Architecting Distributed PXI Test Systems

The popularity of distributed test systems is growing for a number of reasons, which include the distribution of processing among multiple intelligent nodes in order to increase computing power and I/O bandwidth and geographic constraints that prohibit all of the components of a system from residing in a single location. This paper will examine the features of the PXI platform that enable the architecting of distributed test systems. These features include software frameworks that easily interface with both local and distributed hardware, integration resources for PXI systems with a diversity of instruments and hybrid test systems, and hardware synchronization resources that enable distributed synchronization down to the sub- nanosecond level by extending the PXI backplane across multiple distributed PXI systems or synchronization over significant distances with technologies such as GPS. This paper will also examine distributed system design techniques for communication and data transfer between intelligent nodes and discuss dedicated deterministic communication for advanced distributed PXI test systems.