Arrangement for partitioning logic into multiple field programmable gate arrays

摘要

A test system for a design of a network device under test, having multiple design modules, includes multiple field programmable gate arrays configured for performing operations of the respective design modules. The test system also includes shared resources, where each field programmable gate array includes resource control logic for accessing the shared resources according to a prescribed shared resource protocol. Hence, the resource control logic of each of the field programmable gate arrays cooperate to ensure there is no interference between the multiple field programmable gate arrays for the shared resources. Hence, a design can be partitioned into multiple field programmable gate arrays, enabling testing of large scale designs; moreover, the partitioning of the design into multiple FPGAs enables each design module to be separately controlled, enabling design revisions to different design modules as necessary, without any other modification to the remaining test system.