PCIe Gen 3 switches feature scalability

The ExpressLane PEX8713 (12 lanes, 10 ports) and PEX8717 (16 lanes, 10 ports) PCIe Gen3 switches can move 8 Gbits/s of data per lane, in both directions, enabling designers using their unique x2 native architecture to optimize bandwidth-intensive endpoints such as Thunderbolt, SAS/SATA and USB 3.0. The ICs enable designers to configure each port independently PCIe Gen1, Gen2, or Gen3 speeds.

The devices feature 138-ns latency, typical power of only 4.9 W, multicasting, and a DMA engine that can support high-data-rate transfers between I/O devices connected to any of the switch’s ports. They come in 19 x 19-mm packages and support weighted round-robin source port arbitration. (From approx. $22 ea/high volume — samples available now, production 4th qtr.)

By Jim Harrison

PLX Technology , Sunnyvale , CA
Information 408-774-9060
www.plxtech.com