwidth switch fabric. The Ensemble 3000 Series
SFM3000 Data-Plane Switch provides a RapidIO data-plane
switching function for low-latency, non-blocking, deterministic
switching among eight of the ten payload slots. There is also a
point-to-point RapidIO link between the two remaining payload
slots. The channel to each module consists of 10-Gbps, fullduplex, serial RapidIO (4 x 3.125 Gbps, with 8/10 encoding).
This style of high-bandwidth, RapidIO-based inter-processor
communication is commonly used to achieve maximum throughput in applications that need to divide a single math operation, like
an FFT, among multiple processors.

Built in Accordance with OpenVPX Design

Principles
The architecture of the Ensemble 3000 Series 3U VPX
System complies with the guidelines established by the OpenVPX
Working Group. OpenVPX is an industry effort to establish
system design principles and practices for implementing the VPX
standard to ensure truly interoperable system components.

Built for Harsh Environments

Designed in compliance with VITA 46 and 48 standards
(VPX-REDI), conduction-cooled versions of the Ensemble
3000 Series 3U VPX Systems are fully capable of deployment in
harsh environments, including extreme ranges of temperature and
humidity, high levels of shock and vibration, and poor air quality. Aircooled options are available for use in less demanding environments.
Payload Slots

Switch/Management

Logical slot number

VPX
1
1

VPX
2
2

VPX
3
3

VPX
4
4

VPX
5
11

Sensor Plane
(4 lanes)

Sensor
Plane

Sensor
Plane

Sensor
Plane

Sensor
Plane

Sensor Control Plane

(4 lanes)

Discrete
I/Os

Discrete
I/Os

Discrete
I/Os

Expansion Plane
(4 lanes)

Expan
Plane

Expan
Plane

Data Plane
(4 lanes)

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Physical slot number

A second style of data movement is via a point-to-point sensor

plane. The ten payload slots within a system are organized first
into two four-slot groupings with direct, full-duplex 10-Gbps
point-to-point links (4 x 3.125 Gbps, with 8/10 encoding) in the
backplane among all members of a group. The two remaining

VPX
6
5

VPX
7
6

Payload Slots

VPX
8
12

VPX
9
7

VPX
10
8

VPX
11
9

VPX
12
10

Sensor
Plane

Sensor
Plane

Sensor
Plane

Sensor
Plane

Sensor
Plane

Sensor
Plane

Discrete
I/Os

Discrete
I/Os

Discrete
I/Os

Discrete
I/Os

Discrete
I/Os

Discrete
I/Os

Discrete
I/Os

Expan
Plane

Expan
Plane

Expan
Plane

Expan
Plane

Expan
Plane

Expan
Plane

Expan
Plane

Expan
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
Plane

Data
Switch

FPGA Clusters
and Sensor Control

OpenVPX
Control Plane
(1 lane)

Management Plane
(IPMB)

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Switch

External

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

Control
Plane

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

ChMC

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

IPMC

Figure 1. Ensemble 3000 Series 3U VPX System Topologies

payload slots are directly linked with each other in the same
manner. These links can support RapidIO, 10 Gigabit Ethernet,
or the Aurora protocol. This style of data movement delivers
maximum performance for algorithms like beamforming, which
require coherence among processors.

Specifications
Software
MultiCore Plus Software Platform
Development tools
MultiCore Plus and MathPack 1.0
Operating system support Linux
Available Modules
High compute density
Freescale MPC8640 dual-core running at 1.067 GHz
Xilinx Virtex-5 LX-330T or LX-110T
Carrier card
XMC site
Carrier card with FPGA
XMC site and Virtex-5 LX-330T
System controller hub
1 GigE control plane switch, system management hub
Data-plane switch
10-Gbps RapidIO

The third style of data movement uses the expansion plane,

linking adjacent slots with direct backplane communications in
a daisy-chain fashion using 16-Gbps PCI Express links (8 x 2.5
Gbps, with 8/10 encoding). This style fits well with applications
that bring in high-bandwidth I/O from multiple channels
simultaneously and need to move it efficiently to the first stage
of processing.

