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PEX 8518

16 Lane, 5 Port PCI Express Switch, 23 x 23mm PBGA
The ExpressLane™ PEX 8518 16-lane, 5-port switch offers PCI Express switching capability conforming to the PCI Express Specification r1.1. This device enables users to add scalable high bandwidth switching, both fan-in/out and peer-to-peer, to a wide variety of applications including office automation, network interface adapters, AMC cards, and processor isolation for servers, storage, and communications. Non-transparent bridging allows the designers to isolate processors in multi-host designs. This switch is hardware configurable and software programmable, allowing users to tailor their port configurations and quality-of-service needs to suit their application requirements. The PEX 8518 is offered in a 23 x 23mm 376-ball PBGA. This device is available in leaded and lead-free packaging.
Page Index
Related Gen 3 Devices
Related Gen 2 Devices
Related Gen 1 Devices
Supporting Documentation
- PCIe Technical Info & White Papers
- Company Overview, Product Snapshots
- Support Documentation (Quality, FAQs, RoHS...)
Hot Applications
Usage Models
Suitable for host-centric as well as Intelligent I/O applications

PEX 8518 Technical Documentation
| Document/Resources | Everyone Access | Requires Membership | Requires NDA | Description | Version | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product Brief | Download | Product Overview | 1.6 | 02/07 | ||
| Data Book | Download | Detailed Technical Specifications | 1.3 | 05/07 | ||
| Design Notes | Download | EEPROM Design Note | 1.1 | 07/07 | ||
| Download | I2C Level Shifting and Voltage Management | 1.0 | 08/07 | |||
| Download | Non-Transparent Mode: Setup & Demonstration (white paper) | 1.0 | 04/09 | |||
| Download | Performance Optimization Design Note | 1.0 | 01/06 | |||
| Download | Power Sequencing Design Note | 1.0 | 01/06 | |||
| Download | Programmable Revision ID | 1.0 | 06/07 | |||
| Download | Quick Start Design Note | 1.1 | 04/06 | |||
| Download | Schematic Design Checklist | 1.0 | 07/06 | |||
| Errata | Download | Silicon Errata list | 1.6 | 21Oct10 | ||
| Interoperability | Download | Interoperability Report | 1.0 | 07/06 | ||
| Download | PCI-SIG Compliance Test Report | 1.0 | 09/06 | |||
| Download | PLX Switches/Bridges RDK Interoperability | 1.0 | 02/06 | |||
| Videos | View HTML | IO Sharing via PLX PCIe Switches | -- | Oct 2010 | ||
| View HTML | PCI Express 3.0 over Optical Cable | -- | Oct 2010 | |||
| View HTML | PCI Express Clustering for next generation data centers | -- | Oct 2010 | |||
| Product Change Notification (PCN) | Download | PCN-2006-17 | -- | 12/06 | ||
| Download | PCN-2007-11, standard BoM | -- | 03/07 | |||
| Download | PCN-2007-14: ASE Assembly | -- | 09/07 | |||
| Download | PCN-2007-2 | -- | 01/07 | |||
| Download | PCN-2007-7 | -- | 02/07 | |||
| Download | PCN-2008-2: Final Test ASE Kaohsiung | -- | 02/08 | |||
| End of Life | Download | PDN-2011-1: Discontinuation of certain package and revisions | -- | 16May11 | ||
| Ordering Information | View HTML | Part Number, Listing and Compliance | -- | -- | ||
| Quality & Reliability | Download | ICP Test Report | -- | 27Sep10 | ||
| Download | Lead-Free Reflow Profile & Peak Temperature | -- | -- | |||
| Download | Lead-Free Package Material Composition and Mass Calculation | -- | 02/10 | |||
| Download | Leaded Material Analysis Data | -- | -- | |||
| Download | Reliability Qualification Report | -- | -- | |||
| Download | SGS Test Report | -- | 24Feb11 | |||
| Webinars | View HTML | About PLX PCIe Gen3 Switches (may require Webex plug-in) | -- | 05Oct11 |
PEX 8518 Development Tools
| Document/Resources | Everyone Access | Requires Membership | Requires NDA | Description | Version | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid Development Kit (RDK) | Download | RDK Hardware Reference Manual | 1.3 | 04/07 | ||
| Software Development Kit (SDK) | View HTML | Software Development Kit | -- | -- | ||
| BSDL | Download | Boundary Scan Description Language files | 1.0 | 06/07 | ||
| HSPICE Model | Download | HSPICE Model | 1.1 | 03/07 | ||
| IBIS Models | Download | IBIS Model (low-speed signals only) | 1.0 | 05/06 | ||
| OrCAD | Download | OrCAD design files for the PEX 8518 RDK | -- | 03/07 | ||
| Download | OrCAD library files for the PEX 8518 | -- | 04/07 | |||
| GERBER | Download | Layout Files for PEX 8518 RDK (Gerber) | -- | 11/05 | ||
| EEPROM | Download | EEPROM Images - Non Transparent Mode | 2.0 | 06/07 | ||
| Download | EEPROM Images - Transparent Mode | 2.0 | 06/07 | |||
| Design Guidelines | Download | PCB Layout Review Guide | 1.0 | 11Oct11 |
Relevant Press Releases
| Release Date | Announcement |
|---|---|
| 08/01/11 | PLX to Present on PCI Express-SSD Storage at Flash Memory Summit |
| 11/08/10 | PLX Announces Sampling of Industry's First PCI Express 3.0 Switches |
PEX 8518 Applications
| Application | Description | Document | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC Peripheral & Consumer Electronics | PCs | Increase the number of I/O devices in a PCI Express System | ExpressApps#48 (PDF) |
| Graphics / Video | Multi Monitor Systems - Increased Fan-out & Bandwidth | ExpressApps#36 (PDF) |
|
| Storage | SAN | Fibre Channel SAN Host Bus Adapters - Enables Quad Fibre Channel HBA | ExpressApps#4 (PDF) |
| Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter (HBA) - Increase FC Port Density & Speed | ExpressApps#30 (PDF) |
||
| Communications | Router / Switch | Intelligent Quad Gigabit Ethernet Adapters - Highly Selectable Non-Transparent Port | ExpressApps#8 (PDF) |
| Advanced Mezzanine Card (AMC) - Expands PCIe Ports and End Points | ExpressApps#25 (PDF) |
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