Rackmount automation PC has four PCI slots

By Jonathan Angel
2010-02-04

Article Rating:

/ 1

Rate This Article:

Add This Article To:

Moxa announced a rackmount automation computer, with four PCI expansion slots and four gigabit Ethernet ports. The DA-710 has a 2GHz Intel Celeron M processor, a CompactFlash slot, SATA and IDE interfaces, two serial ports, plus four USB 2.0 ports, and runs Debian Linux 5.0, says Moxa.

Moxa says its 4U-high rackmount computer is suitable for industrial automation applications, particularly those in power substations. A key to the system's capabilities is said to be its four PCI expansion slots, which accept optional modules including the following:

An eight-port RS-232/422/485 module (available with isolation, DB9 or terminal block)
A four-port 10/100 Mbps LAN module
An eight-port RS-232/485 module
An eight-port 10/100 switch module
An eight-port RS-422/485 module
A "universal" PCI expansion module

Even without these modules, the DA-710 (pictured below) provides a number of interfaces. For example, the system has four gigabit Ethernet interfaces with RJ45 connectors, four USB 2.0 ports, four digital I/Os, and two RS232 serial ports, according to the company.

The Moxa DA-710

The DA-710's tall case also is said to provide room for two SATA-150 interfaces and an IDE interface, presumably backed up by a hard disk bay to go with each, though this wasn't specified. In addition, Moxa says, the device has a CompactFlash slot and a bootable DOM (disk on module) available with Linux (1GB DOM required) or Windows Embedded Standard 2009 (2GB DOM) installations.

According to Moxa, the DA-710 has VGA and PS/2 ports on its rear panel. The front panel, meanwhile, is decked out with LEDs that show when power is on, display the status of as many as eight Ethernet ports, and may also be programmed to monitor the functionality of the modules listed above, when installed. A watchdog timer and alert buzzer are also included, says the company.

The Moxa DA-710's front and rear panels
(Click to enlarge)

Moxa says the DA-710 runs fanlessly, employing a 2GHz Intel Celeron M processor, GLE960 northbridge, and ICH8M southbridge. Power consumption is rated at just 60 Watts, lower than expected for such a mighty-looking box.

Specifications listed by Moxa for the DA-710 include:

Processor -- 2.0GHz Intel Celeron M
Chipset -- GLE960 northbridge and ICH8M southbridge
Memory -- Up to 2GB of DDR2 RAM via single SODIMM socket (1GB is already built in)
Storage:
- DOM (disk on module); 1GB in Linux configuration, and 2GB in Windows Embedded Standard 2009 configuration
- 1 x IDE and 2 x SATA; details of drive bays unspecified
Expansion:
- 4 x PCI slots
- 1 x CompactFlash slot
Networking -- 4 x gigabit Ethernet
Other I/O:
- 1 x VGA
- 1 x PS/2
- 2 x RS232
- 4 x USB 2.0
- 4 x DIO
Power requirements -- 100 to 240VAC; 60 Watts
Operating range -- 14 to 122 deg. F (-10 to 50 deg. C)
Dimensions:
- Without rackmount ears, 16.53 x 15.74 x 7.08 inches (420 x 400 x 180mm)
- With rackmount ears, 18.89 x 15.74 x 7.08 inches (480 x 400 x 180mm)
Weight -- 30.86 pounds (14kg)

The Linux distribution that ships with the DA-710 is based on Debian 5.0 and Linux 2.6.26-2, and uses the EXT2 file-system, says Moxa. Other features are said to include bash, busybox, login, telnet, ftp, ssh, openbsdinetd, apt, apt-utils, dpkg, grub, and udev. The distribution uses the GNU Make 3.8.1 utility and GNU C and C++ compilers. Other details about the distribution may be found in the datasheet, from the link below.

Availability

According to Moxa, the DA-710 is available with preinstalled Windows Embedded Standard 2009 or Linux. Pricing was not specified, but the device appears to be available now.

More information on the Moxa DA-710 may be found on the company's website, here.

Related Stories:

	Discuss Rackmount automation PC has four PCI slots

	>>> Be the FIRST to comment on this article!



	>>> More News Articles >>> More By Jonathan Angel

Email Article To Friend ♦ Print Version Of Article ♦ PDF Version Of Article

FUEL Database on MontaVista Linux
Whether building a mobile handset, a car navigation system, a package tracking device, or a home entertainment console, developers need capable software systems, including an operating system, development tools, and supporting libraries, to gain maximum benefit from their hardware platform and to meet aggressive time-to-market goals.

Breaking New Ground: The Evolution of Linux Clustering
With a platform comprising a complete Linux distribution, enhanced for clustering, and tailored for HPC, Penguin Computing¿s Scyld Software provides the building blocks for organizations from enterprises to workgroups to deploy, manage, and maintain Linux clusters, regardless of their size.

Data Monitoring with NightStar LX
Unlike ordinary debuggers, NightStar LX doesn¿t leave you stranded in the dark. It¿s more than just a debugger, it¿s a whole suite of integrated diagnostic tools designed for time-critical Linux applications to reduce test time, increase productivity and lower costs. You can debug, monitor, analyze and tune with minimal intrusion, so you see real execution behavior. And that¿s positively illuminating.

Virtualizing Service Provider Networks with Vyatta
This paper highlights Vyatta's unique ability to virtualize networking functions using Vyatta's secure routing software in service provider environments.

High Availability Messaging Solution Using AXIGEN, Heartbeat and DRBD
This white paper discusses a high-availability messaging solution relying on the AXIGEN Mail Server, Heartbeat and DRBD. Solution architecture and implementation, as well as benefits of using AXIGEN for this setup are all presented in detail.

Understanding the Financial Benefits of Open Source
Will open source pay off? Open source is becoming standard within enterprises, often because of cost savings. Find out how much of a financial impact it can have on your organization. Get this methodology and calculator now, compliments of JBoss.

Embedded Hardware and OS Technology Empower PC-Based Platforms
The modern embedded computer is the jack of all trades appearing in many forms.

Data Management for Real-Time Distributed Systems
This paper provides an overview of the network-centric computing model, data distribution services, and distributed data management. It then describes how the SkyBoard integration and synchronization service, coupled with an implementation of the OMG¿s Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard, can be used to create an efficient data distribution, storage, and retrieval system.

7 Advantages of D2D Backup
For decades, tape has been the backup medium of choice. But, now, disk-to-disk (D2D) backup is gaining in favor. Learn why you should make the move in this whitepaper.