Kontron enhances MicroTCA™ portfolio with AM4901 low cost Management Controller Hub (MCH)

Eching, Germany/Poway, USA, October 1, 2008 − Kontron supplements its MicroTCA™ portfolio with a new MCH (Management Controller Hub). By offering only the most essential feature sets, the Kontron AM4901 enables MicroTCA™ compliant designs while remaining sensitive to costs.

The Kontron AM4901 Management Controller Hub provides system management and Ethernet switching for up to 12 AdvancedMC™ modules. Unlike the telecommunication segment, where advanced feature sets require managed switches with complex control software, such features are not required in most industrial applications. The Kontron AM4901 contains an unmanaged BCM5396 Ethernet switch, which simplifies designs and improves costs (lower cost components, no switch controller, no software for switch controller). Among the typical applications are image processing in the industrial and medical sectors, industrial control systems, information systems for trains and simple communication systems without need for managed switches.

“This is a significant step,“ says Irene Hahner, Product Manager at Kontron. “It supplements the current activities in the PICMG® concerning MicroTCA.1 which target MicroTCA™ in a rougher industrial environment outside the central office as well as in vehicles. There are a number of MCHs on the market, but we could not find anyone addressing the low cost segment. The Kontron AM4901 will help Kontron’s customers address a broader range of applications. The AM4901 is a perfect fit for designing a complete and highly versatile MicroTCA™ platform that is both cost-effective and more advanced than other competing products.”

The Kontron AM4901 Management Controller Hub is a single PCB solution with only one MCH tongue. It provides one GbE uplink on the front. On the edge connector there are 12x GbE for AMCs plus 1x GbE for MCH interlink. In addition to the standard LED indicators, there are status LEDs for 12 AdvancedMC™ modules on the front, as well as RJ45 connectors for one FE management interface and one serial interface to access the management controller (MCMC).

The Kontron AM4901 MCH represents a MicroTCA™ Compliant MCH with a cost improved design. It supports the Kontron family of cost optimized MicroTCA™ platforms, as well as a range of other 3rd party platforms. For management functions, it contains a MCMC LPC2368 with Kontron IPMI SW with IPMB-L links to AdvancedMC™ modules; I2C to SEEPROM on the Backplane, and I2C as well as IPMB-0 links for power management and cooling. The Kontron AM4901 also supports JTAG.

Product pricing and availability
Kontron AM4901 MCH – RoHS compliant
Pricing: OEM pricing upon request
Availability: Q4, 2008.

More information on AdvancedMC™: http://www.kontron.com/AdvancedMC
More information on MicroTCA™: http://www.kontron.com/MicroTCA

About Kontron
Kontron designs and manufactures standard-based and custom embedded and communications solutions for OEMs, systems integrators, and application providers in a variety of markets. Kontron engineering and manufacturing facilities, located throughout Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific, work together with streamlined global sales and support services to help customers reduce their time-to-market and gain a competitive advantage. Kontron’s diverse product portfolio includes: boards and mezzanines, Computer-on-Modules, HMIs and displays, systems, and custom capabilities. Kontron is a Premier member of the Intel® Embedded and Communications Alliance. The company is a recent three-time VDC Platinum vendor for Embedded Computer Boards. Kontron is listed on the German TecDAX stock exchange under the symbol "KBC". For more information, please visit: www.kontron.com.

Kontron AG
Oskar-von-Miller-Strasse 1
85386 Eching/Munich
Germany
Tel: +49 (8165) 77-777
Fax: +49 (8165) 77-279
http://www.kontron.com
sales@kontron.com

This release was published on openPR.