StarVX

What is StarVX?

Kontron’s StarVX™ is a High Performance Embedded Computer (HPEC) system that brings supercomputing I/O bandwidth and performance, previously only achieved in IT datacenters, to the harsh military environment.

Based only on mainstream IT technology (TCP/IP, PCIe, Intel® Processors) for greater platform support and assured longevity, the 3U VPX-based Kontron StarVX enables military systems developers to drastically reduce the process from design to field deployment of radar, sonar, autonomous vehicles and other 3D reconstruction-based systems.

Co-developed with PLX Technology, the Kontron StarVX integrates 3rd generation Intel® Core™ processors that provide sustained 16 gigabytes per second (GB/s) speeds to/from the memory subsystem, while the Kontron 3U VPX platform architecture provides up to 6GB/s sustained bandwidth on the data plane through TCP/IP and 4GB/s on the PCIe backplane thanks to Kontron VXFabric™. The result is an application-ready platform that delivers up to ten times more I/O data bandwidth that can even enhance existing TCP/IP-based unmodified applications.

What Sets it Apart?

What sets the Kontron platform apart is the use of PCIe 3.0 to deliver 40GbE equivalent data transfer rates using common TCP/IP protocols. The combination of PCIe 3.0 and TCP/IP is achieved through Kontron’s VXFabric* middleware, which implements the TCP/IP protocol over the PCIe infrastructure to boost transmission bandwidth to nearly 40 GbE speeds. This allows the I/O data bandwidth to match up nicely with the capabilities of 3rd generation Intel Core i7 processors on the VPX blades while running a well established transfer protocol, minimizing software impact during system development, and enabling the quick transfer of legacy applications to the new platform with little or no modification. This technology makes it easier to fully utilize the processing potential of the 3rd generation Intel Core i7. Routing of the PCIe fabric is provided by the Kontron VX3906, one of the industry’s first PCIe 3.0 VPX switches. This switch roughly doubles the per-lane throughput compared to PCIe 2.0, providing a major performance boost.

With VXFabric, the use of standard communication protocols, TCP/IP or UDP/IP, based on the socket API protects the application software investment. Legacy software can operate now and new software based on TCP/IP is ensured to be supported for years to come. OEMs and developers can enjoy an optimized total cost of ownership (TCO) and have a direct migration path from their existing application deploying today. VXFabric addresses all fast and low latency peer-to peer inter computer node communication within a chassis. VXFabric can deliver up to 4.2 gigabytes per second (GB/s) (over PCI Express) in data throughput between VPX boards in a rack