Re: Target CPU selection for Real time Embedded Linux

On Thu, Dec 05, 2002 at 04:48:32PM +0530, Alexander.J@lntinfotech.com wrote:

Hi all,

We would like to build a Router software engine using Real Time Embedded
linux.

The alternatives that immediately come to Mind are:

- Xilinx Virtex II Pro with Linux (Linux port posted 2 months ago and on ftp.mind.be)
- Intel IXP425 with Linux (Linux port expected Jan 2003)

I believe both those chips where targeted specifically to build
high-end, modern one-chip routing solutions. They have high speed
connections on them.

What is the bandwidth and number of interfaces you are targeting ?

In this process, we need to freeze the target CPU. Could anyone help me in
this regard?

In the telecom sector PowerPC is the standard (the optimized power consumption
of the ARM family is less relevant in switches; and PowerPC is high-performant).

XScale (ARM derived) is also a new performant platform that is available at
high frequencies in certain chips (80200 e.g.). Typical operation frequencies
of PowerPC405 and XScale in both chips are 300 MHz I believe.

Please note that the use of the FPGA created some very spectacular possibities,
such as the idea to build-in a wirespeed firewall in the FPGA logic, where you
could reprogram the rules through a reconfiguration of the FPGA filters (this
is not a SW firewall, but it is still reprogrammable).

Peter

Thanks
Alex

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- Xilinx Virtex II Pro with Linux (Linux port posted 2 months ago and on ftp.mind.be)

The Xilinx Virtex-II Pro FPGA is supported and developed as part of the
linuxppc_2_4_devel tree. The drivers for the various peripherals are implemented by
Xilinx. Integration work into the Linux kernel is done and support is available from
MontaVista.

- Peter



FYI:
Virtex-II Pro:
http://www.xilinx.com/xlnx/xil_prodcat_landingpage.jsp?title=Virtex-II+Pro+FPGAs
Linux running on the Virtex-II Pro based ML300 board: http://www.xilinx.com/ml300


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Hi Folks,

I do not have a NVRAM or EEPROM on my board (PPC405
based). I see that during the linux booting, it is
trying to read bd_t info from EEPROM and failing. Is
there an alternative to this problem? Can i hardcode
the stuff in decompress_kernel method and go ahead?

thanks,
Prakash


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