Following ETX/XTX and COM Express, the embedded computer module industry has introduced a product that creates a new level of performance lifecycle. This new design standard is called COM-HPC, certified by the PICMG with companies such as Kontron. With the promotion of 5G networks, ultra-fast real-time data exchange will become the main application area. However, current users of the COM standard need not worry about their solutions becoming obsolete, as the transition will take time, and products based on the current standard will not exit the market for many years to come.
Figure 1
The ETX and its evolution into the COM Express standard are two technical specifications for embedded computer modules, standardized through the efforts of various independent groups as technology has advanced. Now, the third standard, COM-HPC, is about to be launched to meet the high-performance requirements of broadband and 5G-connected devices, machines, and systems.Since the concept of the embedded computer module (Computer-On-Module, hereinafter referred to as COM) was born, modular computing has become the most important design principle in embedded computer systems.Research by IHS Markit indicates that by 2020, 38% of global sales of embedded computer motherboards, modules, and systems will come from COM. The first embedded computer module was introduced in the early 1990s by Hans Mühlbauer, the owner of the German company JUMPtec, which is still active in Germany today. Based on the then-common AT/ISA96 bus, the first ModulAT module was launched, based on a 9.54 MHz Intel CPU 80C88, with DRAM memory up to 640KB.The goal was to make office computer technology more suitable for industrial use. This was unprecedented in the embedded computer field.At that time, industrial computers mainly used 19-inch rack systems, and industrial-grade computers using 100 x 160 mm motherboards were unheard of. The module was equipped with 120 pins on the same side as the CPU and components, and the processors of that time clearly did not require complex heat management.
Figure 2
JUMPtec launched the first ModulAT module based on the then-common AT/ISA96 bus, equipped with a 9.54 MHz Intel CPU 80C88 and DRAM memory up to 640KB.
The goal of the first module was to avoid concentrating all functions on one card to reduce the impact of rapid CPU upgrades.In the past, Intel and AMD could launch a new CPU every six months. Due to uncertainty about how long the old CPU could remain in the market, modularity was needed to ensure long-term availability. Of course, its scalability also brought various performance variants. Another focus was to reduce the complexity of I/O board designs.When the number of layers required for I/O boards was significantly reduced, the cost of PCB design was also reduced.At that time, how to reduce power consumption and heat generation with new modules had also become a concern.Finally, customers always want the latest CPU models, and this has not changed to this day. Modules can also guarantee this advantage.
Modules can also solve cable entanglement issues.
However, compared to the AT/ISA96 bus, the ModulAT module was launched later, as embedded computers for industrial use were just beginning to emerge at that time. For example, x86 and Windows had not yet made their mark in the industry, and the battle against blue screen issues was still in full swing. In this regard, modules were more like early “pirated” products of a nascent industry rather than unique products of established module standards.Even so, JUMPtec still pioneered the global module business and established standard specifications. In retrospect, this is a significant success.In the mid-1990s, the specifications of PC/104 single-board computers (SBC) left insufficient space for connectors, making it difficult to install on the same side as the CPU and chipset, further proving the importance of modules. As customers began to demand higher connectivity capabilities, connectors were custom installed on the other side of the PCB to connect more external devices.The design principles of PC/104 also meant that cables had to guide I/O into the chassis, which exacerbated cable entanglement issues and made systems more prone to errors. At that time, good system design meant clean and tidy cable connections.By using dedicated carrier boards, external I/O can be directly connected to the chassis without using cables, effectively solving cable entanglement issues, which became a major highlight of the module concept.The first ETX module developed by JUMPtec was successfully launched, marking a significant breakthrough in the embedded computer module market.
