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High performance IP networking over the backplane with next generation protocol factoring

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Navy
Contract: N68335-06-C-0133
Agency Tracking Number: N053-143-0066
Amount: $79,246.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N05-143
Solicitation Number: 2005.3
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2005
Award Year: 2006
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2006-02-06
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2006-08-06
Small Business Information
632 Broadway, Suite 803
New York, NY 10012
United States
DUNS: 022423854
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Peter Mattson
 Managing Engineer
 (212) 780-0527
 mattson@reservoir.com
Business Contact
 Melanie Peters
Title: Business Manager
Phone: (212) 780-0527
Email: peters@reservoir.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

High-performance embedded systems often comprise multiple single-board computers (SBCs) connected via a common backplane bus. The SBCs usually communicate using the Internet Protocol (IP) over Ethernet, but using Ethernet requires that the system contain an Ethernet switch and, potentially, additional cabling. The logical alternative is to enable IP-based communication over the backplane, taking advantage of the backplane's performance potential. We propose high-performance, Linux-based, IP-compatible process-to-process communication using standard multicomputer backplanes for physical data transport. Because backplane accesses are privileged operations, the implementation must reside in the Linux kernel, and hence will consist of one or more loadable kernel modules. The software architecture will provide a framework for IP-compatible communication across general shared-memory interconnects. Distinct components within the framework will support specific standards such as Versa Module Eurocard (VME) and Compact PCI (cPCI), and will exploit optional performance-enhancing features of common devices (e.g., DMA). This structure will provide the flexibility to support both future backplane protocols and enhanced feature sets in future backplane adapter devices. Since the reliability of the communication protocol is critical to the stability of a distributed system, we also propose applying Reservoir's expertise with dynamic and formal verification to the implementation.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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