ADLINK Technology announced its first computer-on-module (COM) based on the latest PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group (PICMG) COM Express 3.0 specification with new Type 7 pinout, for which ADLINK lead development efforts to bring a server-grade platform and 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) capabilities to a COM form factor.
ADLINK’s Express-BD7 targets customers building space-constrained systems in industrial automation and data communication, such as virtualization, edge computing or other numerical applications, that require high density CPU cores balanced by reasonable power consumption.
The COM Express standard’s new Type 7 pinout, as compared to the Type 6 pinout, does away with all graphics support and replaces it with up to four 10GbE ports and an additional eight PCIe ports, bringing the total PCIe support to up to 32 PCIe lanes. The Type 7 pinout has been specifically tailored to leverage all the functions of low power, headless server-grade SoCs with a TDP below 65 Watts.
The Intel Xeon SoCs featured in ADLINK’s Express-BD7 support up to 16 CPU processor cores, 32 PCIe lanes, and multiple 10GbE ports. In addition, the Type 7 pinout brings out 10GBase-KR signals, meaning the carrier board designer can choose between KR-to-KR, KR-to-optical fiber or KR-to-copper. A Network Controller Sideband Interface (NC-SI) bus is also supported, allowing for Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) Board Management Controller (BMC) support on the carrier board.
ADLINK’s Express-BD7 provides up to 32GB dual channel DDR4 at 1867/2133/2400MHz ECC (dependent on SoC SKU), up to eight PCIe x1 (Gen2), two PCIe x4, one PCIe x16 (Gen3), two SATA 6 Gb/s and four USB 3.0/2.0. The module comes with a build option for an Extreme Rugged operating temperature range of -40°C to +85°C and supports ADLINK Smart Embedded Management Agent (SEMA), which enables remote management and control of distributed devices.
