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The CompactPCI Serial architecture retains the features found in PICMG 2.0 such as hot-swap of boards during operation and system-level management, with enhanced serial point-to-point connections. Single star or full mesh topology backplanes come in up to 9 slots, the max as defined by the specification.
The most important factor behind CompactPCI Serials incredible performance is its high-speed connectors. The serial point-to-point connectors are equipped with 184 signal pairs in a 3U backplane, facilitating transmission rates of up to 10,3125 Gbps.
The system slot can be placed on left- or right-hand side of the backplane. Each peripheral slot, all of which are simultaneously accessible, offers one PCI Express link, one SATA/SAS, and one USB 2.0/3.0 interface. The star topology is equal for all of these, and the slots are identical except for the two PCI Express x8 lanes. Defined system and peripheral slot pin assignments will allow a system slot board to plug into any peripheral slot, thus supporting symmetrical multiprocessing.
Notable attributes of the high-speed interfaces and the back-end architecture:
- Up to 8x PCI Express (6x PCIe x4 lanes, 2x PCIe x8 lanes)
- Up to 8x SATA/SAS
- Up to 8x USB 2.0
- Up to 8x USB 3.0
- Up to 8x Ethernet interfaces
- Signals for general system management (reset, IPMB, hot plug, geographical addressing, among others)
- 12 V (60 W per 3U slot, 120 W per 6U slot)
Up to eight Ethernet interfaces capable of 10GBASE-T and higher are supported by each slot, building a full mesh and affording the ability to configure redundant, safety-critical systems.
Access to WLAN can be attained via the USB hub, and powerful, rapid storage and RAID applications can be implemented through existing SATA interfaces. This technology can be effectively employed in safety, broadband communication, and facility automation environments, and in transportation applications, passengers can benefit from greater comfort upgrades such as onboard infotainment systems and better-quality climate control. CompactPCI Serial boards, backplanes and chassis products are available from Elma to leverage the best of this well-established standard to address demanding computing and environmental requirements. As your single point of contact, Elma designs, builds, documents, supports and warrants the entire integrated system as a unit including all components and sub-assemblies. Find the complete list of Elmas valued partners here.
For the complete CompactPCI Serial specification, go to PICMG’s website.
FAQs
CompactPCI Serial is a modular embedded computing standard that utilizes serial point-to-point interconnects (such as PCI Express, Ethernet, SATA, and USB) combined with rugged Eurocard form factors. It modernizes the classic CompactPCI architecture by enabling higher-speed communications and flexible system topologies while retaining modularity.
While legacy CompactPCI uses a parallel bus architecture, CompactPCI Serial replaces the parallel bus with serial, point-to-point links for faster, more scalable fabrics. This allows higher data rates and more flexible communication paths for modern embedded applications.
The Eurocard form factor ensures mechanical ruggedness, standardized board sizes (3U/6U), and compatibility with existing rugged chassis and rack infrastructures — making it ideal for industrial, transportation, and defense embedded applications.
Yes — the standard supports a range of high-speed serial protocols, including PCI Express, SATA, Ethernet, and USB, allowing designers to meet diverse I/O requirements from a single modular platform.
By using standardized boards and backplanes with defined serial link patterns, CompactPCI Serial enables designers to mix and match modules for processing, I/O, networking, and storage without custom interconnects, simplifying integration and reducing development risk.