Keysight Introduces First PCI Express® 6.0 Protocol Validation Tools

By Tiera Oliver

Associate Editor

Embedded Computing Design

June 13, 2023

News

Keysight Introduces First PCI Express® 6.0 Protocol Validation Tools

Keysight Technologies, Inc. announced the first PCI Express® (PCIe®) 6.0 protocol validation tools, the cable-free Protocol Analyzer and Protocol Exerciser, designed to allow semiconductor, computer, and peripheral makers to perform silicon chip, root complex, and endpoint system verification in a real-time development environment.

The PCIe 6.0 specification is a new high-speed serial interface standard released by the PCI-SIG® supporting the higher data traffic and bandwidth requirements of data centers, and Keysight’s cable-free solutions are designed to provide testing versatility, and enable faster, more suitable testing of PCIe 6.0 technology designs.

Dr. Joachim Peerlings, Vice President of Network and Data Center Solutions at Keysight said: “With the revolutionary PCI Express 6.0 Protocol Analyzer and Exerciser, Keysight complements the portfolio of physical layer high-speed I/O and Ethernet physical and protocol solutions to enable the industry to test designs end-to-end."

The new Keysight protocol PCIe 6.0 architecture solutions offer:

  • Analysis of the data link / transaction layer of PCIe 6.0 technology designs
  • Support for all PCIe technology speeds – 2.5 GT/s, 5.0 GT/s, 8 GT/s, 16 GT/s, 32GT/s, and 64GT/s (PAM4) – and lane widths from x1 to x16
  • Emulation of root complex and endpoint devices when validating PCIe and Compute Express Link (CXL) technology designs
  • Debugging support with PCIe 6.0 technology and CXL 1.1 / 2.0 protocol visualization and analysis tools
  • Cable-free protocol analysis in a streamlined Card Electromechanical (CEM) form factor
  • Complete PCIe 6.0 standard test solution for the entire design cycle

According to Jim Pappas, Director of Technology Initiatives at Intel, “PCIe 6.0 capable protocol analyzer and exerciser test equipment from companies including Keysight Technologies are critical to accelerating the development, deployment, and dissemination of high-performance I/O technologies on future Intel platforms and throughout the industry."

Keysight's new PCIe 6.0 standard protocol solutions will be exhibited at the PCI-SIG Developers Conference 2023 in Santa Clara on June 13-14, 2023.

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Tiera Oliver, Associate Editor for Embedded Computing Design, is responsible for web content edits, product news, and constructing stories. She also assists with newsletter updates as well as contributing and editing content for ECD podcasts and the ECD YouTube channel. Before working at ECD, Tiera graduated from Northern Arizona University where she received her B.S. in journalism and political science and worked as a news reporter for the university’s student led newspaper, The Lumberjack.

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