VPK120 Board Setup and Configuration Guide

Overview

This README provides instructions and scripts for programming the AMD Versal™ Premium Evaluation Kit (VPK120) and configuring its PetaLinux network interfaces for use with backline.

Choose one of the following paths:

• Use the release images (recommended): Download the prebuilt package and program the board directly. You do not need to rebuild Vivado or PetaLinux images.
• Rebuild the images (optional): Start from the AMD ERNIC reference design, apply the Backline patch, and rebuild the hardware and PetaLinux images.

After completing either path, continue with Serial Console & Login and Network Setup.

Licensing and Compliance

Individual subsystems within this repository are licensed under their respective directories.

• AMD Vivado License: Must include support for Versal Premium devices (VPK120).
• Reference Design Sources: The AMD ERNIC MRMAC reference design remains the intellectual property of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Users must source the package directly from AMD. This repository provides modifications as a patch file (backline.patch).
• AMD ERNIC IP License: Rebuilding the design requires an active AMD ERNIC IP core license.
• AMD Versal 100G Multirate Ethernet MAC IP License: Rebuilding the design requires an active AMD 100G Multirate Ethernet MAC IP license.
• HDL patch: All HDL patches and scripts under /hdl are licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
• Software Licenses: All software under /code, including but not limited to Linux drivers and PetaLinux components are subject to AMD PetaLinux EULA and relevant scoped open-source licenses (GPLv2, MIT, Apache 2.0).

ERNIC SW Code

The provided SW code is a modified fork of the ERNIC SW repo for CSE/PPSG.

It is based upon the ERNIC code that was originally developed by DCG Storage team and was released on the ERNIC lounge area in 2021.

Folder Layout

├── hdl
└── code
   └── meta-user
       ├── conf
       ├── recipes-apps
       │   ├── gpio-demo
       │   ├── inv-imm-test-app
       │   ├── misc
       │   ├── peekpoke
       │   ├── perftest
       │   ├── umm
       │   ├── xhw-hs-client
       │   ├── xhw-hs-server
       │   ├── xlarge-mr-test
       │   └── xrping
       ├── recipes-bsp
       │   ├── u200
       │   │   ├── device-tree
       │   │   ├── fsboot
       │   │   ├── u-boot
       │   │   └── uboot-device-tree
       │   └── vck5000
       │       ├── device-tree
       │       ├── u-boot
       │       └── uboot-device-tree
       ├── recipes-kernel
       │   └── linux
       ├── recipes-modules
       │   ├── hw-hs
       │   ├── pl-allocator
       │   ├── xib-kmm
       │   ├── xib-module
       │   └── xkperftest-server
       └── recipes-support
           └── rdma-core

Directory	Description
/hdl	Backline RTL patches and unpacking scripts
/code	Application source code. Kernel, Module and BSP patches
/code/recipes-apps	Bitbake and source code for user level applications
/code/recipes-bsp	Board Support Package for U200 and VCK5000. Device Tree and U-Boot
/code/recipes-kernel	Applications
/code/recipes-modules	Kernel Module Bitbake and source files
/code/recipes-support	Patches to https://github.com/linux-rdma/rdma-core

Prerequisites

Common

• Hardware: AMD Versal VPK120 board, Micro-USB or USB-C cable for JTAG/UART, and Ethernet cable(s).
• Software: AMD Vivado™ Design Suite 2024.2 installed on the host PC. The xsdb executable must be available after sourcing the Vivado environment.

Rebuild only

• AMD PetaLinux 2024.2.
• The VPK120 XSCT 2024.2 BSP.
• AMD ERNIC VPK120 MRMAC reference design, v1.3 (release ERNIC-2024_2_VPK120_RC6), downloaded as reference design VPK120_mrmac_rev_1.3.zip.

Use the prebuilt release images

Download and extract hw_ready_for_download_v0.1.0.zip. The package contains:

hw_ready_for_download_v0.1.0/
├── README.md
├── jtag-boot.tcl
└── Images/
    └── Linux/
        └── (PetaLinux boot images)

Keep jtag-boot.tcl beside the Images/ directory and run it from the extracted package root:

cd hw_ready_for_download_v0.1.0
source /path/to/Vivado/2024.2/settings64.sh
xsdb jtag-boot.tcl

Before running the command, set the board boot-mode switches to JTAG mode and power-cycle the board.

If the JTAG cable permissions are not configured in the host's udev rules, xsdb may need to be run with sudo.

After the board boots, continue with Serial Console & Login.

Rebuild the images (optional)

Ensure these three files are placed in the same directory (default /hdl):

• reference design VPK120_mrmac_rev_1.3.zip
• backline.patch
• unpack-ernic-vpk120.sh

Within that same directory, unpack the AMD reference design and apply the Backline patch:

bash unpack-ernic-vpk120.sh -p

This creates the patched source tree in ernic-vpk120/. Configure the build environment and build the images from that directory:

cd ernic-vpk120
source /path/to/Vivado/2024.2/settings64.sh
source /path/to/petalinux/settings.sh

export BSP_PATH=/path/to/xilinx-vpk120-xsct-v2024.2-final.bsp
export VPK_INIT_CONFIG_DIR="$PWD/sw/vpk_init"

make vivado_build JOBS=<N> CLEAN=1
make peta_build
make jtag-boot

make jtag-boot generates the boot script in the PetaLinux project. To program the board, set its boot-mode switches to JTAG mode, power-cycle it, and run:

make boot-fpga

The combined make full JOBS=<N> target builds both images, generates jtag-boot.tcl, and programs the board. It should only be used when the board is connected and ready to boot.

Serial Console & Login

1. Connect to the board's serial port using a terminal emulator such as Minicom, Tera Term, or Picocom.
2. Log in to PetaLinux:
   • Default Username: petalinux
   • Default Password: 2024

Change the default password when the board is placed on a shared or routed network.

Network Setup

The following addresses match the Backline reference setup. Replace them when using a different network. Run these commands in the board's PetaLinux terminal:

sudo ifconfig eth0 192.168.1.1 mtu 4200 up
sudo ip addr add 192.168.3.15/24 dev end0
sudo ip link set end0 up

Replace XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX with your target host's physical MAC address:

sudo ip neigh replace 192.168.1.2 lladdr XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX dev eth0 nud permanent

Versal, and Vivado, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.