VPX has inspired the VME industry with its small form factor and extreme ruggedness, even serving as the catalyst for the OpenVPX (VITA 65) movement. But one thing that has been less than inspiring with VPX – or at least proven itself quite a challenge – is that of testing VPX designs. However, Elma Bustronic Corporation’s 2-slot Test Backplane aims to thwart these VPX testing snafus. And, of course, the method depends on the challenge at hand.
One VPX testing challenge occurs because VPX cards are typically developed with an RTM that cannot access J1 fabric signals, meaning that engineers can’t test J1 fabric signals at the same time the RTM module is accessing I/O signals. However, the 2-slot Test Backplane enables access to and connection with primary J1 signals without having to sacrifice simultaneous RTM use. Secondly, it has typically been necessary to design custom backplanes to connect fabric signals amongst multiple VPX blades heretofore; however, the 2-slot Test Backplane enables users to connect at least two blades prior to investing in a custom backplane. Larger chassis designs can also benefit, as it is feasible to connect all the J1 primary fabric into any desired serial topology. And a bonus capability: It can be used to test both 3U and 6U VPX designs.
