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Ethernet For Real Time Embedded Systems White Paper PDF

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
169 views5 pages

Ethernet For Real Time Embedded Systems White Paper PDF

Uploaded by

Alexandre Ramos
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

W HI TE PAP ER

TECHN OLOGY

Ethernet for Real-Time Embedded


Systems: An Overview
DEFENSE SOLUTIONS

Read About Introduction


Ethernet switching Ethernet has become the networking technology of choice in a wide range of
Deterministic Ethernet applications; most modern embedded computing products feature at least one
Ethernet interface. A mature and open standard, Ethernet is implemented in hardware
Ethernet Quality of Service from many vendors, and features extensive software support.
Real-time networking One area that has been reluctant to adopt Ethernet is real-time systems. In these
standards applications, processing must keep up with events in the real world – unpredictable
delays in computing systems cannot be tolerated. In safety-critical real-time systems
– where errors can lead to a loss of life – the requirement for deterministic real-time
behavior becomes even more essential.

Early Ethernet systems did not deliver the deterministic forwarding required for real-
time systems. Various conditions could cause network traffic to be delayed or even
dropped. However modern Ethernet technology has reduced or even eliminated
many of the sources of unpredictable communications. Switched Ethernet networks
configured for Quality of Service (QoS) can deliver predictable, low-latency forwarding.
With careful design, Ethernet systems can meet the needs of many real-time systems.
In addition, several new standards extend Ethernet to enable deterministic Ethernet for
the most demanding systems including safety-certified avionics applications.

Senders Input buffers


Non-blocking
switch fabric
Common output queue Receiver

Ethernet switch

Real-time Non-critical
application traffic traffic

Figure 1: Congestion adds latency as real-time traffic


Info queues behind non-critical traffic
curtisswrightds.com This white paper provides an overview of the challenges associated with using
Ethernet for real-time systems, and some approaches to addressing those challenges.
Email
It is the first in a series of papers on this topic. Future white papers will cover specific
ds@curtisswright.com technologies and features in greater detail.

CURTISSWRIGHTDS.COM
Networking Requirements in Real-time Challenges: Collisions,
Real-time Systems Congestion and Complexity
Real-time systems must meet deadlines to keep up with Although modern Ethernet can be made to meet the needs
the outside world. They must be able to complete tasks or of many real-time systems, there is an enduring perception
respond to events within a specific time so that appropriate that it is not deterministic or reliable. This is partly because
actions can be taken – without exceptions. In systems with early Ethernet systems did have random elements that
hard real-time requirements, communications between could lead to unpredictable performance.
elements must satisfy a number of requirements. Based on technology designed for communications over
Guaranteed delivery. Real-time systems that must process a shared medium, the first generation of Ethernet systems
data in a timely manner cannot process data they don’t communicated over a single coaxial cable. With a shared
receive. If packets are lost between sender and receiver, cable, only one station at a time can transmit. But without
real-time requirements cannot be met. In networking a fixed scheme for taking turns, it was possible for two
systems without a real-time requirement, flow control computers to start sending packets at the same time.
protocols can allow a receiver to request re-transmission of The result was a “collision”. When this interference was
packets that are dropped. However, by the time a receiver detected, both computers would stop sending and wait. To
notices a packet is missing, it may be too late. To meet the ensure they didn’t collide again, each would wait a random
needs of real-time systems, the various scenarios that can interval before trying again. This approach was termed
cause a packet to be dropped (collisions, overflows, etc.) “carrier sense with collision detection” (CSMA-CD). With the
must be eliminated. possibility of multiple collisions, even the basic operation of
sending a packet could take an indefinite amount of time –
Latency – low and bounded. Real-time systems can making CSMA-CD Ethernet totally unsuitable for hard real-
tolerate delays – such as the time it takes to send data time systems.
from one device to another – provided that the delays are
factored into the system design. However, any delays in a Since the early 1990s however, CSMA-CD has been
real-time system must have an upper bound that will never replaced with switched Ethernet. This eliminates the shared
be exceeded. Ethernet systems, particularly those with medium and gives each endpoint its own dedicated cable.
a switch that connects multiple devices, can introduce Collisions have been eliminated and random delays are no
a variety of delays. These include the time to store and longer an issue. Instead, designers must now worry about
forward packets, but also queueing delays that arise when congestion. While two packets sent at the same time will
the network is congested. In real-time systems, any sources no longer interfere with each other on the same wire, they
of delays must be fully characterized to ensure that they will may need to be stored within the switch while other packets
never exceed the design limit. are processed in the switch. Most modern switches are
non-blocking, meaning they can forward at full line rate
Redundancy and resiliency. A requirement in some safety- on all interfaces concurrently. However, if two transmitters
critical applications is that the system must continue to send packets at the same time – and destined for the same
operate properly even following certain types of failure. In a receiver – they cannot both be forwarded at the same time.
system that includes an Ethernet network, this could include One packet will have to wait while the switch sends the
the loss of certain physical links (for example if a cable is cut, other. In cases where multiple transmitters are all sending to
or a transceiver malfunctions). Failures of individual links or the same receiver for extended periods, this can lead to a
components can be addressed in the system by including backlog of packets all waiting to be transmitted sequentially
redundant links. However, this introduces the additional to their destination. For real-time systems, this means that
challenge of detecting failures and responding appropriately designers must understand the flow of traffic to ensure that
in the full range of failure modes. congestion does not occur.

