IDT announces the availability of two PCI Express (PCIe) Gen 2 switching solutions. Optimised for computing and embedded applications, the solutions are based on IDT switching architecture and technology, and support multicast functionality. The devices – a 32 lane, 8 port and a 48 lane, 12 port –support PCIe multicast functionality, which allows any switch port to simultaneously send identical data to two or more switch ports, increasing system resource utilisation by decreasing the previously required hardware and software overhead needed to send copies of data in a looped manner. This extension of the PCIe standard ensures consistency in data and table information among multiple system elements and extends the reach of PCIe into emerging enterprise computing and embedded applications requiring robust data coherency and sharing.

The switches are fully compliant with the PCI-SIG PCIe base specification 2.0 and provide customers the option of doubling the throughput bandwidth of existing PCIe lanes to 5Gbit/s data transfer. Each of the solutions has a dedicated evaluation and development kit for device testing and analysis, and system emulation. IDT also provides customers with technical support including system modelling and signal integrity analyses, and schematic and layout review services. The 32 lane, 8 port 89PES32T8G2 device is packaged in a 484ball ball grid array (BGA), and the 48 lane, 12 poer 89PES48T12G2 is packaged in a 676ball BGA.