Embedded computing reaches edge server space
Dan Demers, General Manager Americas, congatec
Rugged servers are a major megatrend in 2022 and beyond
2022 will be the year of embedded server technologies. For Dan Demers, General Manager Americas at congatec, there’s no doubt about it. Semiconductor manufacturers will bring new powerful server CPUs onto the market. Embedded vendors such as congatec will implement them immediately on the brand new COM-HPC Server-on-Module standard recently released by standardization body PICMG. As these new server modules provide a significant performance leap over previous modules, OEMs will be able to completely open up y new edge server applications for their customers.
The big trend during the last decades saw PC technologies moving deeper and deeper into embedded applications. First, it was x86 low power desktop and notebook processors, later ARM based processors designed for smartphones and tablets. With Linux support for both ARM and x86 application processors, freely programmable applications are now available for nearly all devices. And IP communication standards as well as wireless technologies make it possible to intelligently connect almost everything. Smart products available today range from relatively simple temperature sensors to control heating systems, to WLAN based light switches and smart bulbs for the smart home sector. And the same trend towards IP based connectivity is happening across all the various industry sectors. Starting with IP based gateways for machines, devices and controls, it reaches deep into the industrial field with its IP based industrial Ethernet communication that includes TSN and IP technologies to connect peripheral devices and all the various established industrial field busses and serial interfaces.
