ADLINK cPCI-6910 Dual Core Xeon Single Board Computer Deployment Guide

ADLINK cPCI-6910 Dual Core Xeon Single Board Computer Hardware Deployment and Management Guide

In the fields of military communication, data center servers, and high reliability industrial control, the 6U CompactPCI platform has always held a key position due to its robust modular design, hot swappable capability, and long lifecycle support. The cPCI-6910 series single board computer launched by ADLINK is equipped with dual core Intel ®  Xeon ®  Low Voltage (LV) or Ultra Low Voltage (ULV) processors, paired with server grade Intel ®  E7520 chipset and Intel ®  6300ESB I/O control center, providing excellent computing density and energy efficiency ratio. This board complies with PICMG 2.0, 2.1, 2.9, and 2.16 specifications, supports IPMI v1.5, and can be optionally equipped with cPCI-R6910 (SAS/SATA) or cPCI-R6911 (SCSI RAID) rear wiring modules to expand storage and network capabilities. This article will provide a complete practical reference for system integration engineers from the perspectives of hardware architecture, installation steps, jumper/switch configuration, BIOS tuning, driver deployment, watchdog timer programming, and IPMI remote management.

Overview of Product Positioning and Technical Specifications

CPCI-6910 adopts a 6U single slot (4HP) size and supports Dual Core Intel with a 478 pin micro FCPGA package ®  Xeon ®  Processor, optional models include:

LV 2.0 GHz (low voltage)

LV 1.66 GHz

ULV 1.66 GHz (ultra-low voltage)

All are equipped with 2MB on-chip L2 cache, 667 MHz front-end bus, and 65nm technology, balancing performance and power consumption. Onboard 1GB or 2GB DDR2-400 registered ECC memory (directly soldered, non slot), maximum 2GB. The chipset is powered by Intel ®  E7520 Memory Control Hub (MCH) and 6300ESB I/O Control Hub, providing PCI Express ®  Interface, dual channel Ultra ATA -100, four USB 2.0 ports, two serial ports, VGA and PS/2 keyboard/mouse.

Network and Storage:

Front panel: Two Gigabit Ethernet (Intel) ®  82571EB，PCIe x4）， The other two are extended through RTM;

Onboard 44 pin IDE interface (main channel), RTM provides secondary channel and CF slot;

CPCI-R6910 RTM supports Serial ATA (SATA) and Serial Attached SCSI (SAS);

CPCI-R6911 RTM supports Ultra 320 SCSI (LSI53C1020) and RAID 0/1/1E.

Management features:

Optional BMC (ATmega128L-8AU), supporting IPMI v1.5, including sensor monitoring, event logging, and remote power control;

Hardware monitoring (IT8712F) real-time monitoring of voltage, temperature, and fan speed;

Watchdog timer (integrated into 6300ESB, two-level programmable).

Detailed explanation of hardware installation steps

1. CPU installation

The CPU socket on the board is equipped with a locking screw, which needs to be unlocked by rotating counterclockwise with a flathead screwdriver. Align the golden triangle of the CPU with the triangular mark on the socket, gently insert it, and then lock it clockwise. Note: Only supports a single processor and cannot install dual channels.

2. Installation of heat sink

Special heat sinks are included in the packaging, covering the CPU and Northbridge chip. Remove the protective film from the thermal pad before installation, align the heat sink with the hole position, and gradually tighten it diagonally with four screws to ensure even contact. Ensure a forced air cooling of 30 CFM to meet the heat dissipation requirements.

3. Memory (soldering) and storage

The memory has been soldered onto the board and does not require user installation. In terms of storage, a 2.5-inch IDE or SATA hard drive can be installed (via the included DB-6910IDE/DB-6910SAT adapter board), or CompactFlash can be used ®  Card (via DB-6910CF adapter board). Attention should be paid during installation:

First, fix the four hexagonal bolts onto the HDD, and then connect the adapter board to the HDD;

Align the HDD component vertically with the board to board connector, gently press down, secure the adapter board with two screws, and then lock the HDD with four screws from the back of the board;

When removing the HDD, also pull it up vertically to avoid damaging the connector.

For the SAS hard drive (cPCI-R6910) on RTM, it is necessary to first stick an insulating film on the bottom of the tray, then fix the hard drive and connect the DB-R6910SAS adapter board.

4. CF card installation

Insert the CF card into the slot of the DB-6910CF adapter, then press the adapter vertically into the board to board connector, secure it with two screws, and finally install the buckle cover.

5. Insert the board into the chassis

Insert cPCI-6910 into the system slot or peripheral slot (supports universal mode), align the upper and lower edges with the guide rail, gently push in, close the push rod, and tighten the panel screws. The RTM insertion method is similar, but it is important to note that the rear cables should not be squeezed by the chassis structure.

Jumper, switch, and front and rear routing configuration

There are multiple DIP switches on the board and RTM for configuring serial port mode, clearing CMOS, routing Gigabit Ethernet, etc.

1. Clear CMOS (SWZ1)