CURTISSWRIGHTDS.COM

2
Another challenge for real-time systems is the potential Priority Queueing provides a high-priority output queue
complexity that arises from using fully-featured networking that is always serviced before others. Traffic can be placed
hardware and software. Modern networking equipment in this queue based on various packet header fields, such
implements hundreds of features that enforce security as TCP port number or IP DSCP. If necessary software on
policies, enable efficient multicast, support monitoring of endpoints can be used to mark real-time application traffic
the network and much more. The TCP/IP stacks commonly so it can be differentiated from other traffic. Using a priority
used on Ethernet endpoints can also implement a huge queue for real-time traffic ensures that time-sensitive traffic
variety of protocols that inject traffic into the network for will not be delayed as a result of being mixed in the same
services ranging from name resolution to network time output queue as other traffic. Congestion due to queueing
synchronization. Using this software in real-time systems can still occur if bursts of real-time traffic exceed the link
can lead to behaviors that are hard to predict. speed of the destination link; other features may be needed
to avoid congestion in the priority queue.
Configuring Ethernet for Rate Limiting features allow a switch to monitor the data
Real-Time Systems rate of received traffic flows and drop packets if the rate
exceeds a specific threshold. This can be used to prevent
Modern Ethernet switches provide a range of QoS features congestion by assigning fixed allocations of bandwidth
that help support real-time applications, by providing lower to different traffic classes, and enforcing those limits on
latency and making forwarding more predictable. Many ingress.
of these features are designed to allow time-sensitive
applications such as audio and video to co-exist with other Many other switch features can be used to enforce traffic
traffic on a converged network. QoS features that can management policies that support an overall real-time
support real-time applications include priority queueing and system design. Some of these features will be covered in
rate-limiting. later white papers in this series.

