Requirements

Tools and licenses

  • Vivado 2025.2 (every target). The Vivado Standard Edition (free) is enough for the ZCU106 and KCU116 targets; the other boards need the Enterprise Edition (a 30-day evaluation license is available) — see the target tables in the build instructions.

  • Vitis 2025.2 — for the standalone echo server, and for the Yocto flow (which uses the xsct/sdtgen tools that ship with Vitis).

  • PetaLinux Tools 2025.2 — only for the PetaLinux flow.

  • For the Yocto flow: Google’s repo tool and the usual Yocto host packages (see Yocto).

  • A license for the target’s Ethernet MAC IP — no cost for the hardened 100G MACs (Versal MRMAC, UltraScale+ CMAC), purchased (30-day evaluation available) for the 40G/50G Ethernet Subsystem used by the 40G targets; see the license requirements in the build instructions.

  • Host operating system: the Vivado and Vitis builds run on Windows or Linux; the PetaLinux and Yocto builds require a Linux machine (one of the supported Linux distributions).

Hardware

  • The 2x QSFP28 FMC (OP120)

  • One of the supported carrier boards listed below, with its power supply, USB-UART cable (console, 115200 baud) and USB-JTAG cable

  • A microSD card for booting the Zynq UltraScale+ and Versal targets from SD: 16 GB or larger for the Yocto images (the Yocto disk image is about 8.6 GB, slightly more than most “8 GB” cards hold)

  • Something to connect the QSFP28 ports to, depending on the test:

    • Port-to-port test (dual-port targets): a QSFP28 cable between QSFP28 port 0 and port 1 — a passive copper DAC is the safest choice for both line rates. For the 100G targets a 100G AOC also works.

    • Self-loopback test (any target, the only option on single-port targets): a passive QSFP28 loopback module in each port under test.

    • Link partner: a NIC or switch port at the same line rate as the target (100GbE CAUI-4 for the 100G targets, 40GBASE-R4 for the 40G targets), with FEC turned off on the partner (see troubleshooting).

Note

The 40G targets run each lane at 10.3125 Gb/s. Many 100G AOCs and 100G SR4 optics are not rated for that lane rate, so use passive copper (DAC or loopback modules) or optics and cables rated for 40GBASE-R4 with the 40G targets.

List of supported boards

Versal boards

Carrier board

Supported FMC connector(s)

VCK190

FMCP1

Zynq UltraScale+ boards

Carrier board

Supported FMC connector(s)

ZCU111

FMCP

ZCU208

FMCP

ZCU216

FMCP

ZCU102

HPC0

ZCU106

HPC0

FPGA boards

Carrier board

Supported FMC connector(s)

KCU116

HPC

For the list of target designs showing the number of QSFP28 ports supported, refer to the build instructions.