Competition for the Best Module Concept is Fierce
However, although JUMPtec pioneered standard specifications, these ETX designs based on ISA/PCI with 400-pin connectors did not have a smooth path.Many companies and competing module concepts began to request original equipment manufacturers to provide similar solutions, most of which are names only loyal fans can remember today. While the scale of embedded computer suppliers at that time was far from what it is today, fierce competition ensued.JUMPtec and Advantech co-founded the ETX Industrial Group (ETX-IG) in November 2001, launching the first open, manufacturer-independent module standard specification, one version of which is still valid today.Mühlbauer explained at the time: “For example, Advantech, I-Base, IBR, and PCISystems all developed different ETX motherboards and quickly reached market maturity. To ensure the unified development of the global ETX standard, we needed to establish an open ETX alliance.” Within months, other key ETX supporters realized the outstanding benefits of open standards and joined the alliance. Subsequently, ETX-IG became increasingly important through mergers and acquisitions, and the different design types of modules gradually decreased. Ultimately, the divergences in module design were nearly eliminated. Thus, in the next technology cycle, the embedded computer module industry successfully established new standard specifications, avoiding excessive competition and conflicts.
Figure 3
Advantech and JUMPtec founded ETX-IG at SPS/IPC/Drives in Nuremberg.
COM Express became an official PICMG standard specification in 2005.
In 2004, with the widespread application of the newly launched PCI Express bus, new processors and chipsets no longer supported ISA, and the industry needed a completely new design concept: COM Express. Although the specification was relatively easy to formulate, it was not a walk in the park.The PICMG, which oversees the standard specifications, had to combat various internal obstacles and delays.Finally, in July 2005, the embedded computing industry reached a consensus on the PICMG COM Express standard.The concept was proposed in collaboration with Intel in the fall of 2003 and was standardized only after 18 months. From the 2010 Rev 2.0 to the 2017 Rev 3.0, the drafter Christian Eder led the formulation of the standard. He initially worked at JUMPtec under Mühlbauer, then joined Kontron, and is now serving at Kontron in Germany.
Figure 4
The first COM Express module began mass production in 2005, using the Intel Pentium M processor, marking a true milestone in embedded computer processors.Today, 14 years after the launch of COM Express, the embedded computer module market has become the largest and main sub-market for embedded computers, with all embedded computer manufacturers able to provide a variety of COM Express modules.Nevertheless, ETX/XTX modules have not disappeared, indicating that the first computer module (COM) cycle has not yet ended.COM Express took many years to catch up with ETX/XTX, finally surpassing the latter in quantity only in 2012. It seems that the saying “if it works, don’t change it” applies not only in the embedded computing market.
COM Express Modules Are Unmatched
Today, for mid-to-high-end performance new embedded carrier boards, COM Express remains the undisputed standard specification.It seems that no other specification can compete with it. This specification has undergone multiple low-key revisions, and the current version 3.0 was released in May 2017, which is also the benefit of standard specifications. In the relatively new Type 7 specification, COM Express is designed for embedded edge server applications and can even serve as a benchmark for VITA specifications under extreme conditions. Other module standards, such as Qseven and SMARC 2.0, although both support ARM-based application processors, are limited to low-power or small designs.The latest COM-HPC module standard specification has learned from past lessons: from the beginning, this high-performance embedded computer module standard was established by PICMG to avoid fierce competition between modules as much as possible. For the third-generation module standard specification, an independent manufacturer alliance is the ideal ecosystem.
Figure 5
The most powerful COM Express Type 7 embedded server module to date, equipped with AMD EPYC processor.
The Launch of the Third Generation High-Performance COM
Since October 2018, the PICMG working group, chaired by Kontron’s marketing director Christian Eder, has been studying the latest COM-HPC module standard specification. This standard is urgently needed because all new IoT/5G connected devices require high bandwidth and high-frequency communication buses, which the COM Express board interconnectors cannot support..This means that the embedded computer module standard that has been envisioned and promoted globally for decades will be established by the same German COM alliance. Currently, the main driving force of this alliance is Kontron, which was established in 2005 as a pure computer module supplier to avoid competing with its customers in the system solutions market.The company is also the creator of Qseven and SMARC 2.0.
Broadband Needs Broadband Computers
As the industry gradually shifts from ETX to COM Express, the introduction of new bus technologies will naturally lead to new standards.The COM-HPC standard specification aims to establish a new embedded computer module standard suitable for PCI Express 3rd to 5th generation high-frequency signals in broadband networks.However, just as COM Express did not replace ETX, COM-HPC should not become a substitute for COM Express. As I mentioned earlier, ETX/XTX modules can still be used today, and users can still apply the same design principles even 20 years later. Therefore, the COM-HPC module standard can also ensure that the fundamental concepts that were effective in the past remain valid today. In addition, the design of new processors is more complex, thus requiring specific carrier boards to export I/O from the CPU module.
