Field Programmable Port Extender (FPX) 1 Software Tools for the Field Programmable Port Extender (FPX) Todd Sproull Washington University, Applied Research Lab January 11, 2001 Supported by: NSF ANI and Xilinx Inc.

Field Programmable Port Extender (FPX) 2 Controlling the FPX Methods of Communication - Fpx_control - Telnet - Web Interface / CGI - Basic_send - User Applications Emulation –Nid_listener –Rad_listener Software Plug-ins - Concepts - Functionality Basic Send CGI Fip Memory Manager Access WEBBasic Telnet Send NID RAD 0.0 Gigabit Switch OC-3 Link fpx_control 7.1 Software Controller Fip Remote Applications VCI 76 (NID), VCI 100 (RAD) VCI 115 (NID), VCI 123 (RAD) (up to 32 VCIs) Read Washington University RAD fpx_control

Field Programmable Port Extender (FPX) 3 Fpx_control {0-7}.{0/1} Pictorial view of fpx_control interfaced with hardware

Field Programmable Port Extender (FPX) 4 FPX Software Applications API allows applications to communicate with fpx_control Read_FIP - Interface between FIPL software and fpx_control - Reads in memory updates from FIPL - Sends updates to fpx_control - Replies to FIPL with successful transmission

Field Programmable Port Extender (FPX) 5 FIPL Interface to FPX Flow of information from FIPL to FPX -FIPL issues an add route command -Read_FIP takes stdin and packages the strings into 1 large string -Read_FIP opens a TCP socket and sends data to fpx_control -Fpx_control reads in string and packets commands into multiple control cells for FPX -FPX updates memory and sends acknowledgement back to fpx_control -Acknowledgements travel all the way back to FIPL and user is able to enter another command

Field Programmable Port Extender (FPX) 6 FIPL Example Quit fpx_control:q Delete log: rm rad_log_##.txt Restart fpx_control: fpx_control #.# Enable RAD logging on fpx_control: g rad On different Xterm: Lauch FIPL interface: rf Add the following routes: A /0 0 A /19 63 A /11 34 A /3 4 A /3 6 A /19 77(new route) Quit FIPL interface: q

Field Programmable Port Extender (FPX) 7 Read_fip Software Read_fip is a modified version of basic_send Many different possibilities customizing basic_send -Accepts multiple strings and bundles into a large string -Sends the string after an end of command sequence “****” - Communication from Web using CGI or Perl allows more options for issuing commands

Field Programmable Port Extender (FPX) 8 Software Plug-ins for Hardware Modules Software that allows RAD applications the ability to format unique control cells Enables developers to easily change the format of a control cell independent of fpx_control

Field Programmable Port Extender (FPX) 9 Contents of a Software Plug-in Module Tags identify relevant fields Developer specifies data types and lengths Provides total control over information sent to RAD application Example is “Fast IP Lookup” module # Module title and version number Fast IP Lookup Example Module 1.0 # Input Opcode, Menu_command, Command_argument 0x14, R, Root_Node_Pointer, 0x16, I, IP_Flow_1, # Output opcode, Text, Command_argument 0x15, Root node pointer Updated to,Root_Node_Pointer, 0x17, Name changed to,IP_Flow_1, # Command_argument, argument_type, # start_word,start_bit,stop_word,stop_bit Root_Node_Pointer,x,1,31,1,13, IP_Flow_1,x,2,31,2,16, # Help Menu R root pointer address update: R address (hex) I Update IP Flow 1: I address (hex)

Field Programmable Port Extender (FPX) 10 Cell Format of FIPL Module

Field Programmable Port Extender (FPX) 11 Using Software Plug-ins Issue Probe command to see what modules have been loaded –“p” Load required module – “n fipl.fpx” Issue commands for that module – “m1.r 1234” – “m1.I 4321” Commands follow the format: – m#.command argument (if necessary)