Microwave Journal
www.microwavejournal.com/articles/14253-agilent-technologies-to-showcase-pci-express-3-0-test-solutions-at-idf2010

Agilent Technologies to Showcase PCI Express® 3.0 Test Solutions at IDF2010

September 13, 2010
Test Solution Provides Critical Insight to Building Next-Generation Computing, Storage Products

SAN FRANCISCO, Intel Developer Forum, Sept. 13, 2010 -- Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is demonstrating its PCI Express 3.0 physical and protocol layer test solutions, featuring the world’s fastest real-time 32 GHz oscilloscope and the Agilent Digital Test Console, at the Intel Developer Forum 2010 (IDF2010), Sept. 13 - 15, San Francisco, Moscone Center West, Booth 418.

The Agilent DSAX93204A is a Windows®-based oscilloscope with the highest real-time scope measurement accuracy, the only 30 GHz probing system and the industry’s most comprehensive application-specific measurement software to support 8GT/s transmitter analysis for PCI Express 3.0 devices. The Digital Test Console is the industry’s only complete and integrated x1 through x16 protocol analyzer and exerciser solution for the PCI Express 3.0 specification, currently under development within the PCI-SIG®. PCI Express 3.0 technology brings the fastest I/O interconnect technology to the next-generation computing and storage products.

“Agilent’s PCI Express 3.0 test solutions expand on its commitment to provide the best and most comprehensive test and debug equipment in the industry,” said Rick Eads, senior PCIe program manager at Agilent and member of the PCI-SIG® board of directors. “By playing an active role within the PCI-SIG, and through a close partnership with technology leaders, we are able to assist designers and engineers with their latest generation PCI Express 3.0 products.”

“We are delighted to work with Agilent to validate PCIe Gen 3 interoperability,” said Juan Garza, product marketing manager at Vitesse. “This collaboration is aimed at addressing the new levels of signal integrity complexity introduced by these higher data rates. Utilizing Agilent’s tools for testing PCIe 3.0, Vitesse and Agilent are leading the industry by delivering pre-validated solutions to system developers.”

Agilent and Snowbush/Gennum will demonstrate the DSAX93204A oscilloscope, along with their latest PCIe 3.0-capable silicon, in the Agilent booth.

“Tools capable of analyzing next-generation high-speed serial interconnects are the critical building blocks of Snowbush’s IP validation strategy,” said Kevin Walsh, marketing director of Snowbush IP, a division of Gennum Corporation. “The new 32 GHz DSAX90000 Infiniium series oscilloscopes from Agilent give us that ability to do better characterization of our high-performance PCIe 3.0, 10GBASE-KR, and CEI-11G-SR PHYs. Our customers have confidence knowing our PHYs are tested with Agilent’s best-in-class test equipment.”

Agilent and Synopsys will showcase PCI Express 3.0 test tools at IDF. Agilent’s PCI Express 3.0 Exerciser will be acting as a PCI Express 3.0 Root complex, demonstrating the behavior of Synopsys DesignWare Endpoint IP for PCI Express 3.0. The communication between the two devices will be captured on Agilent’s PCI Express 3.0 Analyzer, demonstrating the debug tools that will be needed for developing and integrating PCI Express 3.0.

“The early availability of IP and test tools that have been proven interoperable is critical to the adoption of a new technology such as PCI Express 3.0.” said Scott Knowlton, senior product marketing manager, solutions group at Synopsys. “Synopsys’ collaboration with Agilent, an industry leader for PCI Express 3.0 test tools, enables us to provide the first public demonstration of PCI Express 3.0 technology and products at IDF.”

Agilent’s Digital Test Console can be purchased as a Gen2 analyzer for customers’ current needs. With a simple software upgrade, the same hardware can be used for future Gen3 testing and debug.

Additional information about Agilent’s PCI Express test platform can be viewed at www.agilent.com/find/pci-express. High-resolution images are available at www.agilent.com/find/pci-express_images. A PCI Express technology and Agilent’s test solutions backgrounder is available at www.agilent.com/find/pciexpress_backgrounder.

Intel Developer Forum (IDF) is the premier global technology industry event bringing together technology professionals who are actively directing where technology is going. http://www.intel.com/idf

U.S. Pricing and Availability
The Agilent Digital Test Console for PCIe 3.0 is available now. The average system price is $100,000.