This post enumerates the size of the Vivado, SDK, PetaLinux Tools and SDx (which includes SDSoC and SDAccel) installers, the system requirements and installation documentation. It also provides a high-level assessment based on the enumeration and 3 calls to action for Xilinx.
Looking for help build software for Xilinx SoCs? Email inquiries@centennialsoftwaresolutions.com today to schedule a 30-min consult for $99.00
This post may be useful to anyone trying to size a local development computer, AWS or Google Cloud instance and trying to gauge how long an installation might take. It also contains links to Xilinx documentation on each tools listed.
It also provides a view of most of the major tools so it may be easier to see holistic issues between them.
This post will be updated with the actual size of the installed tools (once I install them). I also need to add all the packages that SDAccel requires.
High-Level Assessment of Installation and Documentation Issues
Vivado, the SDK, PetaLinux Tools, SDSoC and SDAccel Operating Systems support lists are not aligned
This may imply that tool development at Xilinx is siloed. It also implies quality issues between tools.
There are also many instances of errors in documentation, for instance:
In the 2018.2 PetaLinux Tools Documentation Reference Guide UG1144 (v2018.2) June 6, 2018 it lists:
"IMPORTANT: PetaLinux v2018.1 works only with Vivado 2018.1."
...but this is a 2018.2 guide
or "$ ./petalinux-v2018.1-final-installer.run /opt/pkg/petalinux"
PetaLinux Tools and SDx require the user to manually install large lists of additional packages
These additional packages are specified ambiguously, i.e. the versions of all packages are note listed
This _will_ cause quality issues for customers because their builds will not be 100% reproduceable
Because installing these additional packages is error prone, customers will not be able to reproduce the results that Xilinx has produced, e.g. the customer may use a different version of "diffstat" vs. the one that was used at Xilinx, introducing a subtle bug.
You will need to download over 44 GB of installers to install: Vivado (17.1 GB), the SDK is installer (TBD), PetaLinux Tools (6.5 GB) and SDx (includes SDSoC and SDAccel) (20.35 GB).
Vivado may need up to 50 GB of memory to synthesize a design
If you install Vivado, the SDK, PetaLinux Tools and SDx you could have 2 copies of Vivado and 4 copies of the SDK
Vivado contains the SDK, SDx contains the SDK and Vivado, PetaLinux Tools includes the SDK
SDSoC doesn't support all the boards that PetaLinux Tools supports
As far as I am aware, the Linux kernel drivers for the Xilinx® Kintex UltraScale FPGA KCU1500 Reconfigurable Acceleration card based on XCKU115-FLVB2104-2-E FPGA and the Xilinx Virtex UltraScale+ FPGA VCU1525 Reconfigurable Acceleration card based on XCVU9P-L2FSGD2104E FPGA have not been submitted upstream
This means the drivers may have performance, compilation or quality issues
Note: Intel (Altera) have already upstreamed support for their card
This means when you plug an Altera card in, it just works, but a Xilinx card will require compiling a module
This may be an issue if you're installing cards in a data center
Calls to Action for Xilinx
Unify the supported OS's across all tools
Ensure SDSoC runs on all the BSPs that PetaLinux Tools supports
Leverage you Linaro membership and upstream the Linux drivers for the boards that SDAccel supports
Vivado 2018.2
Xilinx Vivado Developer Zone at [link].
The Vivado installer contains:
Design Tools
Vivado
Vivado High-Level Synthesis - build "logic" with C, C++ and System C [link]
Vivado IP Integrator - Connect interfaces, e.g. AXI4 not signals [link]
Vivado Simulator - supports Verilog, SystemVerilog and VHDL [link]
Vivado Simulation Flow - simulate your design [link]
Vivado Hardware Debug - debug on hardware [link]
HW Manager is available as a separate package called Vivado Lab Edition. See [link]
HW manager programs the FPGA, accesses the system monitor, provides basic remote debugging and advanced debugging using the Xilinx Virtual Cable [link].
