[Cryptech Tech] Alpha board strategy

[Joachim Strömbergson]

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Aloha!

Павел Шатов wrote:
> Excuse me, but I still don't get it. If you want 2x capacity of
> LX45, you can use LX75. If you want 2x capacity of C5, you can use
> C7. You can use older Cyclone IV which is about 4x capacity of C5.
> You can even use Artix-7 which is huge. Joachim, do we have all the
> cores that we want to use in our Alpha Board? If we do, then let's
> just compile them all and write down how many logic they require.
> Then for every use case we can add up corresponding numbers and pick
> the largest value. If it fits in one single FPGA, then we most
> probably don't need another one. Do we have all the cores already
> written? Can we do this calculation?

We want _at least_ 2x capacity. That is why we want A7/C7. But to be
properly sure we have headroom and not get stuck we want to be able to
add even more if needed. If we want to not end up with two few resources
and not buy tools having at least the pads for a second A7 is sensible
strategy in my opinion.

No, we don't have all the cores yet and no really good estimates. We
have all hash cores and the RNG as well as AES with support for 128 and
256 bit keys.

I'm working on the modular exponentiation core to support RSA. We also
lack a working Curve25519 EC core. And then we also need a ESSIV key
wrapping mode for the AES core.

We have good estimates for all cores available and I'm working on
estimates for the others. But the onöy Curve25519 core available is
huge. And for ESSIV there are a few desigb descisions to be done before
being able to do the estimates.

Things like internal key storage, data buffers etc can basically be
ignored since there are so much memories in the FPGA that are not used
at the moment.


>> 
>> Yes, F484 package is a good choice. Almost possible to solder by
>> hand if one does not have 40+ year eyes.
> Err... To reliably solder that large BGA by hand one probably needs 
> X-ray capable eyes :)

Nobody said we were going to hand solder them by hand. Order the boards
with either one or two FPGA positions populated. Done.


> To produce actual Alpha Boards we need to follow this plan:
> 
> 1) Decide on what components to have in our board. We have no other 
> variants, so the CPU will be i.MX. The FPGA is being selected. What
> else do we need? Ethernet PHY, memory, etc?

The requirement sketch is here:
https://trac.cryptech.is/wiki/Hardware

Basically a USB connected board with the CPU and a primary A7 FPGA and
then pads for a secondary FPGA. And then secondary USB for management
and a few other items.

High level requirements are being worked on here:
https://trac.cryptech.is/wiki/Requirements

The strategy as suggested here (see link below) is not to do schematic
ourselves, but find someone in Asia that will do that too. (Unless I've
misunderstood something).

https://trac.cryptech.is/wiki/AlphaBoardStrategy

The CPU will probably have similar memory setup to the Novena. Borrowing
as much as possible from Novena is what I've suggested since we know
that the design including power etc for the CPU and the rest of the
board works.

Also we should also give back to the Novena. The EIM interface to allow
coprocessors for the FPGA is a great thing we can provide back to the
Novena community. And the cores that we have working with the Novena.

- -- 
Med vänlig hälsning, Yours

Joachim Strömbergson - Alltid i harmonisk svängning.
========================================================================
 Joachim Strömbergson          Secworks AB          joachim at secworks.se
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