Xilinx Alveo Programming Cable User Manual

Alveo Programming Cable User Guide
UG1377 (v2019.1) September 17, 2019

Revision History

Revision Summary
No technical content updates.
08/30/2019 Version 2019.1
Provided a general overview of the card.
Provided names of the supported cards and links to each
Updated Figure 1.
Updated Tables 1-4.
Updated Figures 2-7.
Revised steps to set up ribbon cable.
Added section “Connecting Alveo Programming Module to the Card”
Described how to connect and program the card.
Added physical descriptions of the board..
Edited for grammar and mechanics.
06/21/2019 Version 2019.1
N/A
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The following table shows the revision history for this document.
09/17/2019 Version 2019.1
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Table of Contents

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Revision History .......................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Overview ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Chapter 2: Board Overview ......................................................................................................................................................... 5
Preventing ESD Damage ......................................................................................................................................................... 6
Board Component Descriptions ........................................................................................................................................... 6
Chapter 3: Setting Up the System with the Programming Cable ................................................................................. 8
Connecting the Ribbon Cable ............................................................................................................................................... 8
Disconnecting the Ribbon Cable ....................................................................................................................................... 10
Connecting Alveo Programming Module to Card ...................................................................................................... 10
Chapter 4: Programming the Alveo Card ........................................................................................................................... 12
Appendix A: Board Specifications ......................................................................................................................................... 15
Dimensions (Square Form-Factor) .................................................................................................................................... 15
Environmental .......................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Humidity ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 15
Legal Notices
Please Read: Important Legal Notices ............................................................................................................................ 16
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Chapter 1: Introduction
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Overview

The Alveo™ Programming Cable provides development access for debug-port enabled Alveo Cards allowing the card to be programmed. The Alveo programming cable consists of a programming module, ribbon cable and USB cable. Debug-port enabled Alveo cards have a 2x15-pin connector, which connects to the programming module via the ribbon cable. The programming module connects to the host computer via micro-USB, which also provides power. This setup is shown in Figure 7.
The following cards include a debug-port and support the Alveo Programming Cable:
U50/U50DD
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Chapter 2: Board Overview
Call-Out No.
Interface
Description
1
2x15-pin debug connector
Provides connection between the programming module and Alveo card. Used for programming the FPGA.
2
Micro USB Connector Port 1
Provides connection between host system, with Vivado installed, and the programming module. Used for programming the Alveo card.
3
Unused
Used exclusively by Xilinx for manufacturing. Unused for development tool flows.
IMPORTANT: While there are additional interfaces on the board, these will not be accessible on the housed version of the DMC. Figure 1 is for visual reference only and might not reflect the current revision of the board. There could be multiple revisions of this board. The specific details concerning the differences between revisions are not captured in this document .
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The Alveo™ programming module, along with a callout of the available interfaces, is shown in the following figure. The description of each call-out is given in the table below with additional information provided in Board Component Descriptions in Chapter 2.
Table 1: Alveo Programming Module Interface Descriptions
Figure 1: Alveo Programming Module Interface Locations
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Preventing ESD Damage

CAUTION! ESD can damage electronic components when they are improperly handled and can result in total or intermittent failures. Always follow ESD-prevention procedures when removing and replacing components.
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In order to preserve the integrity of the components, follow the recommendations listed below:
Use an ESD wrist or ankle strap and ensure that it makes skin contact. Connect the equipment end of the strap to an unpainted metal surface on the chassis.
Avoid touching the adapter against your clothing. The wrist strap protects components from ESD on the body only.
Handle the adapter by its bracket or edges only. Avoid touching the printed circuit board or the connectors.
Put the adapter down only on an antistatic surface such as the bag supplied in your kit.
If you are returning the adapter to Xilinx Product Support, place it back in its antistatic bag
immediately.

Board Component Descriptions

Debug Header for Main Board Interconnection

The programming module is populated with a 2x15-pin debug connector (Callout 1 in Figure 1) which connects to the Alveo card via a ribbon cable.
2x15 Connector Details:
Manufacturer: SAMTEC
Part Number: FTSH-115-01-F-D-RA-K
Description: CONN HEADER R/A 30POS 1.27MM
Connector debug header pin definitions are given in Table 2.

