1. Remote Management of the Field Programmable Port Extender (FPX)
Todd Sproull
Washington University, Applied Research Lab
January 10, 2001
Supported by: NSF ANI
and Xilinx Inc.

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

3. Multiple TCP Sockets for
Fpx_control
Issues control cells to FPX
Provides reliable connections over ATM
Allows for multiple users to connect remotely
Multiple TCP Sockets for
Remote Applications
Fpx_control
{0-7}.{0/1}
Control cells
Sent to and from
FPX (RAD & NID)

4. Table data definitions
NID Overview
Consists of 4 ports used for cell traffic
SW (Switch)
LC (Line Card)
RAD_LC
RAD_SW
VCI is examined in order to route cells to appropriate output
Cell destinations can be re-programmed by sending Write VCI Table Control cells
VCI Table Control cells consist of 2-bit values indicating the destination of a cell
VCI Lookup Table is generated based on VCI Updates, default routes, and the table data definitions VC EC
ccp
RAD
Switch
LineCard
Default Flow Action
(Bypass) VC EC
ccp
RAD
Switch
LineCard
VCI = 0x34
(Control Cell)
Table data definitions
RAD_LC 2-bit LUT
RAD_SW 2-bit LUT
LC 2-bit LUT
SW 2-bit LUT
RAD_LC 11
RAD_SW 10 LC 01 SW 00

5. VCI Updates and Status VCI Update Commands Write VCI entries
Format: T VPI VCI SW LC RAD_SW RAD_LC
Example: T 0 7E
Read VCI entries
Format: A VPI VCI
Example: A 0 7E
Response: A 0 7E SW=3 LC=2 RAD_SW=1 RAD_LC=0

6. VCI Updates and Status Status Control registers
Lets users check status of FPX
Useful for debugging hardware if problems arise
Displays the following information
RAD Configuration Status (RAD_Done)
Single bit that indicates completion of configuration and beginning of startup sequence
RAD Initialization Status (RAD_Init)
Single bit that indicates when the RAD is ready to accept data
Type Link
Line card identifier (0x1 – OC3, 0x2 – Dual G-link…)
VCI Compare Register
Display current VCI to send control updates on
RAD Programming Byte Count
Indicates number of bytes RAD has loaded in memory

7. VCI Status Control Example
Checking VCI Status
Example: S
Response: VPI 0x0
VCI 0x22
Opcode 0x42
VCI Compare Register 0x22
RAD_DONE 0x1
RAD_INIT 0x1
Type LINK 0x3
RAD Programming Byte Count 0x000

8. Configuration Memory Updates
Memory updates provide:
- A reliable protocol to transfer VHDL designs
- Ability to program RAD with multiple modules
- A one step transfer and program option
- Debugging information by displaying the contents of a specified location in memory
Example: L test_file 100
Example: F

9. RAD Memory Updates Supports 32/36/64 bit memory reads and writes
- Multiple memory updates may be issued in one control cell
- Menu help screen show example update

10. RAD Memory Updates Example
Reading and writing 32/36/64 bit words
Format: w32 mem_type address num_updates data
Example: w32 s abcdef01
Format: r32 mem_type address num_reads
Example: r32 s 20 2
Response: Data from address 20 is
Data from address 21 is abcdef01
Writing strings
Format: ws address ‘text’
Example: ws 0 ‘hello bob’

11. 32/36 Bit Control Cell Format

12. 64 Bit Memory Cell Differences from 32/36 cell: F bit is removed
Address field is 25 bits
Format allows up to 4 consecutive SDRAM updates

13. Other Features of Fpx_control
Fpx_control also provides:
Ability to log all transactions to and from NID and RAD
Support to add plug-in modules
- Probe function to display modules present on FPX
- An on-screen help menu in case you are lost

14. Emulation of the FPX Consists of two applications: - Nid_listener
Maintains VC tables
Handles file transfers
- Rad_listener
Simulates RAD SRAM
Responds to all memory read/write operations

15. Communicating with the FPX
Methods of communication
-Console Mode
-Telnet
-Web Access
-Basic_send
-User Applications (FIPL)

16. Allows end hosts control of FPX
Telnet Access
Allows end hosts control of FPX
- Supports multiple connections
- Provides full functionality of console mode

17. Web Access to Fpx_control
Web Access Provides:
- Radio Button Interface
- Allows user to submit commands using CGI scripts
- Provides for Switch Reset -

18. Other Applications
API allows other 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

19. FIPL Interface to FPX Flow of information from FIPL to FPX
-FIPL issues an add route command
-FIP_reader takes stdin and packages the strings into 1 large string
-FIP_reader 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 and acknowledgement back to fpx_control
-Acknowledgements travel all the way back to FIPL and user is able to enter
another command

20. 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

21. Using Basic_send Simple interface to send control cells to FPX
- Opens a TCP Socket
- Transfers character string command line arguments
- Displays output from fpx_control

22. Modules
Software plug-ins that allow RAD applications the ability to format unique control cells
Enables developers to easily change the format of a control cell independent of fpx_control

23. Content of a Software Module
# Module title and version number
Fast IP Lookup Example Module 1.0
</module>
<input_opcodes>
# Input Opcode, Menu_command, Command_argument
0x14, R, Root_Node_Pointer,
0x16, I, IP_Flow_1,
</input_opcodes>
<output_opcodes>
# Output opcode, Text, Command_argument
0x15, Root node pointer Updated to ,Root_Node_Pointer,
0x17, Name changed to ,IP_Flow_1,
</output_opcodes>
<fields>
# 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,
</fields>
<help>
# Help Menu
R root pointer address update: R address (hex)
I Update IP Flow 1: I address (hex)
</help>
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

24. Using Modules Issue Probe command to see what modules have been loaded
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)