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PLX eNews - June 2009Welcome to PLX's quarterly newsletter and thank you for subscribing. If you can not read this email, please view it on the Web. |
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In this issue:
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PLX Technology Now Sampling Industry's Largest PCI Express Switches with Multi-Root Architecture and Integrated Multicast
Each PLX switch provides a Multi-Root (MR) architecture which allows the application to partition the physical switch into multiple virtual switches. This provides the application with solutions for backplane, load-balancing and failover amongst other benefits required in the storage systems, server, networking, control plane, and embedded systems markets. The architecture of these devices provides support for Multicast as well. Multicast provides the ability for a switch to replicate a single transaction to multiple port targets. The PLX PEX switches support Multicast as defined by the PCI-SIG with support for all 64 multicast groups. Each group is independently configured with the appropriate ports to be included in that group. Also, any port can target any given Multicast group. Multicast is a requirement in communications platforms since it provides the benefit of reduced latency. These PLX devices have been adopted by our Tier 1 customers and are currently sampling. Review documents: www.plxtech.com//gen2 PCI Express Switches with Integrated DMA Shipping in Full Production
The DMA engine in PLX switches are highly flexible and can transfer data from any port to any port -- including the Non-Transparent port if enabled for redundancy, and/or the same port. For example, the source/destination can target the same port. The four DMA channels provide the flexibility for the application to multi-task by running multiple "threads" simultaneously, thus reducing application latency. Review documents: www.plxtech.com//gen2 New Oxide Software Slashes Time to Market, Allows Easy Device Customization
PLX Technology and Fusion-io Form Alliance on Revolutionary PCI Express-Based
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PLX is sampling four PCIe switch devices whose unique architecture features the largest PCI Express switches in the industry today at 96 and 80 lanes. The new family includes the PEX 8696 with 96-lanes/24-ports, the PEX 8680 with 80-lanes/20-ports, the PEX 8664 with 64-lanes/16-ports, and the PEX 8649 with 48-lanes/12-ports. Additionally, the PEX 8649 is pin compatible with the PLX PEX 8648 device that is currently in production so designers can upgrade and take advantage of the new features.
They industry's first- and only PCIe switches with integrated direct memory access (DMA) engines are shipping now in full production volume. The ExpressLane™ PEX 8619 (16 lanes, 16 ports), PEX 8615 (12 lanes, 12 ports) and PEX 8609 (eight lanes, eight ports) PCIe Gen 2-compliant switches help improve system performance by enhancing existing DMA usage and providing additional cost savings by removing the data moving burden from processors and/or endpoints. Each PLX switch provides four DMA channels to support the high data rates required in the storage systems, servers, networking, control plane, and embedded systems markets. 
PLX announced release of its Oxide 3.0 software development kit (SDK), an innovative software application that enables engineers to customize all PLX serial connectivity devices in minutes instead of hours or days. Oxide supports the entire PLX Serial Bridge Family of PCI Express, USB, UART devices. Oxide's intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) and step-through workflow provides simple point-and-click feature selections, as well as text-box entry for fast, error-free device and driver customization without resorting to complicated code editing. Download this feature rich, major upgrade today.
PCIe Switches in New ioDrive Duo Support Market's Fastest Solid-State Storage Solutions
PLX and One Stop Systems (OSS), the leader in PCIe over cable and PCIe-based module and system design, today announced that PLX® ExpressLane PEX 8648 Gen 2 PCIe switches are providing the interconnect backbone to the new OSS 1U computational accelerator expansion system. Using three PEX 8648 chips with a x16 link to the host, the expansion system supports up to two 2-slot-wide graphic accelerators used in telecommunications, defense, security and imaging applications.
Design Win Reflects Growth of PCI Express in Embedded Markets
Leverages Industry's First PCIe 3.0 PHY for Lowest Power, Highest Performance, Time-to-Market Advantages
Engineers can now register to receive alerts whenever a databook, app note or other specification is added or updated. Simply go to any device page to subscribe. You will then receive alerts either by email, or have notes posted on your 
PLX has partnered with two premium global educators -- Mindshare Inc. and Dashcourses International. Choose from On-demand recorded Web-based tutorials, live virtual online classrooms, or face-to-face brick-n-mortar events (check the event calendars). These in-house sessions are open to the public at a shared facility, or held privately at your location.