App Note: Dual Gigabit Ethernet support on Xilinx Zynq EVB

DAVE Embedded Systems has a whole library of interesting and useful application notes and white papers,  the latest of which centres around how to integrate a second Ethernet port on their Xilinx Zynq-based BORA EVB.

BORA EVB

BORA is a dual Cortex-A9 + FPGA CPU module based on the recent Xilinx "Zynq" XC7Z010 / XC7Z020 application processor. For evaluation purposes DAVE has designed a development kit, which includes the BORA EVB - a carrier board designed to host the BORA module. The aim of the app note is to describe how to integrate a second Ethernet port on the BORA EVB.

 Ethernet is becoming essential in many different business areas, thanks to the flexibility of Ethernet interfaces. Home automation applications use dual Ethernet where the multimedia data must be processed and transmitted through the building's networks for lighting control, IP video door, thermoregulation and safety. Industrial automation and factory-based systems have also adopted Ethernet where Industrial Process Control (IPC) is required; many motor drives within their inverters are used and all of them require control and supervision.

The availability of a second Ethernet port on the same product provides several of advantages. Dual Ethernet permits the handling of data exchange between different subnets.  The development of real-time industrial protocols in the last decade, like EtherCAT and AMP (Asymmetric Multi Processing) solutions, together with the availability of two Ethernet interfaces on the same SoC enables customers to have Real Time controllers, HMI supervision systems and data logging all on the same CPU.

Find out more by downloading the White Paper: Enabling dual Gigabit Ethernet support on Xilinx Zynq EVB.