Model Composer - Automatic High-Level HDL from MathWorks Simulink® [link]
System Generator for DSP - Lower level DSP to HDL than Model Composer [link]
Verification IP - verify AXI3, AXI4 and AXI-Lite, etc... [link]
the SDK
and DocNav
Support for these devices
Production Devices
SoCs
7-Series
UltraScale
UtraScale+
Engineering Sample Devices
Kintex UltraScale+ ES
Virtex UltraScale+ ES
Virtext UltraScale+ HBM ES
Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC ES
Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC ES
Also includes support for
Windows and Linux drivers for the Xilinx Platform Cable USB II
The Vivado® License Manager (VLM) for getting and managing license keys
WebTalk that tells Xilinx how you're using the tools (always enabled for WebPACK) for Vivado and the SDK
WinPCap for Ethernet Hardware Co-simulation
An ability to launch a configuration manager to associate System Generator for DSP with MATLAB
Installer
Download page at [link]
Vivado HLx 2018.2: All OS installer Single-File Download (TAR/GZIP - 17.11 GB) at [link]
Editions
Vivado HL WebPACK
Vivado HL WebPACK is the no cost, device limited version of Vivado HL Design Edition. Users can optionally add Model Composer and System Generator for DSP to this installation.
Vivado HL Design Edition
Vivado HL Design Edition includes the full complement of Vivado Design Suite tools for design, including C-based design with Vivado High-Level Synthesis, implementation, verification and device programming. Complete device support, cable drivers and Documentation Navigator are included. Users can optionally add Model Composer to the installation.
Vivado HL System Edition
Vivado HL System Edition is a superset of Vivado HL Design Edition with the addition of System Generator for DSP. Complete device support, cable drivers and Documentation Navigator are included. Users can optionally add Model Composer to this installation.
Documentation Navigator (Standalone)
Xilinx Documentation Navigator (DocNav) provides access to Xilinx technical documentation both on the Web and on the Desktop. This is a standalone installation without Vivado Deisng Suite.
WebPACK vs. Other Editions
Sheet at [link].
Operating Systems Supported
Copied verbatim from page 11 of UG973 (v2018.2) June 6, 2018
Microsoft Windows Support
Windows 7 SP1 Professional (64-bit), English/Japanese.
Windows 10.0 Fall Creators update (version 1709), 10.0 Version 1803 (64-bit), English/Japanese.
Linux Support
Red Hat Enterprise Workstation/Server 7.2, 7.3, and 7.4 (64-bit)
Red Hat Enterprise Workstation 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, and 6.9 (64-bit)
SUSE Linux Enterprise 11.4 and 12.3 (64-bit)
CentOS 7.2, 7.3, and 7.4 (64-bit)
CentOS 6.7, 6.8, and 6.9 (64-bit)
Ubuntu Linux 16.04.3 LTS (64-bit)
BUG: 32-bit OSs are not supported as stated. On page 11 of UG973 (v2018.2) June 6, 2018 it lists, "Xilinx® supports the following operating systems on x86 and x86-64 processor architectures." however, none of the operating systems listed is a 32-bit operating system.
Installed Disk Requirements
TBD
Memory Recommendations for Vivado
Sheet at [link].
SDK 2018.2
The SDK allows you to:
Build software that does not require an operating system, aka "bare-metal apps"
Debug user space Linux code
Debug Linux kernel code* (still trying to get this to work)
Debug the Xen hypervisor (haven't tried this)
Debug and build PMUFW
Debug and build FSBL
2018.2 Release Notes and Known Issues at [link]
The SDK installer contains:
TBD
Installers
Download page at [link].
SDK 2018.2 Web Install for Windows 64 (EXE - 50.4 MB) at [link] SDK 2018.2 Web Install for Linux 64 (BIN - 99.29 MB) at [link]
Development Hardware Requirements
CPU Speed
2.2 GHz minimum or higher; Hyper-threading (HHT) or Multi-core recommended.
Processor
Intel Pentium 4, Intel Core Duo, or Xeon Processors; SSE2 minimum
Memory/RAM
2 GB or higher
Display Resolution
1024×768 or higher at normal size (96 dpi)
Operating Systems Supported
Copied verbatim from System Requirements at [link]
Windows
Windows 7 SP1 (64-bit)
Windows 8.1 (64-bit)
Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)
Linux (Note: Additional library installation required.)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux:
6.6-6.9 (64-bit)
7.0-7.1 (64-bit)
CentOS:
6.7-6.8 (64-bit)
7.2-7.3 (64-bit)
SUSE Linux Enterprise:
11.4 (64-bit)
12.2 (64-bit)
Ubuntu Linux 16.04.2 LTS (64-bit)
Note: 32-bit machine support is now only available through Lab Tools and Hardware Server standalone product installers.
Disk Requirements
TBD
PetaLinux Tools 2018.2
Installers
Download page at [link].
