RSC# @ www.embedded-computing.com/rsc RSC# @ www.embedded-computing.com/rsc www.embedded-computing.com VOLUME 4 • NUMBER 6 A U G U S T 2 0 0 6 COLUMNS RESOURCE GUIDE 7 Editor’s Foreword Federation of Associations 27 Middleware: The last roadblock to distributed By Jerry Gipper systems development By Dr. Stan Schneider, RTI 8 Embedded Perspective Ab fabless deals 29 BIOS, firmware, middleware By Don Dingee 33 FPGAs, reconfigurable computing 10 Embedded Technology in Europe Embedded devices for those with disabilities By Hermann Strass 52 High-performance computing 14 Eclipse Perspective and News ALF and 10 questions every QA team should ask 61 Why automate testing? By Tracy Ragan By Kingston Duffie, Fanfare 63 Integrated development environment FEATURES 67 Intellectual Property cores SPECIAL: Custom solutions and short design cycles 17 Customization for the masses 70 Mezzanine cards By Jerry Gipper PCI Express: Software/Firmware 84 Microprocessors, microcontrollers 23 Advanced functional verification and debug of PCI Express-based designs By Chris Browy, Avery Design Systems 89 Improving code migration and reuse By Robert Day, LynuxWorks DEPARTMENTS 94 Operating systems – embedded 30, 138 Editor’s Choice Products 102 Packaging By Jerry Gipper 105 Techniques to shrink embedded system E-CASTS design cycles RapidIO System Architecture: What Designers Need to Know By Rodger H. Hosking, Pentek August 24, 2 p.m. EST 108 Single board computers and blades www.opensystems-publishing.com/ecast OpenSystems 137 Storage solutions E-LETTER Publishing™ August: www.embedded-computing.com/eletter 143 It’s all just plumbing, isn’t it? Mobile phone security – in your face OpenSystems By Victor Menasce, AMCC By Seiji Inoue, Oki Electric Publishing™ 148 Switch network fabrics 153 System-on-Chip (SoC) Published by: OpenSystems OpenSystems 157 Using assertions to track functional coverage Publishing™Publishing™ By Kelly D. Larson, Analog Devices © 2006 Embedded Computing Design 160 Test and Analysis All registered brands and trademarks within Embedded Computing Design are property of their respective owners. // AugustAugust 20062006 Embedded Computing Design Resource Guide EVENTS VoIP Developer Conference August 8-10 • Hyatt Regency, Santa Clara, CA www.tmcnet.com/voipdeveloper/ A N O PEN S Y S TEM S P UBLIC A TI O N ESC Boston September 25-28 • Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA Embedded and Test & Analysis Group www.embedded.com/esc/boston/ n Embedded Computing Design n Embedded Computing Design E-letter n Embedded Computing Design Resource Guide n Industrial Embedded Systems WEB RESOURCES n Industrial Embedded Systems E-letter Subscribe to the magazine or E-letter: n Industrial Embedded Systems Resource Guide www.opensystems-publishing.com/subscriptions n PXI, Test & Technology Industry news: n PXI, Test & Technology E-letter Read: www.embedded-computing.com/news n PXI, Test & Technology Resource Guide Submit: www.opensystems-publishing.com/news/submit Editorial Director Jerry Gipper Submit new products: [email protected] www.opensystems-publishing.com/vendors/submissions/np Contributing Editor Don Dingee Technical Editor Chad Lumsden [email protected] Associate Editor Jennifer Hesse [email protected] Europ­ean Rep­resentative Hermann Strass [email protected] Sp­ecial Projects Editor Bob Stasonis Senior Designer Joann Toth Senior Web Develop­er Konrad Witte Grap­hic Sp­ecialist David Diomede OpenSystems Upcoming E-casts: FALL 2006 Circulation/Office Publishing™ Manager Phyllis Thompson [email protected] RapidIO System Architecture: What Designers Need to Know Presenters: RapidIO Trade Association, IDT, Inc., OpenSystems Mercury Computer Systems, Tundra, and Freescale Publishing™OpenSystems Publishing Moderator: Chris A. 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For others inside the US and Canada, subscriptions are 62 Technobox – Adapters and Tools $56/year. For 1st class delivery outside the US and Canada, subscriptions are 19 Technologic Systems – 200 MHz CPU $80/year (advance payment in US funds required). 101 Themis Comp­uter – SPARC SBCs 156 TMC – Internet Telephony Conference and Expo Canada: Publication agreement number 40048627 68 Toronto MicroElectronics – ECM401 Return address: WDS, Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 615 92 Toronto MicroElectronics – Embedded Computer Solutions 144 Toronto MicroElectronics – Micro-P3 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Embedded Computing Design 145 Tri-M Systems – Evalue, Tri-M, Connect Tech 16872 E. Avenue of the Fountains, Ste 203, Fountain Hills, AZ 85268 91 Tri-M Systems – 100 MHz PC/104 Module 163 Ultimate Solutions – JTAG Target Debugger 88 VersaLogic – Product Customization 147 VMETRO – Vanguard Express Analyzer 3 WinSystems – PC/104 Embedded Modules / August 2006 Embedded Computing Design Resource Guide Federation Associations Jerry Gipper his month we’re spotlighting customization of embedded Some organizations have begun doing this. SCOPE Alliance, computing designs, a trend based on various degrees www.scope-alliance.org, is an association of network equipment of product modularity. The special feature on page 17 providers aimed at accelerating the deployment of carrier grade analyzes each type of modularity a design team should base platforms for service provider applications. In this case, consider when designing a product. The modularity stra- equipment providers are defining technical profiles that reflect the Ttegy chosen determines the degree of customization possible. technical requirements regarding interfaces and building blocks to form a carrier grade base platform that meets service providers’ Successful modularity demands module standards. Without stan- requirements. SCOPE works with existing standards-focused dards, modules are not compatible and interchangeable enough to organizations to level their work in the profiles and identifies make the strategy work. Standards must be broadly accepted to gaps that need additional specifications work. For the scoop maximize the options a consumer can choose from to enable the on SCOPE, check out the E-cast entitled “Working Together to desired level of product or service customization. Drive a Mainstream Market for Open Industry-standards-based Communications Platforms” at www.opensystems-publishing. The embedded computing industry has a cornucopia of standards, com/ecast. many of which have been very successful. Some examples include VMEbus, PCI bus, PMCs, Ethernet, SCSI, RS-232, and so on. Others started out proprietary and have become de facto standards simply through great market acceptance; for example, the Intel Establishing sets of specifications or architecture and Windows. As technology evolves, more standards will appear to facilitate the acceptance of advancing technology. profiles with high degrees of inter- Many organizations, alliances, and associations have formed operability (leading to larger consumer through the years to address the need for standards in embedded computing. Most of these are established to rally around some acceptance)