PCIe Data Link Layer and Transaction Test for PCI Express® and NVMe™
应用文章
PCI Express® (PCIe®) technology has been implemented broadly in systems requiring high-speed data transfer—such as video, graphics, and networking. As a serial point-to-point interconnect between two devices, PCIe buses implement a packet-based protocol for information transfer and provide scalable performance based on the number of signal lanes implemented.
Initially embraced by high-performance desktop and server systems, PCIe technology is now finding a home in embedded applications. Solid State Drives (SSDs) are a great example. Although many applications use PCIe buses, the storage industry is largely pushing the envelope of its development and technology. SSDs are quickly replacing traditional spinning Hard-Disk Drives (HDDs) due to their superior reliability and speed. It is this transition that is motivating a move from SCSI, SATA and SAS to NVM Express™ (NVMe™) at the application layer of PCIe for storage applications (Figure 1). And with the global market for PCIe-based SSDs projected to continue growing, ensuring those units are successfully tested and meet standards is more important than ever.