Working with the Fulcrum SDK has been a total joy compared to most other vendor code that I've dealt with in the past. I was dreading the task of porting the SDK over to our platform, but it has been relatively straightforward, and the code is well-commented and easy to follow. Kudos and thanks.

Software Developer, Data Center Customer

FocalPoint Software

The FocalPoint Software consists of a family of Ethernet bridging, switching, and routing software applications that are integrated into a flexible and extensible Linux framework, enabling equipment providers to rapidly deliver switch and router solutions based on Fulcrum's FocalPoint family of Ethernet switch chips. These applications are written in ANSI C and are abstracted from the OS and hardware platform to insure portability. The figure below shows an overview of the overall software framework.

FocalPoint API

The FocalPoint API is written in ANSI C, and allows the devices to be controlled using industry-standard use models. The API is multi-threaded and supports multiple switches and multiple client processes. The API includes the following features:

• Port management (speed, state, etc.)
  
• MAC address management
  
• VLAN management
  
• Link aggregation (LAG)
  
• Spanning tree
  
• QoS (802.1p, PAUSE, traffic classes)
  
• Multicast (L2, L3 IPv4, L3 IPv6)
  
• ACLs with policers
  
• Port mirroring
  
• Routing
  
  • Virtual routers
    
  • ECMP support
    
  • Supports IPv4 and IPv6
    
• Statistics
  
  • Per-switch
    
  • Per-port
    
  • per-VLAN
    
• Storm controllers
  
• Stacking
  
• MAC Security
  
• 10/100/1000 auto-negotiation
  
• Load balancing groups (LBGs)
  
• sFlows
  
• Switch aggregation

TestPoint

TestPoint is Fulcrum's proprietary configuration scripting tool for automating production test and static configuration of FocalPoint devices in embedded applications. TestPoint is a command line interface for the FocalPoint API. It is written in Perl and can be easily modified or extended. Uses for this tool include the following:

• Experimentation
• Static configuration
• Debugging
• Traffic generation
• Testing (board bring-up, manufacturing)

Software Development Kit (SDK)

The FocalPoint software development kit is available to all FocalPoint customers and includes the following:

• FocalPoint API source code
  
• TestPoint source code
  
• Drivers for specific FocalPoint devices and other related devices
  
• Embedded Linux Development Kit (ELDK) with Linux 2.6 kernel and tool chain
  
• U-Boot open source bootloader
  
• SDK and API documentation
• Several reference platforms are available

ControlPoint

ControlPoint Software is available for customers looking to jump-start their custom application development and is based on a unique modular architecture that leverages the built-in services, extensibility, and open architecture of embedded Linux. ControlPoint features include the following:

• L2 features: VLAN, STP, RSTP, MSTP, LAG, IGMPv1/v2
  
• L3 features: RIP, Static Routing (IPv4 Unicast Only)
  
• ACL Rules
  
• Management: CLI, Web, SNMP (read-only, basic MIBs)
  
• QoS: 802.1p priority queuing
  
• Remote Software upgrade
  
• Supports multiple independent switch devices
  
• Can run concurrently with TestPoint

The ControlPoint Developer Alliance is a community of ControlPoint software developers, integrators, and users who are committed to, and collectively benefit from, ongoing enhancements to the ControlPoint software solution. Click on the link below for more information.