But why not continue developing COM Express? The new COM-HPC standard does not only require new connectors; many features in traditional COM Express are no longer needed and need to be removed. This is because the new standard targets application methods that demand higher requirements, far exceeding the performance support of current top COM Express.However, its purpose remains to enable original equipment manufacturers to benefit through a large ecosystem and the reputation of PICMG and its standards, emphasizing that users can easily migrate systems. The extensive experience of migrating from ETX to COM Express should serve as a reference.For these reasons, there will be two new generations of performance levels above the COM Express Type 7 and Type 6 standard specifications.One category is primarily aimed at edge server technology, requiring more communication interfaces rather than powerful integrated graphics, and with multi-core for workload consolidation. The other category will expand existing high-end embedded computer standards, adding new performance options that COM Express cannot accommodate, including graphics cards, USB 3.2 (20 Gbit/s), USB 4.0 (40 Gbit/s), 4th and 5th generation PCIe with x2/x4 port configurations and retimers, Ethernet of 100/200 Gb per second, NVMe, and other options.
Double Pins, Up to 8 DIMM Slots
Connectors are a very important part of the new standard specifications. COM Express is limited to a transmission speed of 8 Gb per second and a clock frequency of 5.0 GHz for the third generation PCIe. The new connector can support transmission speeds of over 32 Gb per second, equivalent to the fifth generation PCIe. In addition, it supports up to 65 PCI Express lanes, sufficient to connect many powerful GPGPUs and perform machine learning. In contrast, COM Express can only support a maximum of 32 PCI Express lanes..COM Express’s performance is currently limited to 10 Gb Ethernet per pair of signals, which will also be upgraded to at least 25 Gb Ethernet per pair of signals, making the support for 100 Gb Ethernet possible.The next-generation processors for edge computers also require more interconnects and more space for DIMM slots. The new standard can support up to 8 DIMM slots and 800 pins, while COM Express only has 440 pins.
Figures 7-8
Kontron’s COM-HPC module has two performance categories, divided into Client and Server classes, similar to the current COM Express Type 6 and Type 7. From the start, the design area of these two types means that large high-end COM-HPC modules can accommodate up to 8 DIMM slots. The diagram also clearly shows the same layout of different sizes of board connectors.
Some may think that formulating new standard specifications is easy, but the reality is quite the opposite. Merely increasing signal frequency brings many complex issues.For example: To support modules up to 300W, Kontron and Samtec have been collaborating for two years on the requirements and testing of COM-HPC connectors. However, the PICMG working group was not established until October 2018, which means that much foundational work had already been completed, thus accelerating the decision-making speed of the working group.
When Will COM-HPC Modules Be Released?
Companies involved in the standard formulation are currently eagerly awaiting the process not to stall again in PICMG as it did with COM Express. Its success largely depends on whether companies can work together rather than pursue their own paths.Therefore, the entire industry is quite cautious about making public statements. Semiconductor manufacturers like Intel have shared their latest processor technology through early experience programs, and development teams are working hard on the research of the initial design.Kontron’s first COM-HPC module may launch this year, marking the beginning of a new generation of embedded computing, which is expected to take a similar amount of time as COM Express, so it is likely to be realized.
PICMG – A Powerful Team
The PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group (PICMG) is an alliance composed of over 140 companies aimed at jointly developing high-performance, patent-free standards for telecommunications and industrial applications. The members of the alliance are mostly pioneers in the technology field, with many years of development experience in their respective industries. Currently, the organization is developing the COM-HPC standard specification to provide an open architecture for the next generation of embedded computer modules. Companies participating in the formulation of the COM-HPC standard specification include the initiators of the working group, Kontron, Advantech, and Axiomtek, as well as Advantech, Amphenol, Bielefeld University, Elma Electronic, Emerson Machine Automation Solutions, ept, Fastwell Group, Heitec, Intel, MEN Mikro Elektronik, MSC Technologies, N.A.T., Samtec, SECO, TE Connectivity, Trenz Electronic, and VersaLogic, with Christian Eder from Kontron serving as the chair.Source: Kontron, Germany
