Can I read port activity status on SwitchBlox Rugged and GigaBlox Rugged?

[botblox_admin]

We’re evaluating to adopt SwitchBlox Rugged and GigaBlox Rugged on board of our vehicles.

Just a couple of questions:

• Regarding SwitchBlox Rugged, as per manual, should be possible to implement a managed switch via fw, what kind of diagnostic is available related to each port?

I.e. if we’re connected to the switch on the port 1 with a PC and all the other four ports are connected to some instruments, is it possible to know the status of all the other ports (if connected/if active and working properly)?

Obviously I’m asking without the possibility to have a visual feedback thanks to the led/remotely led.

• Regarding GigaBlox Rugged and SwitchBlox Rugged too, for the same target (remote monitoring ports), the External LED header are provided in a common anode configuration with 1kΩ current limiting resistor in series with the cathode connection, is it possible to connect straight ahead the 3.3V anode to each “Px” connector (without led) and monitoring each branch with an external Analog Input (our voltage Analog Input custom board)?

If possible, which is the expected value when:

        * the port “Px” is not operating or not connected (0V, floating value?)
        * the port “Py” is connected and operating (about 3.3V?)

If the led is strictly required, could we monitor in the same way the different branches? Obviously depends by the electronic connection inside the BotBlox.

Could you provide these information in order to proceed with the design and raised the PO accordingly?

[josh-elijah]

SwitchBlox Rugged, by itself, is only an unmanaged switch meaning there is no way to query the ports.

However when you assemble it with Rugged SOM, it becomes a fully managed switch and router. This allows full management over a command line interface and graphical user interface. Full port statistics are available, including port status, speed, link etc.

“I.e. if we’re connected to the switch on the port 1 with a PC and all the other four ports are connected to some instruments, is it possible to know the status of all the other ports (if connected/if active and working properly)?”

With SwitchBlox Rugged + Rugged SOM, yes absolutely. A PC connected to port 1 can open a browser, type in the IP address of SwitchBlox Rugged, and it will show the Graphical User Interface which will allow you to view port statistics and even configure routing. You can also use SSH on your PC, to access the same information over a command line interface, if that’s preferable.

Now, onto GigaBlox Rugged. The latest version of GigaBlox Rugged (revision D), contains a small header on the back with a serial 3.3V UART port. This version isn’t released yet, but we will release it probably in about 3 weeks. This UART port outputs a basic command line, it looks like below.

As you can see, this port information is quite basic compared to SwitchBlox Rugged + Rugged SOM, but it still allows you to check whether a port is up, and what speed.

Now onto your questions about the LEDs.

On GigaBlox Rugged, you could add a pullup resistor of, say 10k, between each LED anode and 3.3V. Then when the LED is signal is pulled low, you could detect that as a change in level. Below is the LED circuitry used on GigaBlox Rugged.

On SwitchBlox Rugged, you could do the same. Below is the LED circuitry on SwitchBlox Rugged.

Let me know if that all makes sense.