Advantages of Single Board Computer (SBC) Systems with Passive Backplanes & All-in-One CPUs
CyberResearch has the most complete line of Single-Board Computer (SBC) systems in the industry. A CyberResearch SBC system is composed of five basic components:
- A chassis (a case in which you can mount the system components),
- An industrial-grade power supply,
- A passive backplane which provides expansion slots to hold the user’s ISA & PCI cards, and one or more plug-in All-in-One CPU cards (SBC boards);
- One CPU card per individual computer system (note that some passive backplanes can accommodate two or more computer systems in one chassis by segmenting the slots into groups), and
- Any I/O boards required by the user’s application.
The CyberResearch SBC approach to building an industrial computer system has many advantages:
Greater Expansion Capacity: More ISA & PCI Slots!
Our passive backplanes offer a much greater number and variety of expansion slots than motherboard systems, which are typically limited to only 6 or 7 slots. Our modular SBC approach lets you select a passive backplane with the quantity of PCI & ISA expansion slots you require, ranging from 3 to 20 slots. PCI-to-PCI bridge technology can provide up to 18 PCI slots, while standard motherboards are limited to 3 or 4 PCI slots per system.
Plug-In CPU Cards are Easy to Maintain, Service, & Upgrade
Plug-in All-in-One CPU cards can be easily replaced. Their modular, compact design makes it easy to swap out a suspected defective plug-in CPU or I/O card in minutes with truly minimal downtime — you don’t even have to move other cards in the system. It’s easy to upgrade your system by replacing your CPU with a faster one, or replacing your passive backplane with a model that offers a different combination of ISA and PCI slots. Our SBC quick-swap modular plug-in design protects your investment in other system components such as chassis, software, hard disk drives, CD-ROM, displays, field wiring, etc.
Built Rugged Using Industrial-Grade Components
Our industrial-duty SBC systems are designed to operate on a 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year basis at high ambient temperatures of up to +60‰C (+140‰F). Multi-layer printed circuit boards use separate power and ground planes that provide excellent RFI and EMI noise immunity. SBC systems with passive backplanes are much less likely to fail than commercial-grade motherboard PCs.
Flexibility: Easily Configured to Meet Space/Performance Specs
CyberResearch offers over 100 integrated designs with passive backplanes that fit into standard chassis, including MicroBoxes (tm); wall-mount; benchtop; 19" rack-mount; or NEMA 4 workstations. You can use segmented backplanes to amortize the cost of a chassis over two, three, or four independently operating computer systems.
Watchdog Timer Can Automatically Reset Your SBC
All of our All-in-One CPU cards (SBCs) have a built-in watchdog timer which monitors system activity and can generate a reset pulse when it times out, protecting stand-alone or unmanned applications against “crashes” or “hang-ups” caused by software bugs, power glitches, or system errors. The watchdog timer circuit can restart your computer automatically after an unexpected crash. Your system can be back on-line in moments, instead of the next day.
PICMG®: The Open-System Standard for Maximum Compatibility
CyberResearch CPU cards & backplanes are fully compliant with PICMG standards (PCI Industrial Computer Manufacturers Group). Long-Term Product Life and Support with Future Upgrade Path CyberResearch SBC products have been designed to meet our customers’ needs for long-term product life and support. CyberResearch is committed to providing a comprehensive upgrade path to meet your present and future computing needs. |
