 Description
 Whether your application is airborne reconnaissance or test instrumentation, SPEC's TornadoX™ Data Storage System provides a modular and configurable data acquisition, processing, and storage system solution that can easily be integrated or embedded into a variety of aerospace or commercial applications. With its extremely flexible architecture and data rate and memory depth growth capabilities, the versatile TornadoX™ offers significant performance improvements over conventional data recorders. TornadoX™ meets tactical reconnaissance requirements for smaller size, higher data rates, increased storage capacity, on-board processing, data encryption, random access of stored data, the ability to read data out of the recorder while writing data in, and greater overall system reliability. The TornadoX™ allows integration of system processing and management functions to reside in the storage system. This flexibility increases operational options as well as reduces power, size, and weight requirements. TornadoX™ can record and archive data in excess of 2.0 Gbits/sec with a growth potential of over 6.0 Gbits/sec. TornadoX™ architecture provides an upgrade path for incorporating increased memory capacity, advanced data compression techniques, capture of high-speed sensor data, and data management. It employs state of the art solid state memory combined with a VMEbus worldwide standard open architecture with high speed RACEway switch fabric supplemental interface. This is ideal for high-speed (160MB/Sec) block oriented data transfers that match the speed and versatility of the memory system. The memory system employs state of the art solid-state EEPROM memory devices combined with a high-speed bus architecture. The data is stored between 120GBytes to Multiple TBytes Removable Memory Units (RMUs) implementing a unique bus structure allowing up to 16 RMUs to be utilized without compromising performance. Each RMU is composed of eight high-density memory boards providing the highest possible memory packaging density. The RMU can be populated with as few as one 120 GByte memory board and still achieve a 2.0 Gbps input data rate. The versatile design of the TornadoX™ system allows for easy reconfiguration to meet the demands of future applications requiring higher data rates and more storage capacity. Features and Benefits of the TornadoX™ | Flexible: | -
Incorporates VMEbus architecture with RACEway switch fabric for interface flexibility -
Easily adaptable to a variety of interfaces to accommodate legacy
and future sensor upgrades -
Adapts easily from solid state to other mass storage media -
Allows up front data management and processing -
Meets demand for higher data rates
| | Scalable: | | | | Cost Efficient: | | | | Fast: | -
Accommodates data rates in excess of 6 Gbits/sec
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Theory of Operation
The TornadoX™ system, shown in block diagram form above, collects sensor data within the programmable Media Independent Translator System (MITS) using a specific sensor interface (eg. Imager, EO/IR, RF, User Specific) PCI Mezzanine Card (PMC). Data is then packaged and pre-processed by the interface processor and sent to the Recorder Interface Master (RIM) PMC processor for handling and distribution to memory. Distribution is accomplished through a unique channel link structure that allows the solid state Removable Memory Units (RMU) to be extended to 16 deep without compromising performance. By utilizing this channel link structure, the RMUs do not need to be co-located with the MITS.
TornadoX™ MITS
A programmable MITS system front end is packaged in a 1/2 ATR tall form factor (10.60"x 4.88" x 12.50"). The system has two VMEbus Single Board Controllers (SBC) and available slots for additional VMEbus interface controllers (IRIG, 1553, DCR, ARINC). Each SBC contains a customer defined PMC module (fibre channel, video, LVDS) and a Recorder Interface Module (RIM) PMC module. Each controller implements two intelligent PMC interfaces. Each PMC interface has a dedicated Motorola PowerPC processor allowing the most demanding I/O requirements to be implemented without requiring host processing. Along with the standard open architecture and versatility of the memory system the controller contains an onboard RACEway fabric that interconnects the two PMC slots to two onboard buffers, and to two RACEway ports. Each RACEway port is capable of sustaining data rates of 160Mbytes per second. The controller supports an EIA-232 console port and an EIA-232/485 auxiliary port for each PowerPC microprocessor, and a single fast Ethernet port (100BaseT). One of the PowerPC processors contains Fibre channel control, data processing, data handling, RIM interoperation, and host software, while the other processor has the RIM control, data handling, file management, and Fibre channel interoperation software. One RIM PMC Module can support up 16 RMUs at a data throughput of 960Mbits/sec. Since the TornadoX™ MITS can support multiple RIMs and each RIM operates in parallel, the system data storage rate can exceed 6 Gbit/sec. TornadoX™ RMU
SPEC developed the solid state RMU with both memory depth and data rate expansion capabilities to meet the needs of recorder systems of the future. Each RMU is composed of up to eight memory boards closely interconnected to provide the highest memory packaging density and lowest system weight possible. The data is stored in Multiple TBytes of non-volatile solid state devices in a single 1/4 ATR tall (10.6" x 2.25" x 16.8") sized RMU weighing only 17pounds. Units can be populated with from one to the full eight cards (as little as 120 GBytes each) for applications requiring less storage capability. Each RMU maintains its own file directory and logical address.
TornadoX™ Software
A command/response-based control application stored in the 2Mbyte Flash memory of each SBC. User commands are received and command responses transmitted one of the eight EIA-232 serial ports or the single Fast Ethernet (100BaseT) port. The TornadoX™ software automatically interrogates the hardware and configures the unit upon power-up, reading the directory entries (if any) previously saved to each RMU allowing recordings from multiple missions to exist on the same set of RMUs. TornadoX™ Specifications
- Input Data Rate: Up to 2.0 Gbps continuous
- High Speed Input: Dual Fibre Channel PMC using VMEbus w/RACEway, Gigabit Ethernet
- Low Speed Interface: DCRsi™ (240 Mbps)
- Control/Command Port: Serial/Ethernet
- Memory Type: EEPROM
- Data Storage Capacity: Multiple TBytes per RMU
RMU Physical Specifications
Size: 10.6" x 2.25" x 16.8"
Weight: 18 pounds
Power: 65 Watts MITS Physical Specifications
Size: 10.6" x 4.88" x 12.52"
Weight: 17 pounds
Power: 65 Watt
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Solid State Storage Systems 
