Industry group launched to drive adoption of VPX switch-fabric embedded computing

Posted by John Keller

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., 11 Dec. 2009. VITA, the open standards and markets trade association in Scottsdale, Ariz., is forming an industry group to promote the VPX architecture for high-speed switch-fabric embedded computing called the VPX Marketing Alliance, which is in place to drive adoption of VPX specifications and technology.

The alliance comprises VPX technology suppliers developing products based on the VPX family of specifications, which includes VPX, VPX REDI, OpenVPX, and other related activities on the VPX roadmap such as fiber optics and RF.

"Our mission is to spread awareness of the value VPX and OpenVPX interoperability brings to electronic critical embedded systems applications said Hybricon's Neil Peterson, chairman of the VPX Marketing Alliance. "At the same time, we are promoting the VPX product and service offerings of our member companies."

VPX is based on switch fabric technologies in 3U and 6U format circuit boards, interconnect fabrics, and connectors. OpenVPX is the architecture framework that defines system-level VPX interoperability for multivendor, multimodule, integrated system environments, and delineates clear interoperability points necessary for integrating module-to-module, module-to-backplane, and chassis.

The most recent achievement in the VPX family of specifications since its introduction in 2004 was completion of the VPX Systems Specification for interoperability, which was submitted to the VITA Standards Organization (VSO) last October. Ratification of the resulting VITA 65 standard is expected no later than March.

"VPX technology builds on the extended legacy and enormous ecosystem built by VME over more than a quarter of a century, and VPX has now reached a critical stage in its technical development," said Ray Alderman, executive director of VITA.

For more information contact the VPX Marketing Alliance online at www.vita.com/vpx.html.

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