NAT-MCH-G4

The NAT-MCH-G4 MicroTCA Carrier Hub family comprises of a base module, a clock mezzanine, and various Hub modules for Fat Pipe connections. Depending on the variant, these daughter cards provide up to 40GbE or PCIe Gen5 x8 links to the backplane. Various uplink options (up to 100GbE or PCIe Gen4 x16) at the front panel offer a wide and flexible range of possible choices to connect the MCH to external networks. Moreover, RTM support with a PCIe Gen5 x16 link is possible (depending on chosen variant).

Base Board

Replacement for NAT-MCH and NAT-MCH-M4

Basically, the NAT-MCH-G4 provides central management and data switching as well as power and system management for any MicroTCA system with up to 12 AMCs. Yet another AMC can be operated in the second MCH slot without Fat Pipe functionality. Beyond that, the NAT-MCH-G4 supplies up to two front and two rear Cooling Units as well as up to four Power Modules.

The base Ethernet Switch features a 1G/2.5G/10G Fabric A connection to each AMC. Basically, the NAT-MCH-G4 features two 1-10G Ethernet uplinks the front panel. Depending on the assembly option, the front uplink even provides up to 4x 25G. Please consider, that these four ports cannot be combined to one port.

The NAT-MCH-G4 comes in the form factor of a single-width, full-size AMC, compliant with the latest revision 3 of the MTCA.0 specification. For MTCA.4 systems, NAT offers the NAT-MCH-S4, a double-width, full-size MicroTCA Carrier Hub. Technically, it provides the same functionality as the single-width board, but comes with optional RTM support and mounting space for NVMe / SDD memory devices.

Clock Mezzanine

Replacement for NAT-MCH-CLK and NAT-MCH-CLK-PHYS

In combination with the optional NAT-MCH-G4-CLK module, the NAT-MCH-G4 offers several options of switching and manipulating clock signals. Two low jitter Clock multiplexers provide CLK1 and CLK2 to each AMC.

By default, the clock module features a PCIe Reference Clock via CLK3. On request, CLK3 can be executed as a regular telecom clock. Please contact NAT for details.

The NAT-MCH-G4-CLK module features two SMA connectors at the front panel to feed an external CLK signal to the MCH or to extract a CLK generated in the system. The direction of each SMA connector is configurable, the maximum frequency limit (as per MTCA.0 spec) is 100MHz.

As an assembly option, the NAT-MCH-G4-CLK module offers an optional GPS receiver with a dedicated SMC connector at the front panel to attach a GPS antenna.

Ethernet Hub Module

Replacement for NAT-MCH-HUB-EX

Beyond the base Ethernet, the NAT-MCH-G4-HUB-EX module offers Fat Pipe Ethernet connections. It provides 10GbE (12 x4 lanes @ 2.5GbE ) or even 40GbE (12 x4 lanes @10GbE) per AMC. Alternatively, four x1 ports with 1-10G are available for each AMC. The protocol can be set for each AMC independently.

A QSFP-DD uplink with 8x 1-25G can be operated as e.g., 2 x4@100GbE or 8 x1@25GbE.

Moreover, the NAT-MCH-G4-HUB-EX owns a x4 MCH update channel @ 10G/40G to a second MCH in the MTCA system.

PCIe Hub Modules

Replacement for NAT-MCH-PCIex48 and NAT-MCH-HUB-PCIex80

The NAT-MCH-G4 MicroTCA Carrier Hub family features two HUB modules for applications requiring FAT Pipe PCIe functionality:

The single-width NAT-MCH-G4-HUB-Px52 can be operated on both base module variants. It provides a QSFP-based PCIe Gen4 x4 uplink at the front panel as well as PCIe Gen4 switching to each AMC.

The double-width NAT-MCH-G4-HUB-Px84 module is designed to perform with the NAT-MCH-S4, including RTM support as assembly option. It owns two PCIe Gen4 x8 via two QSFP-DD interfaces, which can be combined to one x16 front panel uplink. Moreover, the module provides PCIe Gen5 x4 switching to all AMCs as well as one PCIe Gen5 x16 connection to an optional RTM.

If supported by the backplane, both modules offer PCIe x8 links for up to 6 AMCs. The PCIe switch supports multiple independent clusters with one Root Complex each.

NAT-MCH-SCI for Science

Replacement for NAT-MCH-PHYS and NAT-MCH-PHYS80

Especially for the science community, NAT provides two product bundles optimized for the special needs of this target group:

NAT-MCH-SCIx52: combination of the NAT-MCH-S4, the NAT-MCH-G4-CLK, and the NAT-MCH-G4-HUB-Px52 with one PCIe Gen4 x8 front uplink and no RTM support

NAT-MCH-SCIx84: combination of the NAT-MCH-S4, the NAT-MCH-G4-CLK, and the NAT-MCH-G4-HUB-Px84 with one PCIe Gen4 x16 (or two x8) front uplinks and RTM support

The NAT-MCH-G4 MicroTCA Carrier Hub Family is a versatile basis for any application on MTCA.0 and MTCA.4 systems.

NAT-MCH-G4 /-S4:

• Xilinx Zynq MPSoC: FPGA and 2x ARM A9
• 1GB DDR3 RAM, 32 bit-wide /256MB QSPI FLASH
• Microchip SparX-5 Base Ethernet Switch
• SFP(-DD) / ix / RJ45 Front Uplink
• Up to 1GbE / 2.5GbE / 10GbE to each AMC (assembly option)
• 16 LEDs reflecting AMC / CU / PM status and standard AMC LEDs
• NAT-MCH-S4 only: optional RTM support via Zone3 connector (assembly option)

NAT-MCH-G4-CLK:

• 2x ADN4604 Multiplexer
• ZL30772 PLL
• CLK1 and CLK3 to each AMC
• PCI Ref CLK via CLK3 to each AMC
• 2x CLK Front I/O
• GPS_PPS IN optional

NAT-MCH-G4-HUB-EX:

• Marvell 88F3720 CPU
• 4GB eMMC / 2GB DDR4 DRAM-1600, 16 bit-wide
• 4x Marvell Port Extenders
• 1x QSFP-DD Front Uplink with eight 1-25G can be operated as e.g.,
  • 2x 4 ports with up to 100GbE
  • 8x 1 port with up to 25GbE
• 40G Ethernet to backplane can be operated as e.g.,
  • x4 ports with 40GbE to each AMC
  • x4 ports with 10GbE (XAUI) to each AMC
  • 4x 1 ports with 1-10G per AMC
  • Protocol can be set for each AMC independently
• 8x Fat Pipe Status LEDs

NAT-MCH-G4-HUB-Px52:

• PCIe Gen4 x52 switch
• 1x PCIe Gen4 x4 Front Uplink via QSFP
• PCIe Gen4 to backplane, can be operated as:
  • x4 to each AMC
  • x8 for up to six AMCs (if supported by backplane)
• 8x Fat Pipe Status LEDs

NAT-MCH-G4-HUB-Px84:

• PCIe Gen5 x84 switch
• 2x PCIe Gen4 x8 Front Uplink via 2x QSFP-DD, can be operated as 1x PCIe Gen4 x16 Front Uplink
• PCIe Gen5 to backplane, can be operated as:
  • x4 to each AMC
  • x8 for up to six AMCs (if supported by backplane)
• PCIe Gen5 x16 to optional RTM
• 8x Fat Pipe Status LEDs