R100 - Remote Processing Unit

Owned by James Eadie
Last updated: Jan 24, 2020 by Guy Avery (Deactivated)
5 min read

Introduction

Navtech's Radar Processing Units (RPUs) are custom built hardware platforms tailored to manage the demands of high data throughput and intensive processing typical of radar tracking systems.

They are designed to work reliably 24x7 in a variety of environments. All systems undergo a comprehensive burn-in and have been tested exhaustively for compatibility and performance with Navtech’s radar management software.

On this page:

 

The new R-Series is based on well-established server grade components. All the parts are manufactured using tight revision control and are included in long term development programmes which guarantee availability over many years and provides for future upgrades.

Each system has a high level of redundancy. The R-100 comes as standard with a hardware RAID controller configured with level 5 array, redundant cooling fans and redundant power supplies. The system also includes a BIOS level watchdog timer that can restart the whole system in the unlikely event of it becoming inoperable.

The unit includes a comprehensive remote management and diagnostics system which allows full control of the hardware, including remote control sessions, over a dedicated IP connection.

The R-100 is based around a very compact 1U, short chassis that can be installed in a range of different sized racks, including communication cabinets.

Although the hardware design has been optimised for use with the Navtech software, it can be customised for specific projects if required. This may include the addition of expansion cards or enhanced processing and storage capabilities. Please contact Navtech Radar if you require further information on the expansion options or if you have a specific requirement.

The R-100 is designed to handle a heavy processing load and is suitable for managing up to 8 radars.

The total load of a system is based on many factors therefore it will vary from site to site. A key consideration is the number of tracks the system will be expected to monitor at any given point in time. This means in more demanding situations the RPU may be able to support less radar and in others it may be able to support more.

RPU Specification

Hardware

Hardware

CPU

Intel Xeon E-2136, 6 Core, 12 Thread, 3.3GHz, 4.5GHz Turbo, 12MB Cache

RAM 

32GB (2x16GB DDR4 ECC 2400MHz)

Video

Integrated Graphics

LAN

2x Intel 1GbE Adapters

HDD Controller  

LSI MegaRAID 9271i Controller, 1GB DDR3 Cache

 Management

 Dedicated LAN for IPMI and Remote KVM



Storage 

Storage 

HDD

 3x Enterprise 1TB HDD 3.5”

RAID Setup        

 3x HDD in RAID 5 Configuration (Total storage ~ 2TB)

HDD Capacity    

 4x 3.5” Integrated Hot Swap Bays



Supported OS

Supported OS

Windows 10 Professional x64

Windows Server 2016 Standard Edition



Mechanical Design

Mechanical Design

Chassis

EIA RS-310D 19” 1U Rackmount (rails included)

Dimensions

437mm (W) x 43mm (H) x 503mm (D)

Package

594mm (W) x 216mm (H) x 754mm (D)

Weight  

12Kg



Environmental - Operational

Environmental - Operational

Temp

5°C - 35°C

Humidity 

8% - 90% (non-condensing)



Environmental – Non-Operational

Environmental – Non-Operational

Temp

-40°C - 70°C

Humidity

5% - 95% (non-condensing)



Electrical and Power

Electrical and Power

CPU Max TDP   

72W

PSU

2x 400W 6A - 110/240V



Included Accessories

Included Accessories

Standard 19” Rackmount rails

2x UK Power Cords

1x Security Bezel

RPU Setup and Configuration

All RPUs are pre-configured before being dispatched to customers. This means the OS is configured, up-to-date and optimised for use with the Navtech Radar software. The RPU will have the core pre-requisites for running Witness, however it may be missing certain SDKs or libraries which are unique for specific projects. These would normally be installed during the commissioning and installation phase of the project.

The Witness software is not pre-installed because requirements vary from customer to customer and project to project. This is done as part of the commissioning process.

The R100 RPUs ship with Windows 10 x64 Professional or Windows Server 2016 Standard Edition. Windows 10 is only supported in the later versions of Witness so please check the requirements matrix to ensure compatibility with the OS.

System Configuration Options

The RPU's default hardware configuration supports each of the software modules including the Mongo database server. If the site requires a large number of radars or the system is expected to process many targets it may be necessary to distribute the software modules across multiple RPUs. Some example system configurations can be on the System Design page.

The RPUs include integrated graphics adapters which is not suitable to run Witness Sentinel UI application. It is strongly recommended that the Sentinel client is run on a standard PC and not on the RPU. Due to the form factor and fan noise, the RPU is not appropriate for use in a control room or as a replacement for a standard desktop PC. The requirement for the client PC can be found on the Hardware Requirements page.

The three main configurations are:

Configuration Option

Description

Radars Supported

Notes

Configuration Option

Description

Radars Supported

Notes

Single RPU + Client PC

All the software modules, including the database are installed on the same RPU. The Sentinel client UI is installed on the PC.

1 - 4 Radars

This is not recommended for production systems using more than 2 radars. This configuration is suitable for proof of concepts (POC) and demonstrations. It can be used for small sites where the target count is expected to be low.

Tracking RPU, Primary RPU + Client PC

The core services are installed on the Primary RPU (Piccadilly, Canary, Cyclops, Vault and Mongo Db). The trackers are installed on the Tracking RPU(s). The Sentinel client UI is installed on the PC.

4-8 Radars per Tracking RPU. Total is limited by database performance no more than 8x radar

This solution separates the trackers onto a separate server. Additional Tracking RPUs can be added to handle more radar as required. However consideration should be given to the database server. The total number of radars and the corresponding track load may require the database server to have its own dedicated server - see option 3 below.

Tracking RPU, Primary RPU, Database RPU + Client PC

The core services are installed on the Primary RPU (Piccadilly, Canary, Cyclops), however the database server is installed on a dedicated RPU. The trackers are installed on the Tracking RPU(s). The Sentinel client UI is installed on the PC.

4-10 Radars per Tracking RPU. Total is limited by the maximum capability of the Primary and Database RPUs

This solution offers the best capacity for large systems with many radar. A typical ClearWay deployment could support 30x radar using 3x Tracking RPUs, a Primary RPU and a Database RPU.



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