Ethernet

Although Ethernet is known as a networking and system-to-system protocol, it has been adapted to other applications, including the backplane. Ethernet is a popular protocol choice in FPGAs because of its flexibility, reliability, and performance.

Why use the Xilinx solutions for Ethernet?

Whether you are designing low cost 10/100 Ethernet applications with Spartan®-6 FPGAs or multi-port gigabit Ethernet applications with Virtex®-6 FPGAs, Xilinx has an Ethernet solution for you.

Implemented in 40-nm technology, the Virtex-6 FPGA incorporates four tri-mode Ethernet MAC hard blocks that support a wide variety of PHY interfaces from MII using SelectIO™ technology, to SGMII using the GTP transceivers.

Benefits of hard tri-mode MACs

• Reduce design and verification effort
• Free approximately 1,800 logic cells per Ethernet MAC in the FPGA fabric
• Simplify system design with pre-verified UNH compliant embedded blocks

The development kit provides everything you need to get started with Ethernet, including proven IP and protocol-specific characterization reports.

Xilinx Solutions for Ethernet: Benefits by Market

Market	Applications	Engineer Benefit	FPGA Family
Wired networking and telecom and wireless	Port aggregation, GbE backplane control plane, XAUI fabric interface, LAN ports	Low-latency, four integrated tri-mode Ethernet MACs	Kintex™-7 Virtex-7 Virtex-6 Virtex-5
Servers and storage	Proprietary NIC and HBA, Backplane control plane	Low power GTPs for power sensitive data center applications	Kintex-7 Virtex-7 Virtex-6 Virtex-5 Spartan-6 Spartan-3
Test and measurement	Remote data capture	SelectIO interfaces for high speed DACs/ADCs, Integrated DSP48 Blocks and memory interfaces for data storage and processing	Kintex-7 Virtex-7 Virtex-6 Virtex-5 Spartan-6 Spartan-3
Industrial, scientific and medical	Industrial automation equipment, medical imaging, wafer inspection	Flexible and scalable solutions	Kintex-7 Virtex-7 Virtex-6 Virtex-5 Spartan-6 Spartan-3
Audio, visual, broadcast	Video processing card	Integrated tri-mode MAC enables FPGA usage for DSP-intensive applications	Kintex-7 Virtex-7 Virtex-6 Virtex-5 Spartan-6 Spartan-3
Consumer	Docking station, workstation, gaming PC	Cost effective and out-of-box Ethernet solution	Kintex-7 Virtex-7 Spartan-6 Spartan-3
Aerospace/defense	Guidance systems, control systems, simulators	Industrial temperature range	Kintex-7 Virtex-7 Spartan-6 Spartan-3