Micro USB Connectors

The programming module has two micro-USB connectors (Callouts 2 and 3 in Figure 1), one for each FT4232 USB to multi-protocol converter. Connect the external micro-USB cable from the host to the Micro-USB Connector 1 (Callout 2 in Figure 1). Micro-USB Connector 2 should be left unused (Callout 3 in Figure 1).
Pin description of the micro-USB connector is provided in Table 2.
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Table 2: Micro USB Connectors
Pin No.
Signal Name
Functionality
1
USB_VBUS
USB Power
2
USB_DN
USB Differential data -
3
USB_DP
USB Differential data +
4
USB_ID
USB ID
5
GND
Ground
6
GND
Shield Ground
7
GND
8
GND
9
GND
10
GND
11
GND
Item
No.
Quantity/
Board
Description
MANF
MANF_P/N
Remarks
1
1
Ribbon Cables / IDC Cables .050" Tiger Eye IDC Ribbon Cable Assembly, 1.27 mm, 30 Position, 6" length, Female to Female
Samtec
FFSD-15-D-
06.00-01-N
Connection between
programming module and Alveo card connector.
2
1
CABLE USB-A TO MICRO USB-B 2M
Assmann
AK67421-2-R
Connection between programming module and external device (ie. host computer)
Item
Number
Tool/Test
Utility
Manufacturer/Vendor
Version
Remarks
1
Vivado® Design Suite
Xilinx
2019.1 or later
For Xilinx FPGA - JTAG programming
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Programming Cable

The required cables for the programming module are listed in Table 3.
Table 3: Maintenance Board Accessories

Tools

Table 4 lists the Xilinx tools to access the FPGA via the Alveo Programming Module.
Table 4: Test Tools/Utility
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Chapter 3: Setting Up the System with the Programming Cable
IMPORTANT: The ribbon length you use can vary depending on your system setup. For ribbon
cable length greater than 5”, it is necessary to reduce the JTAG transfer frequency used by Vivado® hardware manager from 15 MHz to 10 MHz when programming the card. Complete details are given in Chapter 4.
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Connecting the Ribbon Cable

A 2x15 ribbon cable, as specified in Chapter 2, is required to connect between the Alveo card and the programming module. When connecting the ribbon, ensure to align the cable key with the spacing on the maintenance connector. The cable key is shown in the following image:
Figure 2: Ribbon Cable Key
Debug-port enabled Alveo cards have a 2x15-pin maintenance connector that attaches to the corresponding connector on the programming module via the ribbon cable. As an example, the 2x15­pin maintenance connector debug connector port for the Alveo U50 is shown below and the corresponding connector on the programming module is shown in Figure 3.
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Figure 3: Connecting Ribbon Cable to Debug Connector
IMPORTANT: Do not apply excessive force when connecting the ribbon cable as the connector pins can be damaged or bent.
CAUTION! When installing or removing the ribbon cable, ensure the power is disconnected on the Alveo card, host and server computers. Ensure proper ESD protection is followed. Refer to Preventing ESD Damage for guidelines.
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Figure 4: Aligning Ribbon Cable to Alveo Maintenance Connector Port
When attaching the cable, apply gentle pressure and ensure the cable has a tight connection.
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Disconnecting the Ribbon Cable

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When removing the ribbon from either the Alveo card or programming cable, firmly hold the ribbon connector and pull the cable out in a straight line. Twisting or rotating the connector will damage the connector pins on the Alveo card or programming module.

