N.A.T. - Trainings

MicroTCA Hands-On Trainings and Online Tutorials

In order to help existing and potential users of MTCA to get aquainted with the technology we offer bothtraining classes and online tutorials.

The one hour online tutorials are targeting at top level overview, while our standard training classes run for 1.5 days each and apart from theory also contain practical sessions on real MicroTCA systems.

The training classes can be customized on request and can be provided either at N.A.T. headquartes in Bonn or on-site at a customer.

Overview

The MicroTCA Basic Training is addressing attendees, who want to get used to the MicroTCA and AMC technology quickly. The theoretical part is combined with several hands-on sessions on real MicroTCA systems, i.e. system bring-up and configuration and troubleshooting. The training is limited to 8 persons, working on one MicroTCA system in groups of two.

The MicroTCA Advanced Training is targeting users, who want to get a deep dive into MicroTCA.0 and MicroTCA.4 system. Having participated in the MicroTCA Basic Training is not a pre-requisite but strongly recommended. The theoretical part goes deeper into IPMI management, PCIexpress fabric, PCIexpress hot-plug and error detection, fault isolation and repair. The content will also answer questions, i.e. how to prepare MicroTCA systems for deployment, maintenance and upgrade. The training is limited to 8 persons, working on one MicroTCA system in groups of two.

In case you are interested in either our standard training classes or online tutorials please contact our local partners or N.A.T. directly using the contact form.

MicroTCA Basic Training

The MTCA Basic Training class has been given many times to users almost all over the world, i.e. Europe, North America, Asia, Australia. The class runs for 1.5 days and does not require more than knowledge about computer technology as a pre-requisite. The class covers the following content:

Overview of open standards: ATCA, AMC, MicroTCA
Hardware Building Blocks of MicroTCA systems
- MicroTCA Crates
- Backplane topologies
- Field Replaceable Units (PM, RPM, CU, MCH, MCH-RTM, AMC, µRTM, eRTM)
System Management:
- e-keying
Access of management interface
- Command Line Interface
- Web Interface
- Java application
Installing the data plane
Customer tools to control MicroTCA.4 systems (example Tesla and XFEL installations)
NATview visualisation tool for MicroTCA system: ports, AMC, RTM, backplane, sensors
Installation of Linux drivers for Struck- and TEWS AMC/RTM
Maintenance of MicroTCA systems
Hands-On Sessions
- Mechanics, Power-up and hot-plug
- Enabling and using the management plane
- Configuring the data plane
- Backplane viewer, sensors, FRU-Editor
- Operating the MicroTCA system

In case you are interested in our MTCA Basic Training class please contact our local partners or N.A.T. directly using the contact form.

MicroTCA Advanced Training

The MTCA Advanced Training class has been given many times to users almost all over the world, too. This class runs for 1.5 days as well and targets experienced users of MTCA technology. Although participating our MTCA Basic Training is not a pre-requisite, it is strongly recommended. The class covers the following content:

Short review of MicroTCA basics
I2C and IPMI
- Hardware: PM, RPM, AMC, µRTM, eRTM, AMC-backplane, RTM-backplane
- IPMI software structure
RMCP protocol: remote access via IPMI
ipmitool and examples
MicroTCA and AMC maintenance and field upgrades
PCIexpress
- Upstream and Downstream
- Enumeration
- lspci
- PCIexpress Virtual Clustering
- Hot-plug support
MCH clock configuration, clock script file
Hands-On Sessions
- Comparing command line interface and ipmitool
- PCIexpress
  - command line interface
  - lspci
  - PCIexpress GUI
  - Hot-plug with PCIexpress GUI from Desy
MCH clock configuration

In case you are interested in our MTCA Advanced Training class please contact our local partners or N.A.T. directly using the contact form.