Xilinx Solutions for Ethernet: By IP

40G/100G Ethernet IP	FPGA Device	Technical Documents	UNH IOL Tests	Characterization Report
40G/100G EMAC	Kintex-7, Virtex-7, Virtex-6 HXT, LXT, SXT Virtex-5 FXT, TXT	Documentation	IEEE 802.3BA compliant – will be UNH tested when available	Reports
10 Gigabit Ethernet IP	FPGA Device	Technical Documents	UNH IOL Tests	Characterization Report
10G EMAC	Zynq™-7000, Artix™-7, Kintex-7, Virtex-7, Virtex-6, Virtex-5, Virtex-4 FX, Virtex-II Pro, Spartan-6 LXT	Documentation	Successful	Report
10 Gigabit Ethernet PCS/PMA with FEC/Auto-Negotiation (10GBASE-KR)	Kintex-7, Virtex-7	Documentation	Coming Soon	Report
10 Gigabit Ethernet PCS/PMA (10GBASE-R)	Kintex-7, Virtex-7, Virtex-6 HXT	Documentation	Successful	Report
RXAUI	Zynq-7000, Artix-7, Kintex-7, Virtex-7, Virtex-6	Documentation	N/A	Coming Soon
XAUI	Zynq-7000, Artix-7, Kintex-7, Virtex-7, Virtex-6, Virtex-5, Virtex-4 FX, Virtex-II Pro, Spartan-6 LXT	Documentation	Successful	Report
Gigabit Ethernet IP	FPGA Device	Technical Documents	UNH IOL Tests	Characterization Report
Virtex-6 Embedded Tri-mode Ethernet MAC Wrapper	Virtex-6	Documentation	Coming Soon	Coming Soon
Tri-mode Ethernet Wrapper for Integrated Block	Virtex-5	Documentation	Successful	Report
Tri-mode Ethernet Wrapper for Integrated Block	Virtex-4 FX	Documentation	Successful	Report
Tri-mode Ethernet Soft IP	Zynq-7000, Artix-7, Kintex-7, Virtex-7, Virtex-6, Virtex-5, Virtex-4 FX/SX/LX, Virtex-II Pro, Virtex-II, Spartan-3A DSP, Spartan-6, Spartan-3A/3AN, Spartan-3, Spartan-3E	Documentation	Successful	Report
AXI Ethernet	Zynq-7000, Artix-7, Kintex-7, Virtex-7, Virtex-6 HXT, Virtex-6 LXT, Virtex-6 SXT, Spartan-6 LX, Spartan-6 LXT	Documentation	Successful	Report
XPS_LL_TEMAC	Virtex-6, Virtex-5 SXT/LXT/LX, Virtex-4 FX/SX/LX Spartan-6, Spartan-3A DSP, Spartan-3A/3AN	Documentation	Successful	Report
Ethernet AVB	Zynq-7000, Artix-7, Kintex-7, Virtex-7, Virtex-6 LXT, Virtex-6 SXT, Virtex-5 FXT, Virtex-5 LX, Virtex-5 LXT,  Virtex-5 SXT,  Spartan-6 LX, Spartan-6 LXT,  Spartan-3A, Spartan-3A DSP, Spartan-3AN, Spartan-3E	Documentation	N/A	N/A
QSGMII	Zynq-7000, Artix-7, Kintex-7, Virtex-7	Documentation	Successful	N/A
Ethernet 1000BASE-X PCS/PMA	Artix-7, Kintex-7, Virtex-7, Virtex-6, Virtex-5, Virtex-4 FX/SX/LX, Virtex-II Pro, Virtex-II, Spartan-6, Spartan-3A DSP, Spartan-3A/3AN, Spartan-3, Spartan-3E	Documentation	Successful	Report
10/100 Ethernet IP	FPGA Device	Technical Documents	UNH IOL Tests	Characterization Report
AXI Ethernet Lite	Zynq-7000, Kintex-7, Artix-7, Virtex-7, Virtex-6 HXT, Virtex-6 LXT, Virtex-6 SXT, Spartan-6 LXT	Documentation	N/A	N/A
XPS Ethernet Lite	Virtex-6, Virtex-5, Virtex-4 FX/SX/LX, Spartan-6 LX, Spartan-6 LXT, Spartan-3A, Spartan-3A/3AN, Spartan-3E	Documentation	N/A	N/A
Other IP	FPGA Device	Technical Documents	UNH IOL Tests	Characterization Report
Ethernet Statistics *	Virtex-6, Virtex-5, Virtex-4 FX/SX/LX, Virtex-II Pro, Virtex-II, Spartan-6, Spartan-3A DSP, Spartan-3A/3AN, Spartan-3, Spartan-3E * Function has been merged into AXI TEMAC and is available in all support devices for AXI TEMAC	Documentation	N/A	N/A

Choose the Correct Solution for Your Application

You can implement Ethernet solutions in Xilinx FPGAs with two embedded processor options: the MicroBlaze soft processor and an integrated PowerPC processor. There is also an Ethernet solution for FPGAs without embedded processors.

MicroBlaze (soft processor)

EMAC Lite is the recommended Ethernet IP for designs using MicroBlaze soft processors. EMAC Lite is a lightweight interface between the built-in tri-mode MACs and the soft IP processor. Platform Studio uses EMAC Lite to easily integrate MACs with the MicroBlaze processor.

PowerPC (hard processor)

The robust high-performance Processor Local Bus (PLB) interface helps you maximize hard processor capabilities and easily interface between the integrated PowerPC processor and tri-mode MACs. Platform Studio allows easy integration of the IP.

No embedded processor

A lightweight wrapper interface IP easily and efficiently interfaces to the built-in tri-mode MACs when no embedded processor is available. When instantiated through CORE Generator™ software, reference design IP is also produced. Designs can be quickly and efficiently integrated in the FPGA.