The MPC8349E-mITXE reference platform demonstrates the capabilities of Freescale's Power Architecture MPC8349E processor. This platform is the ideal platform for hardware and software development. In addition to the highly integrated MPC8349E processor, the reference platform leverages external components to support these additional features such as 5-port Gigabit Ethernet switch, four high-speed USB ports, four serial ATA ports, one PCI slot, one miniPCI slot and one compact Flash memory slot. The MPC8349E microprocessor supports dual 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet controllers, dual 32-bit/single 64-bit PCI controllers, integrated security engines, USB 2.0 host and devices controllers, 4-channel DMA, DUART, serial peripherals, general purpose I/O and system timers. The high level of integration in the MPC8349E helps lower system costs, improves performance and simplifies board design. The MPC8349E also integrates a hardware encryption block that supports different algorithms for high-performance data authentication as required for secure communications in the Residential market. It supports DES, 3DES, MD-5, SHA-1, AES, PKEU, RNG and RC-4 encryption algorithms in hardware.

A board support package (BSP) is pre-installed on the MPC8349E-mITXE. This BSP consists of a bootloader (u-boot), a generic PPC Linux-based system and associated file system. U-boot and the Linux kernel reside in the on-board Flash memory while the File system is pre-installed on the hard disk shipped with the MPC8349E-mITX. Upon power up, the Linux system is running on the MPC8349E-mITXE.

The MPC8349E-mITX BSP generation takes advantage of a tool called the Linux Target Image Builder or LTIB. LTIB is a suite of tools that leverages existing Open Source configuration scripts and source code packages and bundles them all into a single BSP generation bundle. The source code packages include boot loaders and linux kernel sources as well as many user-space source code packages to build a complete BSP. LTIB also provides compiler packages required to build the BSP. Freescale developers use LTIB to create BSPs for a multitude of Freescale development targets. LTIB leverages as much BSP elements as possible for all Freescale targets that supported while offering the flexibility required to customize, as necessary, components that require platform specific modifications.

Many third-party applications are available for the MPC8349E-mITXE. They are typically built on top of the BSP delivered by Freescale and they can be installed on the hard disk. To run demonstration or to acquire details of Freescale's third-party applications for this platform, please contact your local Freescale sales office.