[CUWiN-Dev] Re: Alchemy CPU

[Quantum Scientific]

Friends,

I realize that everyone's working on Milestone II, but I need some input when convenient.

I've contacted about 50 embedded systems providers, and my focus and intent is to find a tiny platform based on the AMD Alchemy CPU.  MyCable is among the first to reply, and his first answer is $500 per each.  Of course this won't work and I told him so, but he likes the project and is asking questions I can't answer now.  (at bottom)

Best,

Carl Cook


Quantum Scientific wrote:
>  > I write on behalf of the cuwireless.net project, which is developing an
>  > advanced mesh networking system.
>  >
>  > We need a platform for very compact, inexpensive outdoor wireless
>  > nodes, and the AMD Au1550 seems like the ideal processor.
>  >
>  > Do you make any boards with this CPU?  Do you sell in the US?

 
On Sunday 23 January 2005 5:53, Michael Carstens-Behrens wrote:
> thanks for you request. We have made Au1550-boards, but they were
> custom-made designs. Our products are still based on the Au1500.
> We plan to move to an "XXS1550" but it will take a few months.
> But we already have Linux 2.6 running on the Au1550 and have developed
> our own crytography library to support the hardware crytography
> acceleration of the Au1550.
> 
> We can of course offer custom-made systems, we have experience in
> high performance WLAN access point design, PoE and Encryption.
> I attached some product and serice information, please take a
> look at the request form for custom-made systens, I can easily
> caculate the costs if you. We also work on highly integrated
> and cost effective 64bit/Gbit Ethernet systems.
> 
> Please let me know if you have any further questions. Development
> kits you can get from the address below, OEM or custom made systems
> you would get directly from us, we provide our services and products
> worldwide.
> 
> US distributor:
> 
> Peter Tympanick
> Sales Manager
> Ultimate Solutions, Inc.
> Toll Free: 866-455-3383 x202
> Facsimile: 978-926-3091
> Email: ptymps at ultsol.com
> www: http://www.ultsol.com
> 
> 
> Best Regards, Mike...
> 
> - We cordially invite you to visit us on the embedded world in  -
> - Nuremberg from the 22nd-24th of February in Hall 12 booth 546 -
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>     Michael Carstens-Behrens   Tel.   +49 4873 901 954
>     mycable GmbH               Fax    +49 4873 901 976
>     Boeker Stieg 43            Mobile +49 174 9453 777
>     D-24613 Aukrug, Germany    Email  mcb at mycable.de


Quantum Scientific wrote:
>  > This is a community development project, and so our target per-unit
>  > cost is low.  Maybe it would be cheaper for us to use your AU1500
>  > stock until exhausted?
>  >
>  > About when will you have the first standard products with the 1550?
>  > Is there a price projection?
>  >
>  > Please assemble a quote for an AU1550-based board essentially with
>  > RAM: 128M, Flash:128M, two ethernet ports, and two miniPCI slots.
>  > The more standardized, the better.


On Sunday 23 January 2005 11:05, Michael Carstens-Behrens wrote:
> - What is the minimum number of pcs. you need?
> 
> Best Regards, Mike...


Quantum Scientific wrote:
> The deployment of this could be astronomical.  The CUWireless project last year received a grant from the Open Source Initiative to develop from scratch, a mesh networking algorithm that would address the problems of existing algos like AODV and OLSR.  So CUWireless started with the nodes, and observed how they behave, rather than starting with a routing theory.  This research has resulted in Adaptive HSLS, which first implementation will be released in Milestone II, on Feb 1.
> 
> The philosophy of the project and its sponsors is to deploy internet to areas of the world too rugged, too spread-out, or too poor to run landlines.  The idea is many, small inexpensive nodes.
> 
> This is the potential.  Of course we must all plan carefully.
> 
> For testing, I'm going to say from 10 to 50 units.

 
On Sunday 23 January 2005 11:52, Michael Carstens-Behrens wrote:
> Sournds great. Is Quantum Scientific a sponsor?
> 
> For Testing:
> For 10-50 pcs. you can use our XXS1500 with a CF 802.11b card or
> may be also CF 802.11g card, which is availabe from Linksys, but
> we have not tested it yet. You can also use our XXS3HC with Mini
> PCI slot. We support 2.4 and 2.6 Linux kernel and also 802.11g
> support. Pricing would be around 500$.
> 
> The final product from my knowledge point of view could be:
> Au1550 with 2 x  Mini PCI for WLAN, 2 x Ethernet, ..., 64 or 128 MB
> DRAM and 16/32/64 Flash, other features like PoE 802.3af are
> possible. This product can be available much much cheaper, depending
> on business model and volume. The main difference between the Au1500 and
> Au1550 is DDR SDRAM support and cryptography acceleration.
> 
> We can
> - provide offer the development systems
> - develop the cost optimized product
> - produce it, if desired
> 
> How shall we proceed?
> 
> Best Regards, Mike...


Quantum Scientific wrote:
> > Sounds great. Is Quantum Scientific a sponsor?
> 
> We are donating labor and time, and plan to be a mesh operator.  The George Soros Foundation, which created the Open Software Initiative, is the money.
> 
> You may know that Soros has backed many community development and social advancement projects over the years.
> 
> > Pricing would be around 500$.
> 
> If this is per each, it's a non-starter.  Another avenue being pursued is to port the system to a cheap router (although memory limitations have been a significant problem so far) because remember that communities will be buying these for the most part, with very limited funds.  The whole idea is many, cheaply.  To be honest, we can get a much more capable mobo than the proposed for ~$170 (Via Epia, et al).  Am I overlooking some aspect of the proposed system?  
> 
> When I say 'small', I mean cheap, not convenient.
> 
>  
> > The main difference between the Au1500 and Au1550 is DDR SDRAM 
> > support and cryptography acceleration. 
> 
> Right, but the 1500 is fast enough to VPN in software for most deployments; in fact the Cyrix is.  I was hoping to do it in hardware, but this may not be practical.  AMD really priced the Au high, for its role.


On Sunday 23 January 2005 12:39, Michael Carstens-Behrens wrote:
> Hi Carl,
> 
> What bandwidth do you need with strong encryption on IP level?
> 
> Basically we are focussed on very small systems with high computing
> performance and low power consumption. E.g. dedicated to high
> performance access points to serve many clients. For a customized
> solution we can achieve such price range and I think the Au1550
> is very good solution due to its cryptography hardware. As a development
> kit we could provide only a very few for lower price, for we are a
> small company. May be we have a dual mini PCI development board on our
> lab from annother project. I like the project so if we can, we will
> support you.
> 
> The question is, how much performance you need:
> - how many clients
> - overall bandwidth
> - bandwidth for encrypted IP traffic (the encryption on WLAN level
>    can be performed by the cards itself).
> 
> Depdending on that, I can tell you if you need an Au1550 or not.
> 
> Annother solution could be to hack a soho router, they are sometimes
> based on ARM or MIPS-based system on chip with Linux. But this is
> not a reliable outdoor product you can provide over years.
> 
> 
> Best Regards, Mike...