Single Board Computers 101
Posted by Tracy Valentine
I have a dilemma. How do I write a blog about Single Board Computers (SBC) and make it humorous enough to keep your attention. I've thought about discussing why a "Single" computer can be pluralized ("ComputerS"). I've also thought that since the SBC plugs into a backplane I could call it a "Right Angle Computer" and play off the wording ("The right angle computer is the right computer for you"). I'm not a marketing expert, but I can tell very quickly that those ideas stink. Instead I figured I would briefly discuss some of the benefits of these "right angle computers".
Single Board Computer - History
You have to be at least 35 years old to remember ISA. That was the humble beginnings of the SBC. The PICMG 1.0 form factor defined how an SBC brings ISA and PCI down to a backplane. Once the ISA & PCI are on the backplane the customer would have the ultimate flexibility to have any combination of peripheral slots they wanted. ISA & PCI cards were so popular that it was easy for a customer to spec in whatever functionality they wanted in a system.
Single Board Computer - The Future
Around 2005 a new protocol came around that ran faster and better than anything ISA, PCI, or PCI-X could do. PCI Express came on strong and proliferated throughout both the industrial and commercial industries. The writing was on the wall for the PICMG 1.0 form factor. That's when companies like Trenton Technology wrote the PICMG 1.3 spec to bring 20 lanes of PCI Express down to the backplane (instead of ISA & PCI). Customers can still get PCI (yes, and ISA) slots on the backplane, but the new form factor enabled PCI Express as well. The Trenton Technology BPG6544 is a great example of the flexibility the PICMG 1.3 form factor allows. That board has ISA, PCI, PCI-X & x16 PCIe slots all on the same board.
So what does the future hold for the Single Board Computer form factor? PCI Express 2.0 is now emerging and the PICMG 1.3 form factor is already setup to handle the 5GT/s bit rate. Trenton Technology is currently working the next generation dual processor PICMG 1.3 board that utilizes PCI Express 2.0. One really nice thing about this new board is that it will be 100% backwards compatible with older PICMG 1.3 backplanes; which means if you are happy with your current slot configuration and you don't need PCI Express 2.0 slots then upgrading your processing power is super easy! You will also see a new generation of backplanes that take advantage of the faster PCI Express 2.0 slot speeds.
So if you've made it this far in the blog then I guess I've done my job. I understand that most people are not as excited about the Single Board Computer as I am, but you can see how this form factor has had a long legacy yet continues to evolve as technology grows.
This contribution is from Michael Bowling, Director of Operations, Single Board Computer evangelist and technology humorist.