Remote dynamically reconfigurable platform using NetFPGA

This paper presents a remote dynamically reconfigurable platform using NetFPGA development board. The functionalities of execution units in this platform can be updated remotely through the 1Gbps Ethernet connection without assistance from the NetFPGA host computer. This is achieved by designing custom reconfiguration controller and utilizing the Internal Configuration Access Port (ICAP) available in the reconfigurable device. Functional update is important to patch design flaws and bugs, to optimize design performance and to cope with the changing of execution unit's functional requirement. Based on the experimental result, the implemented platform achieved roughly 241Mbps reconfiguration rate. The developed platform is suitable to be used as middlebox or wireless sensor node