Senders Input buffers


Non-blocking Priority-based output
switch fabric queues
Receiver
1

Ethernet switch

Real-time Non-critical
application traffic traffic

Figure 2: Priority queue ensures real-time traffic is not


delayed by non-critical traffic

CURTISSWRIGHTDS.COM

3
Synchronization and Scheduling The fundamental mechanism is a form of Time-Division
Multiplexing (TDM) that allocates each sender a share of
One of the techniques used to avoid congestion in time- link bandwidth. AFDX is well established as certifiable
sensitive Ethernet systems is time-division multiplexing, or technology used in safety-critical systems on numerous
transmission scheduling. With this approach, time slots are commercial aircraft. For today’s systems, AFDX suffers from
assigned to each of the endpoints in the system to ensure several drawbacks including low performance and high
that only one station will be transmitting at a time. By taking cost. In its original form (ARINC 629) AFDX is limited to rates
turns, in a round-robin schedule, the system can ensure of 100 kilobits per second. Its requirement for specialized
that there is never a collision or congestion. hardware and licensing of critical IP makes it expensive for
many applications.
For endpoints to stick to a schedule and avoid transmitting
at the same time, all endpoints in the system must be
TTE
synchronized to a common time-of-day. A recent solution
for synchronizing endpoints is the IEEE 1588 “Precision Time-Triggered Ethernet (TTE) is another technology
Time Protocol”. This standard allows endpoints connected that adapts Ethernet for safety-related applications. It
to a common Ethernet network to synchronize their system incorporates a variety of traffic management approaches
clocks with very high precision. When 1588 is supported in including TDM with synchronization and rate-limiting. By
hardware, synchronization approaching 100ns is possible. enforcing classes of service and priority queueing it allows
best-effort traffic to share the network with real-time traffic.
In a system where all the endpoints have synchronized time
TTE also features a number of extensions to Ethernet
bases, and agree on a TDM schedule for when they are
that support redundancy architectures. TTE products are
allowed to transmit, congestion can be completely avoided.
currently only produced by TTTech.
This technique is used in several of the deterministic
Ethernet technologies, but can also be implemented by
any system designer that has control over all the Ethernet AVB and TSN
devices on a network. With growing interest in using Ethernet for high-performance
real-time applications including live video production
Deterministic Ethernet and scientific research, several extensions to the IEEE
802.3 standard aim to make Ethernet suitable for these
To meet the needs of real-time systems, several technologies
markets. Working groups for “Audio Video Bridging” and
and standards have been developed to provide so-called
“Time-Sensitive Networking” have added a number of new
“Deterministic Ethernet”. These technologies make use
features to Ethernet. These include a “stream reservation
of Ethernet concepts and hardware, but add additional
protocol” that enables switches to set aside resources
protocols and constraints to ensure predictable forwarding.
for individual application flows based on their stated
In some cases, the technologies can be used on standard
bandwidth requirements. These features can be used to
Ethernet hardware; in other cases, specialized hardware is
enforce admission control and avoid congestion when
required.
flows are dynamic. Support for these new standards is
already available in some new switch devices, providing an
AFDX open standards approach that will support time-sensitive
Avionics Full Duplex Switched Ethernet (AFDX) is one of applications without the need for single-vendor solutions or
the first technologies defined to use Ethernet for safety- licensing of critical IP.
critical applications. It is based on commercial Ethernet
devices but overlays a strict traffic management policy
to ensure deterministic delivery of time-sensitive traffic.

CURTISSWRIGHTDS.COM

4
Author Conclusion
Modern networks based on switched Ethernet have eliminated collisions, opening the
door to deterministic Ethernet. Today’s switches offer a variety of network features that
can be used to implement traffic management strategies, segregating high-priority and
time-sensitive traffic. Various strategies can be used to avoid congestion to provide
low latency and bounded transit times through a switched network. System designers
Andrew McCoubrey
now have a variety of options for designing real-time systems using both proprietary
Product Marketing Manager
approaches and multi-vendor solutions based on open standards
Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions
About Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions
Curtiss-Wright has a long history of designing embedded computing products for the
most demanding environments, and over a decade of experience developing Ethernet
switches. Curtiss-Wright networking products are deployed in many of the world’s
leading military and aerospace platforms where they provide critical connectivity
for sensor processing, avionics and mission systems. To support customers with
challenging networking requirements, Curtiss-Wright offers a range of engineering
services to support architecture, design and troubleshooting activities.

Learn More
Products: Networking Cards

Guide: Switching and Routing Product Guide


White Papers:
• Backplane Ethernet: Enabling High-Performance Embedded Systems
• Embedded Ethernet - Physical Layer Standards

© 2017 Curtiss-Wright. All rights reserved. Specifications are subject to change without notice. All trademarks are property of their respective owners.
CURTISSWRIGHTDS.COM
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