PLX upgrades feature-rich SDK for designs using industry's first PCI Express 3.0 switches

SUNNYVALE, USA: PLX Technology, a leading global supplier of software-enriched silicon connectivity solutions for the enterprise and consumer markets, announced an upgraded and free software development kit (SDK) supporting PLX ExpressLane PCI Express (PCIe) Gen 3 switches.

This exclusive suite of software tools works in conjunction with PLX’s on-chip diagnostic hardware, together called visionPAK. The SDK enables designers to get to market faster with instant access to internal chip registers, and offers diagnostic features as well as performance monitoring of an entire system's performance, thus optimizing the usage of costly test equipment such as logic analyzers, traffic generators and high-speed oscilloscopes.

Measuring the height and width quality of the SerDes eye, generating desired packets/traffic at line rate, injecting and counting errors, port utilization, and measuring performance are among the array of key features implemented in this multi-generation, backward-compatible SDK suite.

Global designers continue to cite the cost-effectiveness of the PLX SDK in that it reduces the bottle-necks associated with expensive third-party analyzers and scopes and closes the loop on common buggy system issues. The ability to quickly debug systems in the lab while improving performance using the PLX SDK helps those designers streamline their designs.

The SDK runs on Windows/Linux systems and connects to PLX devices through the host port or I2C interface provided on all PCIe Gen 2 and Gen 3 switches.

“Designers of PCI Express-based systems have enough to concentrate on without the added burden of creating or piecing together their own development tools that would add significant time to the design process and still may not satisfy their goals,” said Vijay Meduri, PLX vice president of engineering, switches.

“This enhanced PLX SDK, which now supports PCI Express Gen 3 in addition to earlier generations of the technology, will free them to focus on the designs themselves – and get the resulting systems complete, tested and on the market.”