PetaLinux 2018.2 Installer (TAR/GZIP - 6.15 GB) at [link]
Zynq-7000
ZC702 BSP (BSP - 105.1 MB) at [link]
ZC706 BSP (BSP - 106.72 MB) at [link]
ZED BSP (BSP - 106.97 MB) at [link]
AC701 BSP (BSP - 570.06 MB) at [link]
KCU105 BSP (BSP - 353.14 MB) at [link]
KC705 BSP (BSP - 529.46 MB) at [link]
Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC
ZCU102 BSP (prod-silicon) (BSP - 599.59 MB) at [link]
ZCU102 ZU9 ES2 Rev 1.0 BSP (BSP - 599.12 MB) at [link]
ZCU104 BSP (BSP - 1.27 GB) at [link]
ZCU106 BSP (BSP - 1.24 GB) at [link]
Ultra96 BSP (BSP - 2.76 GB) at [link]
Development Hardware Requirements
Copied verbatim from Supported OS on page 9 of [link]
8 GB RAM (recommended minimum for Xilinx tools)
2 GHz CPU clock or equivalent (minimum of 8 cores)
100 GB free HDD space
Operating Systems Supported
Copied verbatim from Supported OS on page 9 of [link]
Linux
Red Hat Enterprise Workstation/Server 7.2, 7.3, 7.4 (64-bit)
CentOS 7.2, 7.3, 7.4 (64-bit)
Ubuntu Linux 16.04.3 (64-bit)
Packages and Linux Workstation Environments
Sheet at [link].
SDx: SDSoC and SDAccel
Installers
SDSoC Download page at [link]
SDAccel Download page at [link]
SDx 2018.2 SFD (TAR/GZIP - 20.35 GB) at [link]
Boards Supported
SDSoC supports these boards:
Zynq-7000
ZC702
ZC706
ZedBoard
Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC
ZCU102
ZCU104
ZCU106
Note: The SDSoC Platform Utility enables you to target any custom Zynq and Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC board.
SDAccel supports the following acceleration cards:
Xilinx® Kintex UltraScale FPGA KCU1500 Reconfigurable Acceleration card based on XCKU115-FLVB2104-2-E FPGA.
Xilinx Virtex UltraScale+ FPGA VCU1525 Reconfigurable Acceleration card based on XCVU9P-L2FSGD2104E FPGA
Plugged into a host computer with:
Motherboard with a PCIe® Gen3 X8 slot
64 GB RAM
100GB free disk space
Operating Systems Supported
Copied verbatim from page 32 of SDx Release Notes, Installation, and Licensing Guide UG1238 (v2018.2) June 6, 2018
Windows
Windows 7 and 7 SP1 Professional (64-bit), SDSoC™ only
Windows 10 Professional versions 1709 and 1803(64-bit), SDSoC only
Linux Support
Red Hat Enterprise Workstation/Server 7.3-7.4 (64-bit)
Red Hat Enterprise Workstation 6.7, and 6.8 (SDSoC only)
CentOS 7.2
CentOS 7.3-7.4 (64-bit) (SDSoC only)
Ubuntu Linux 16.04.3 LTS (64-bit)
Linux kernel 4.4.0 is supported
Ubuntu LTS enablement (also called HWE or Hardware Enablement) is not supported
SDSoC Note
The installation of SDSoC™ includes the following:
SDSoC environment, including an Eclipse/CDT-based GUI, high-level system compiler, and
ARM GNU toolchain
Vivado® Design Suite System Edition with Vivado® High-Level Synthesis (HLS) and the Xilinx® Software Development Kit (SDK)
The SDSoC environment includes the same GNU ARM toolchain included with the Xilinx Software Development Kit (SDK), which also provides additional tools used by the SDSoC environment. The SDSoC environment setup script sets PATH variables to use this toolchain.
References
Vivado Design Suite Release Notes, Installation, and Licensing Guide at [link]
A.K.A. Vivado Design Suite 2018.2 Release Notes, UG973 (v2018.2) June 6, 2018
Vivado Memory Recommendations at [link]
SDK Documentation at [link]
System Requirements at [link]
PetaLinux Tools Documentation: Reference Guide, UG1144 (v2018.2) at [link]
SDx Development Environment Release Notes, Installation, and Licensing Guide UG1238 (v2018.2) June 6, 2018 at [link]
100% iframe tip from stackoverflow at [link]
The Xilinx graphic is from [link]
