Comment on Introducing “6-pack”: the first open hardware modular switchComments−VLM11yI was expecting a link to something like this, but more advancedhttp://opencores.org/project,mac_layer_switchand some links to digilent dev boards for hardware, however the linked project is a bit more ambitious, all full of custom ASICs and such.An open source switch made out of COTS FPGA dev boards would be interesting. So you'd use something likehttp://www.digilentinc.com/Products/Detail.cfm?NavPath=2,400...But what to use as a COTS "just unpack it all, plug it all together, upload the firmware and go" backplane?−virtuallynathan11yThat NIC seems quite overpriced for 4x1G...−wmf11yIt's not a NIC; it's an FPGA that can be programmed to do things that NICs have never dreamed of.−virtuallynathan11yI understand that, but you can get more powerful ones for not much more money.−detaro11yNICs or FPGA boards with NICs? If the latter, I'm all ears−virtuallynathan11yNetronome, http://www.mellanox.com/related-docs/prod_adapter_cards/PB_P..., there are others for more $$ using the Altera Arria 10, or other Xilinx FPGAs with 2x40G or even 4x100G.−detaro11yGood thing it is not targeted at people looking to buy a 4x1G NIC, but at people who want a nicely integrated FPGA dev plattform with 4x1G and fast connection to a PC.
Comments
I was expecting a link to something like this, but more advanced
http://opencores.org/project,mac_layer_switch
and some links to digilent dev boards for hardware, however the linked project is a bit more ambitious, all full of custom ASICs and such.
An open source switch made out of COTS FPGA dev boards would be interesting. So you'd use something like
http://www.digilentinc.com/Products/Detail.cfm?NavPath=2,400...
But what to use as a COTS "just unpack it all, plug it all together, upload the firmware and go" backplane?
That NIC seems quite overpriced for 4x1G...
It's not a NIC; it's an FPGA that can be programmed to do things that NICs have never dreamed of.
I understand that, but you can get more powerful ones for not much more money.
NICs or FPGA boards with NICs? If the latter, I'm all ears
Netronome, http://www.mellanox.com/related-docs/prod_adapter_cards/PB_P..., there are others for more $$ using the Altera Arria 10, or other Xilinx FPGAs with 2x40G or even 4x100G.
Good thing it is not targeted at people looking to buy a 4x1G NIC, but at people who want a nicely integrated FPGA dev plattform with 4x1G and fast connection to a PC.