Xgig Xgig5P-PCIe5-X8-E1 E1 EDSFF 8-Lane Interposer Module for PCI Express 5.0

The VIAVI Xgig5P-PCIe5-X8-E1 is an 8-lane E1 EDSFF interposer for PCI Express 5.0. It is used to develop, debug and tune the performance of NVMe SSDs in high-density storage servers. The interposer taps the data signals between the host system and the EDSFF NVMe SSD and sends them to the VIAVI analysis system, where bidirectional PCIe 5.0 protocol data on 8 lanes can be captured at 32GT/s.

The interposer ships with an E1.S (short) front-end module so that it fits the system correctly. The E1.S module is built to the 9.5 mm Short Form Factor with the Optional Symmetric Enclosure variation. The interposer supports one link of either 4 or 8 lanes.

High-speed linear signal redrivers buffer the system data signals as they pass through the interposer between the host and the SSD under test. This gives the analyzer a clean signal for reliable protocol capture, with little or no tuning needed. Power comes from a supplied power brick, so it does not depend on the host system, and LEDs show power and status.

Setup and operating modes

To set it up, an E1 EDSFF SSD is inserted into the interposer base pod and the front-end module is inserted into the EDSFF bay of the storage server. Cables then connect the interposer to a VIAVI Xgig 5P16 or 5P8 PCIe 5.0 analysis platform, and the Xgig analysis tools run on a local or remote Windows PC. In Analyzer mode, DUT data is tapped from both the upstream and downstream paths. In Analyzer/Jammer mode, data passes through the analysis chassis, where it can be modified between devices. In Analyzer/Exerciser mode, data is sourced from the analyzer chassis and sent to the device under test through the interposer.