GE PEX431 Data Sheet
GE
Intelligent Platforms
PEX431
Multi-Fabric Switch and XMC Carrier Card
PCIe Features
• Up to six x4 PCIe Gen 2.0 ports via
non-blocking switch
• Non-transparent bridging mode for
multi-host systems
Ethernet Features
• Up to nine ports Gigabit Ethernet
Switch (unmanaged)
Build Options Include:
– Up to 8x 1000BASE-BX with 1x 1000BaseT
– Up to 6x 1000BASE-BX with 2x 1000BaseT
– Not available with XMC option
Mezzanine Features
• Supports XMC Modules
• Mezzanine I/O routed to VPX backplane
• XMC IO via J16 (x24s+x8d+x12d)
Or via J14 (x64s)
• Not available with Ethernet switching option
The PEX431 Multi-Fabric Switch and XMC
Carrier Card allow designers to build complex
VPX systems with multiple single board
computers and multiple I/O modules. PEX431
supports PCIe switching, GigE switching or
the ability to host a XMC mezzanine.
The PCI Express switch of the PEX431 allows
up to six ports of 4-lane PCI Express to be
connected to a non-blocking line-speed
switch, such that a scalable, complex system
architecture can be created. In order to
support systems requiring interconnection of
more than six hosts, multiple PEX431 boards
may be daisy-chained together.
The PCIe switch supports non-transparent
bridging mode, allowing multiple
intelligent hosts to be connected together.
Non-transparent bridges allow systems
to isolate memory domains by presenting
the processor subsystem as an endpoint,
rather than another memory system. To
facilitate inter-processor communication,
base address registers (BARs) are used to
translate addresses, doorbell registers are
used to transmit interrupts between the
address domains, and scratchpad registers
are accessible from both address domains.
The PCIe switch also supports transparent
bridging mode in order to expand the I/O
capability of the VPX single board computers.
The PEX431 can be configured to carry an
XMC card, with eight lanes of PCI Express
routed from the PCI Express switch to the
mezzanine size.
For mezzanines that require maximum
bandwidth, the PEX431 can be configured
for 8-lane PCI Express at the VPX backplane
connector. 64 bits of XMC I/O are routed to
the VPX backplane connector.
Additionally, PEX431 has an unmanaged,
Layer 2 Gigabit Ethernet Switch that offers
up to nine ports, of which up to eight can
be in 1000BASE-BX and up to two can be
in 1000BASE-T.
From a software perspective, each PCI
Express port is a virtual PCI-to-PCI bridge
device, with its own set of PCI Express
configuration registers. The host can
configure the other ports by way of the
upstream port, using conventional PCI
enumeration. The virtual PCI-to-PCI bridges
within the PEX431 are compliant with the
PCI and PCI Express system models.
PEX431 - Multi-Fabric Switch and XMC Carrier Card
Specifications
PCI Express
• Up to 6 ports x4 PCIe Gen 2.0, in
accordance with VITA 46.4 (4 ports if mezzanine is
supported)
• Firmware configurable for x8 operation from XMC site
to backplane
Ethernet (unmanaged)
• 1000BaseBX and 1000BaseT switching in following
combinations
– 8 x 1000BASE-BX plus 1 x 1000BaseT or
– 6 x 1000BASE-BX plus 2 x 1000BaseT
• Not available with XMC option
Mezzanine I/O
• 64 bits routed from mezzanine I/O connector to VPX
backplane.
• Note: selection of XMC I/O via J14 (PMC style
connector) or J16 (XMC style connector) is a factory
build option
• XMC Mezzanine interface
• In accordance with VITA 46.9
• Routing from mezzanine I/O connector to the VPX
backplane connector is a factory-build option.
• Not available with Ethernet Switching option
VPX Switch Module Profiles Supported
• Primary: MOD3-SWH-6F8U-16.4.10-2
• Secondary: MOD3-SWH-6F6U-16.4.1-3
• Mezzanine: MOD3-SWH-4F-16.4.5-2
Block Diagram
GigE
Switch
XMC IO via J14 or J16
1000BaseT
6x 1000Base-BX or 1X
J14
J16
OR
1x 1000BaseT
8x 1000Base-BX
(16MB
NOR)
DDR2
128mx8
x4 PCIe
SPI
x4 PCIe
RJ45
J15
X8 PCIe
PCIe Switch
x4 PCIe
x4 PCIe
x4 PCIe
BMM
x4 PCIe
OR
P2
OR
P0P1
About GE Intelligent Platforms
GE Intelligent Platforms is a General Electric (NYSE: GE) company, headquartered in Charlottesville, VA and
part of GE Energy Management. The company’s Military/Aerospace business, headquartered in Huntsville,
AL, and Towcester, England, provides one of the industry’s broadest ranges of high performance, rugged,
SWaP-optimized embedded computing platforms. Backed by programs that provide responsive customer
support and minimize long term cost of ownership for multi-year programs, GE’s solutions are designed to
help customers minimize program risk and cost, and to speed time-to-market . For more information, visit
defense.ge-ip.com.
GE Intelligent Platforms Contact Information
Americas: 1 800 433 2682 or 1 434 978 5100
Global regional phone numbers are listed by location on our web site at defense.ge-ip.com/contact
defense.ge-ip.com
©2014 General Electric Company. All Rights Reserved. PCI Express is a registered trademark, and
PCI is a trademark , of PCI-SIG. All other brands, names or trademarks are property of their respective owners. Specifications are subject to change without notice.
07.14 GFA-1979
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