VITA Standards Update (February 2006)
Editor’s note: At the time this was written, the last VSO meeting was held in November 2005. By the time you read this, the January meeting will also have been held. – Ed.
VSO ANSI accreditation
Accredited as a Standards Development Organization (SDO) in June 1993 by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the VITA Standards Organization (VSO) meets every two months to address vital embedded bus and board industry standards issues. Information on ANSI/VITA standards is available on the VITA website.
VSO study and working group activities
Standards within the VSO may be initiated by a study group and developed by a working group. A study group requires the sponsorship of only one VSO member and is used to build interest in a standard. A working group requires the sponsorship of at least three VITA members, and the proposed work must fit within the defined scope of VITA’s accreditation with ANSI.
VITA 17.2 – 10 Gbit Serial FPDP
Objective
Develop a standard for 10 Gbit data transfer on Serial Front Panel Data Port (SFPDP).
Status
The working group held a teleconference in December and decided to focus on three clock rates: 2.5, 3.125, and 4.25 Gbps. The group is also investigating the compatibility issues between 17.2 and XAUI.
VITA 41 – VME Switched Serial (VXS)
Objective
Provide enhancements to the VME framework to facilitate the use of serial fabrics.
Status
ANSI ballots for VITA 41.0, 41.1, and 41.2 have been completed and the results of the ballot are being reviewed by the working group.
VITA 42 – Switched Mezzanine Card (XMC)
Objective
Extend PMC to include serial fabrics.
Status
VITA 42.0 has been issued as a draft standard for trial use for an 18-month period. VITA 42.1, 42.2, and 42.3 have completed ANSI ballots and the results are being reviewed by the working group.
VITA 46 – VPX
Objective
Develop a 3U/6U 160 mm deep Eurocard module with a high-performance connector capable of supporting both parallel and serial fabrics.
Status
Working group ballots for VITA 46.0 and 46.1 were completed in December. The working group is reviewing the results of these ballots.
VITA 48 – Ruggedized Enhanced Design Implementation (REDI)
Objective
Define a general mechanical design implementation for circuit card assemblies that will enhance both their thermal performance and structural integrity.
Status
Both 48.0 and 48.1 have been revised and have been submitted to working group ballots.
VITA 55 – Aurora
Objective
Develop a standard method for implementing Aurora in VITA standards.
Status
An initial draft has been written and is being reviewed by the working group.
VITA 56 – Embedded Platform Management Architecture (EPMA)
Objective
Develop a standard for a front insertable/removable mezzanine card.
Status
The working group started having teleconferences in December and is in the early stages of draft development. Issues being discussed include connector requirements and preferred form factors.
John Rynearson is technical director of VITA. Previously, he founded Rystar, Inc., specializing in VMEbus training, and was one of the founders of Mizar, Inc., an early VMEbus company.