Home>Tools & Learning>Products>Product Review

PCIe 3.0 tools tackle design, test, debug

Naomi Price - June 1, 2010

Tektronix has released a suite of test products for PCIe (PCI Express) 3.0, spanning protocol to physical analysis in a single platform. The TLA7SA16 and TLA7SA08 logic protocol-analyzer modules, bus-support software, and probes combine to give developers a time-correlated view of system behavior, starting with protocol analysis and working down to the physical layer to debug the root cause of problems.

The logic protocol-analyzer modules provide x8 and x4 lane support, with support for 8.0-GT/s acquisition rates and PCIe link widths from x1 through x16. The modules are compatible with previous-generation PCIe specifications. They dynamically track changes in link width, link speed, and bus power states, and include a trigger state machine that spans all layers of the protocol.

Up to 16-Gbyte-deep memory (for x16 link) increases the chances of capturing both an error and the fault that caused the error. To make maximum use of memory, you can store everything on the bus or use real-time hardware filtering and conditional storage to store selected transactions over an 11-day period.

Tektronix' PCIe 3.0 tester includes a comprehensive selection of probes, including midbus, slot interposer, and solder-down connectors, that support PCIe 3.0 channel lengths up to 24 in. with two connectors, offering minimal electrical loading with high signal fidelity and active equalization to ensure accurate data recovery of closed eyes.

Base price: $60,000. Tektronix, www.tektronix.com.