HIPPI-830 Mercury Computer Systems VME64 / RACEway HIPPI Interface

The Mercury Computing Systems / Myriad Logic HIPPI-830 is a high performance single-board HIPPI adapter for VME and RACEway systems. Optimized for real-time applications requiring high bandwidth and low latency, the HIPPI-830 provides ANSI X3T9.3 compliant, point-to-point, dual simplex channels compatible with a wide variety of high performance workstations, supercomputers, and mass storage devices.

The HIPPI-830 supplies a full-featured VME64 master/slave interface (implemented with the Cypress VIC64), capable of sustaining 45 MB/second transfers in VME64 BLT mode. Equipped with an optional MLR-1470 RACEway module, the HIPPI-830 also provides RACEway master/slave capability, sustaining 95 MB/second transfers between RACEway memory and other HIPPI devices. The MLR-1470 mates flush to the HIPPI-830 base-board without requiring additional slots in the VME chassis. Support for the MLR-1470 is fully integrated into the HIPPI-830 standard firmware packages.

A comprehensive suite of standard firmware operates on an on-board 33 MHz 68030, providing an efficient control interface for a VME host processor. The host interface is implemented entirely with data structures which reside in VME-addressable memory on the HIPPI-830. Separate command and response data structures are provided for both HIPPI Source and Destination channels. The VME host can chain up to 31 commands, allowing the HIPPI-830 to autonomously transfer data between several areas in VME memory and the HIPPI channel. The data structures also allow the user to specify independent signalling mechanisms for normal and abnormal completion of each command. The HIPPI framing protocol is also supported by the standard firmware.

The software architecture brings major benefits to our users. First, the HIPPI-830 can set up DMAs, control the HIPPI channel, and transfer data without direct involvement by the host CPU (with its inherent operating system overhead). Second, unique host-based drivers are not required. As long as the host can access the HIPPI-830 data structures via VME addressing, it can control HIPPI data transfers. In addition, the HIPPI-830 is 100% software compatible with Myriad HIPPI-1830 serial HIPPI interface, enabling simple upgrade from electrical to fiber optic data transmission.