March 15, 2012. Tektronix has detailed the support it provides to Intel and the PCI Express (PCIe) ecosystem in the testing and verification of the new Intel Xeon Processor E5-2600 family (formerly known as Romley). In addition, Tektronix announced a complete automated solution for MIPI Alliance M-PHY testing, providing the industry’s widest and most complete coverage of this emerging standard.
The Intel Xeon Processor E5-2600 family is the industry’s first server processor with integrated PCIe 3.0, reducing I/O latency by as much as 30% and improving I/O bandwidth by as much as 2x. Among the Tektronix products used to support the development of the Integrated I/O capability were the DPO/DSA/MSO70000 Series oscilloscopes, TLA7SA16 and TLA7SA08 logic protocol analyzer modules, TLA7000 Series logic analyzers, and BERTScope bit-error-rate testers.
Leading up to the official launch, Tektronix was deeply involved in the successful testing of more than 100 PCIe 3.0 systems and cards on the Intel Xeon Processor E5-2600 family at numerous events worldwide including Intel Developer’s Forum and PCI-SIG sponsored events.
“From the very early stages, Tektronix played an active role supporting the testing and verification of the new Intel Xeon Processor E5-2600 family platform, bringing both test instrumentation and expertise,” said Roy Siegel, general manager, oscilloscopes, Tektronix. “This early work means that we can now offer designers products utilizing the Intel Xeon Processor E5-2600 family a full suite of PCIe 3.0 solutions that provide unparalleled visibility from the PHY to the protocol layers.”
The Intel development team selected Tektronix as the protocol test vendor for early silicon verification of Intel Xeon Processor E5-2600 family I/O performance. “Support from the test and measurement community is vital for any new platform, and with PCIe 3.0, it is even more critical as this new technology greatly improves I/O performance and scalability,” said Jim Pappas, director of technology initiatives, Intel Corp. “Based on our long mutual track record of success and Tektronix’ continued drive to be at the forefront of the industry, Tektronix was the ideal test and measurement supplier for this strategic initiative.”
Tektronix reports that the DPO/DSA/MSO70000 Series oscilloscopes deliver the performance and signal fidelity required to meet PCIe 3.0 test challenges. Option PCE3 for these instruments accelerates the analysis and validation of PCIe designs and provides the flexibility to check devices for pre-compliance or perform device characterization or debug in a single software package. Serial data link analysis software enables channel de-convolution, convolution, and receiver equalization. DPOJET jitter and eye-diagram analysis software provides jitter, eye-diagram, and parametric testing. And the P7520 TriMode differential probe is available for validation and debug of chip-to-chip links, including common mode measurements.
These tools also integrate with the TLA7SA16 and TLA7SA08 logic protocol analyzer modules and the TLA7000 Series logic analyzers to provide visibility of PCIe 3.0 physical and logical layers.
On the receiver side, Tektronix provides a method of implementation (MOI) for PCI Express 3.0 receiver testing using the BERTScope BSA85C. The full set of receiver test challenges is addressed in the MOI, including putting devices into loopback, setting and calibrating the required stresses and pre-emphasis, and performing jitter tolerance tests.
MIPI M-PHY Support
Tektronix announced a complete automated solution for MIPI Alliance M-PHY testing. Tektronix also released new protocol decode and analysis solutions for M-PHY UniPro and LLI protocols that can be performed on a Tektronix oscilloscope.
“Meeting the needs of the MIPI and M-PHY design community has been a top priority for Tektronix, and we are continuing to push hard to deliver comprehensive test solutions to our customers in this space,” said Siegel. “We were the first to market with MIPI solutions starting in September 2010, and now offer the industry’s most complete, Tx, Rx and protocol test solution for the latest M-PHY test specification.”
The new Opt. M-PHYTX for Tektronix DPO/DSA/MSO70000 oscilloscopes automates approximately 700 tests. The new capability includes support for regression testing across different modes along with flexible print or HTM reporting capabilities for workgroup sharing or vendor qualification testing.
With seamless switching from automation to analysis mode, Opt. M-PHYTX allows designers to perform step-by-step debugging on failures using the Tektronix DPO-JET jitter and timing analysis toolset that enables engineers to identify problems quickly across different test modes and combinations. Automated transmitter tests and protocol decode analysis can be completed using just one instrument, a Tektronix high-performance oscilloscope. The automated receiver test setup, Opt. M-PHYRX, utilizes an optimized setup that reduces equipment costs compared to alternatives that require at least three or more instruments with numerous connectors for conducting the stringent M-PHY Receiver tests as specified by the MIPI Alliance.
“The availability of comprehensive test solutions is a key component to the successful deployment of MIPI Alliance specifications,” said Joel Huloux, Chairman of the Board of MIPI Alliance. “Tektronix is actively involved in specification development as well as our Test Investigation Group and we appreciate their efforts to advance MIPI specifications.”
The highly integrated Tektronix M-PHY solution includes the addition of power spectral density (PSD) measurements built into the oscilloscope that eliminates the need for an external spectral analyzer for transmitter testing. And integrated M-PHY error detection eliminates the need for an external bit-error-rate tester for receiver testing, further reducing equipment expense and setup time.
“Tektronix is an important Mixel MIPI Central ecosystem partner and we are proud that Tektronix chose to employ Mixel’s M-PHY platform which supports all the M-PHY use-cases. Our collaboration with Tektronix has been of great value to our M-PHY customers,” said Ashraf Takla, CEO, Mixel. “The Tektronix M-PHY product provides a degree of automation that saves considerable time and effort while improving repeatability. We are delighted that we will be demonstrating our M-PHY with Tektronix M-PHY product in the MIPI face-to-face meeting in Seoul Korea in the March.”
Opt.M-PHYRX is available now globally. Opt.M-PHYTX, PGY-LLI, and PGY-UPRO will be available in early April. Opt.M-PHYTX up to Gear2 will also be available in early April with Gear3 available later in Q2 2012.
Opt.M-PHYTX is $5,570 US MSPR, and customers must have DPOJET as well. PGY-UPRO and PGY-LLI are both $8,000 US MSRP.
Tektronix, www.tektronix.com.
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