Connecting Alveo Programming Module to Card

This section provides the programming module connection to Alveo card procedures. Depending on your system setup, the following installation steps may differ. A 15” cable is used in the following example. Two adjacent PCI slots are necessary: one for the Alveo card and the other for ribbon cable access.
1. Before installing the Alveo card, connect one end of the ribbon cable to the 2x15-pin maintenance port on the Alveo card following the instructions outlined in Connecting the Ribbon Cable.
2. Power off the server and Install the Alveo card in the server. See the Alveo U50 Data Center Accelerator Card Installation Guide (UG1370) for Alveo card installation steps.
3. When the card is installed, guide the ribbon cable through the adjacent PCI slot, providing enough length to attach to the Alveo Programming Module.
4. Attach the second end of the ribbon cable to the maintenance connector on the Alveo Programming Module following the instructions outlined in Connecting the Ribbon Cable. The following figures show the subsequent setup from a top and side view.
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Figure 5: Installed Alveo Card Connected to Alveo Programming Module – Top View
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Figure 6: Installed Alveo Card Connected to Alveo Programming Module – Side View
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5. Replace the server cover.
6. Attach the micro-USB cable to USB Port 1 of the Alveo Programming Module. An image of both the ribbon (on the left side) and USB connected (on the right side) is shown below.
Figure 7: Alveo Programming Module with Ribbon and USB Cables Connected
7. Guide the other end of the micro-USB cable to a location that is accessible by the host
The Alveo Programming Module is successfully installed and the server can now be powered on.
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computer/laptop with Vivado installed.
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Chapter 4: Programming the Alveo Card
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If you are using the SDAccel flow, the Alveo U50 Data Center Accelerator Card Installation Guide (UG1370) provides the software installation instructions including programming the shell to the Alveo card. Traditional RTL-flow Alveo cards, enabled with the 2x15-maintenance port, can be programmed using the Alveo Programming Module and the Vivado® hardware manager application.
To use this flow:
Vivado hardware manager must be installed on your host machine or laptop.
Alveo card must be installed (see Connecting Alveo Programming Module to Card) and the
server powered on.
DMC connected as described in Connecting Alveo Programming Module to Card.
To connect and program the Alveo card using the Vivado hardware manager:
1. Attach the free end of the USB cable (coming from the Alveo Programming Module) to the host computer; thus connecting the module and host computer.
2. Start Vivado on the host computer
3. Open the hardware manager by selecting Flow Navigator > Open Hardware Manager.
4. Select Tools > Auto Connect to open the target.
This will open a similar window as shown below. In this example, an Alveo U50 is connected.
Figure 8: Vivado Hardware Manager Auto-Connect
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When using greater than a 5long ribbon cable, it is necessary to change the JTAG transfer frequency
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from 15 MHz to 10 MHz. This lower frequency ensures proper signal integrity and ensures successful programming. To change JTAG transfer frequency to 10 MHz, run the following Tcl command in the hardware manager command line as shown in the below image:
set_property PARAM.FREQUENCY 1000000 [current_hw_target]
Figure 9: Changing JTAG Transfer Frequency via TCL Command
5. Choose the memory configuration part on the card.
a. Right click on target opened in this example xcu50_0, and select Add Configuration Memory
Device.
b. Select the memory associated with the card installed and click OK as shown below. For this
example, mt25qu01g-spi-x1_x2_x4 was selected.
c. When you are prompted to program the configuration memory device, click OK.
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Figure 10: Select Memory Device
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6. Select the desired .mcs file.
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7. In the Address Range drop-down list, select Entire Configuration Memory Device.
8. Click OK.
Figure 11: Program Configuration Memory
9. Disconnect the card in the Vivado hardware manager.
10. Disconnect the USB cable from your host computer.
11. Power-cycle the card. The card will now be updated.
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Appendix A: Board Specifications
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Dimensions (Square Form-Factor)

Height: 2.5 inch (6.35 cm)
Length: 2.5 inch (6.35 cm)
Thickness (±5%): 0.062 inch (0.1574 cm)

Environmental

Temperature for U200 and U280
Operating: 0°C to +55°C, Storage: -40°C to +75°C

Humidity

10% to 90% non-condensing
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Legal Notices

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Please Read: Important Legal Notices

The information disclosed to you hereunder (the “Materials”) is provided solely for the selection and use of Xilinx products. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law: (1) Materials are made available "AS IS" and with all faults, Xilinx hereby DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT, OR FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE; and (2) Xilinx shall not be liable (whether in contract or tort, including negligence, or under any other theory of liability) for any loss or damage of any kind or nature related to, arising under, or in connection with, the Materials (including your use of the Materials), including for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential loss or damage (including loss of data, profits, goodwill, or any type of loss or damage suffered as a result of any action brought by a third party) even if such damage or loss was reasonably foreseeable or Xilinx had been advised of the possibility of the same. Xilinx assumes no obligation to correct any errors contained in the Materials or to notify you of updates to the Materials or to product specifications. You may not reproduce, modify, distribute, or publicly display the Materials without prior written consent. Certain products are subject to the terms and conditions of Xilinx’s limited warranty, please refer to Xilinx’s Terms of Sale which can be viewed at https://www.xilinx.com/legal.htm#tos; IP cores may be subject to warranty and support terms contained in a license issued to you by Xilinx. Xilinx products are not designed or intended to be fail-safe or for use in any application requiring fail-safe performance; you assume sole risk and liability for use of Xilinx products in such critical
applications, please refer to Xilinx’s Terms of Sale which can be viewed at https://www.xilinx.com/legal.htm#tos.
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