CIM and Linux Development

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Linux developers create applications (programs) for users, who may be local or remote to the server (or server farm, such as a data center). CIM is transparent to both developers and users.

1U server with CIM array card

2U server with CIM array card

ATCA server blade with two (2) CIM array AMC form-factor cards

Reduced size, 1U height Google server (top view).

On this page...

• Overview
• Linux Platforms

Related pages...

• CIM and OpenMP

Overview

For the host x86 or ARM code stream, the CIM build process generates Linux executable files.  Linux compatibility provides several advantages:

• Linux users need no knowledge of specialized hardware or software. No knowledge of TI chip "inner workings" is required
• CIM can be used with existing Linux servers. Servers may be any type: x86, ARM, or PowerPC host CPUs, thin and small (1U form-factor) or much larger, cheap or modified for "5 nines" reliability, ruggedized, or even custom built (such as Google's data center servers ¹ ) -- but in all cases they can utilize CIM
• Leverages existing investment in equipment, programming staff, and software developed in the last several years, since the rise of Linux

Linux Platforms

Shown at right are examples of common Linux platforms, including:

• 1U server
• 2U server
• ATCA server blade
• Google's "less than 1U" server

In all cases above except for the 2U server, a CIM array card must not exceed a single slot width in order to be inserted in the server. This is one of the advantages of CIM arrays: thin and dense, with very low energy consumption. Signalogic CIM array cards use self-contained cooling, without large oversized heatsinks, in order to maintain compatibility with all server types. CIM arrays are designed from the ground up, based on Signalogic patent pending technology, to have no dependency on server internal airflow or other type of internal cooling.

¹ "Google uncloaks once-secret server", CNET News, Business Tech, April 1, 2009. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-10209580-92.html