Multiple Node Networking Using PCIe Interconnects

PCI Express (PCIe) interconnects, and how they can be used to support multiple node low latency data transfers over copper or optical cables, is gaining momentum in embedded computing solutions.

PCI Express (PCIe) interconnects, and how they can be used to support multiple node low latency data transfers over copper or optical cables, is gaining momentum in embedded computing solutions. Many current “out-of-the-box” solutions are being used to interconnect standard Intel-based servers in traditional commercial computer environments to shared I/O devices on Windows or Linux operating systems. Now emerging is the use of PCIe to provide box-to-box external data paths between rugged embedded systems as well as for the internal data path in backplane architectures, such as VPX. Why is this trend developing, and what implementation challenges, as well as possible solutions, is the industry seeing through the use of PCIe?

The proliferation of network applications over the past few decades has led to a ballooning in the number of communication protocols. The government alone is estimated to use over 150 protocols. Some are well known such as Ethernet, Fibre Channel and InfiniBand; lesser-known protocols include, for example, Camera Link and SpaceWire. As new protocols have been added, each has offered a unique value proposition over its predecessors - Fibre Channel offered reliable delivery, InfiniBand offered low latency.