Advanced Mezzanine Cars (AMCs)

• AMC Cards
• CEN-RL20
• CEN-RL20-CAVM
• Switch Card

CorEdge Networks is an early adopter and developer of Advanced Mezzanine Card (AMC) products for use in both ATCA carrier platforms and MicroTCA systems. Using AMCs as the primary functional building block for next-generation systems, developers can deploy platforms that scale from low to high end requirements without adding significant infrastructure costs. For example, two or three AMCs in CorEdge Networks’ PicoTCA platforms might be sufficient for a customer premise application. By taking more of these same AMCs and installing them into carrier cards in a full 14-slot ATCA system, a central office solution can be realized.

CorEdge Networks has focused its AMC efforts on developing high performance, configurable, and flexible solutions. By using an FPGA as the interface to the AMC connector, a module has the flexibility to support the various fabric configurations outlined in the AMC subsidiary specifications. Daughter cards attached to the base AMC module enable different front panel interface, processing, and I/O options. In many systems, off-the-shelf solutions provide 80% of the final solution. Developing a custom AMC to meet the remaining system requirements is not only time consuming, but expensive. CorEdge’s programmable AMCs were developed to bridge this gap by providing a low cost, flexible architecture that can be delivered to market quickly.

In 2005, CorEdge Networks introduced the CEN-RL10™, the industry’s first 10Gbps capable AMC reprogrammable line card using a Xilinx Virtex-2 FPGA.  At NXTComm in June 2007, CorEdge Networks introduced the CEN-RL20™ using a Xilinx Virtex-5 LXT FPGA and capable of operating at 20Gbps line rates.  The CEN-RL20™ provides unsurpassed flexibility and can be used to enable many types of processing or I/O solutions including RF interfaces, GPON interfaces, and security packet inspection. The RL20 is available in two types of packaging options. A customer can program the RL20 with their specific FPGA IP or work with one of several variants using CorEdge Networks’ patent-pending BitStream technology. With BitStream processing, low latency, 10Gbps wire speed packet inspection, bridging, or processing solutions are available.

In addition to the RL20, CorEdge Networks also developed a 4-port, 80Gbps AMC Switch Card (CEN-RS80™). This can be used in combination with CorEdge’s CEN-RC2™ ATCA Carrier Card in order to provide local high speed switching or potentially in a small mesh MicroTCA implementation.

In addition to its programmable solutions, CorEdge provides AMC filler boards for ACTA carrier or MicroTCA applications. All the AMCs use CorEdge’s AMC-compliant mechanical components which have passed NEBS4 shock and vibration test requirements.