Software Environment
The Ensemble 3000 Series

supports
the
nextgeneration MultiCore Plus software environment, which
offers application portability among Mercury platforms.
MultiCore Plus incorporates open standards such as Linux and
the Eclipse IDE. The popular Mercury algorithm suite, Scientific
Algorithm Library (SAL), in both its single-core and multi-core
(MC SAL) versions, is included in the Mercury MathPack
software package.
Software Development

Internal Communications
RapidIO
One 10-Gbps full-duplex link to each payload slot
Aurora, RapidIO, 10 Gigabit Ethernet
Direct 10-Gbps full-duplex links among grouped payload slots
PCI Express
Direct 16-Gbps full-duplex links between adjacent payload slots
Gigabit Ethernet
1-Gbps full-duplex link to each payload slot
IPMI
400-Kbps I2C link to each payload slot

Target Production System

VMC

TCP/IP

ICS

Ethernet RIO

3rd-Party IDE Plug-ins

TimeStorm

OFED

FPGA Driver (FDK)

FPGA IP (FDK)

Extended OS
VxWorks BSP

RT Linux LSP

Windows - Linux

Mercury Today

Third-Party

DIAGNOSTICS

MPI

SYST. MGT. SVCS

MultiCore Debug

OpenFDK - SVE

Customer Applications

HIGH AVAILABILITY

TATL
SUPERVISOR

MultiCore MathPack

Eclipse Framework

CSN Enabling Software

12-Slot Air-Cooled Chassis

Size (excluding connectors) 7U 19-in rackmount chassis
Height
12.22 in
Width
16.45 in
Depth
17.0 in
Card cage
12 slots on 1-inch pitch
Power supplies
Two, each with 750W max output
Cooling
Forced convection (15 CFM min per slot)
~60W per slot at 50C inlet temperature

Customer IP

Figure 2. MultiCore Plus Software Tools Environment

Applications
Ensemble 3000 Series 3U OpenVPX systems have a unique blend
of high-performance real-time processing and ultra compact
packaging, making them ideal for communications, sensor, and
signal processing applications in space- and weight-constrained
deployments, such as small, unmanned air and ground vehicles.
The processing architecture and performance can accommodate
diverse payload applications including:

Air-Cooled Chassis Environmental

Temperature
Operating
0C to 50C up to 10,000 ft MSL
Storage
-40C to +100C
Humidity
3-95% relative humidity, non-condensing
Shock
MIL-S-901 (15g at 40 ms, 30g at 20 ms, 100g at 5 ms)
Vibration MIL-STD-167-1, Telcordia GR-63-CORE (NEBS)

Radar
Electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR)
Mission computing
Signals intelligence

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Some of Mercurys products are subject to the jurisdiction of the U. S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Please contact your Mercury sales representative for more information.
Ensemble and Challenges Drive Innovation are trademarks of Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. RapidIO is a registered trademark of the RapidIO Trade Association. OpenVPX is a trademark of VITA. Other
products mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Mercury Computer Systems, Inc. believes this information is accurate as of its publication date and is not responsible
for any inadvertent errors. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.
Copyright 2009 Mercury Computer Systems, Inc.

1982.02E-1209-DS-3uvpxsys

Europe
Mercury Computer Systems, Ltd.
Unit 1 - Easter Park, Benyon Road Silchester, Reading RG7 2PQ UNITED KINGDOM
+ 44 0 1189 702050 Fax + 44 0 1189 702321
Corporate Headquarters
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Chelmsford, MA 01824-2820 USA
+1 (978) 967-1401 +1 (866) 627-6951
Fax +1 (978) 256-3599
www.mc.com

Asia
Nihon Mercury Computer Systems K.K.
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+81 3 3473 0140 Fax +81 3 3473 0141

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