40- and 100-Gbps Ethernet MAC and PHY MegaCore Function User Guide

ID 683114
Date 6/15/2022
Public
Document Table of Contents

A. 40-100GbE IP Core Example Design

Altera provides an example design with the 40-100GbE IP core. This example design is ready for compilation and can be configured on a C2 speed grade device.

You can use the example design as an example for correct connection of your IP core to your design, or as a starter design you can customize for your own design requirements.

Separate figures illustrate the example design structure for 40GBASE-KR IP core variations and for the other IP core variations.

Figure 47. High Level Block Diagram for the 40-100GbE Example Design High level block diagram for non-40GBASE-KR4 example designs. You can generate a non-40GBASE-KR4 example design for any non-40GBASE-KR4, full duplex IP core variation that includes both MAC and PHY components.
Figure 48. High Level Block Diagram for the 40GBASE-KR4 Example Design High level block diagram for 40GBASE-KR4 example designs. You can generate a 40GBASE-KR4 example design for any 40GBASE-KR4 IP core variation that includes both MAC and PHY components, does not have Synchronous Ethernet support, does not have the link training microprocessor interface, and has RX equalization enabled. Variations that meet these criteria can be with or without adapters, unlike the testbench, which is available only for variations with adapters.

Altera’s example design includes either the 40GbE or 100GbE IP core. Client logic connects to the TX and RX Ethernet MAC. The TX and RX logic in the MAC includes an optional adapter which is available for both the 40GbE and 100GbE IP cores. When you use the optional adapter, the start of packet (SOP) is always in the most significant word (64 bits) of the bus, simplifying the interpretation of incoming data. When the configuration includes adapters, the interface between the client logic and TX and RX FIFOs uses the Avalon‑ST protocol. Without adapters, the interface between client logic and the TX and RX MAC is a custom streaming interface.

The bandwidth for the two versions is the same. However, the version without adapters achieves this bandwidth with a narrower bus, because it does not restrict the SOP to the most significant word of the bus. In the version without adapters, the SOP can be in the MSB of any word. The penalty for the less restrictive positioning of the SOP is a data stream which is more difficult to interpret.

The interface between the MAC and PHY modules of the IP core is XLGMII for the 40GbE IP core and CGMII for the 100GbE IP core. The interface between the PHY and external physical medium dependent (PMD) optical module or other device is XLAUI for the 40GbE IP core and CAUI for the 100GbE IP core, providing a bandwidth of either 4 or 10 × 10.3125 Gbps.

An Avalon‑MM control and status (management) interface provides access to the MAC and PHY registers in the IP core and also controls the MDIO, 2‑wire serial, and PMD controllers on the PCB (for non-40GBASE-KR4 variations) or the reconfiguration bundle (for 40GBASE-KR4 variations).

The example design is provided as a Quartus II project. The example design is crafted for you to configure on a C2 device in a specific Altera development kit. To use a different device or development kit, you must modify the project.

By default, the example design configures on one of the following Altera development kits, as appropriate for the IP core target device and variation:

  • 100G Development Kit, Stratix IV GT Edition
  • 100G Development Kit, Stratix V GX Edition
  • Transceiver Signal Integrity Development Kit, Stratix V GT Edition
  • Transceiver Signal Integrity Development Kit, Stratix V GX Edition (for 40GBASE-KR4 IP cores)

To set up and configure the example design on the device, follow these steps:

  1. Follow the steps in Chapter 2, Getting Started to generate your IP core. Refer to the figures for information about the variations for which an example design can be generated.
    Note: When prompted at the start of generation, you must turn on Generate example design.
  2. In the Quartus II software, on the File menu, click Open Project.
  3. Navigate to the example design project folder, select the Quartus Project File (.qpf), < instance_name >_example/alt_e40_e100/example/< example_design_name >.qpf, and click Open.
  4. On the Processing menu, click Start Compilation.
  5. Program the targeted Altera device with the Quartus II Programmer.