PEX 8648
48-Lane, 12-Port PCI Express Gen 2 (5.0 GT/s) Switch, 27 x 27mm FCBGA
The ExpressLane™ PEX 8648 device offers 48 PCI Express Gen 2 (5.0 GT/s) lanes, capable of configuring up to 12 flexible ports. The switch conforms to the PCI Express Base Specification, rev 2.0. The 48-lane switch enables users to add scalable, high bandwidth, non-blocking interconnection to a wide variety of applications including servers, communications, storage, blade servers, and embedded systems. The PEX 8648 boasts the industry's lowest PCIe Gen 2 latency at 140ns and unsurpassed performance with its non-blocking architecture, capable of supporting both host-centric as well as true peer-to-peer traffic. The PEX 8648 also features an on-chip Non-Transparent port for dual-host and failover applications, as well as three on-chip Hot-Plug controllers, allowing users to implement single-chip solutions. The device is hardware configurable and software programmable, allowing users to tailor their port configurations and QoS operating characteristics to suit their application requirements. The PEX 8648 is offered in a 27 x 27mm 676-ball FCBGA. This device is available in lead-free packaging. This device supports Access Control Services (ACS).
Page Index
Related Gen 3 Devices
Related Gen 2 Devices
Related Gen 1 Devices
Supporting Documentation
- PCIe Technical Info & White Papers
- Company Overview, Product Snapshots
- Support Documentation (Quality, FAQs, RoHS...)
Hot Applications
Servers and Storage
Usage Models
Suitable for host-centric as well as Intelligent I/O applications
PEX 8648 Technical Documentation
| Document/Resources | Everyone Access | Requires Membership | Requires NDA | Description | Version | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product Brief | Download | Product Overview | 1.0 | 04/09 | ||
| Data Book | Download | Detailed Technical Specifications | 1.2 | 19Oct10 | ||
| Design Notes | Download | Dual Cast, 8600 family feature (white paper) | 1.0 | 10/07 | ||
| Download | Dynamic Buffer Pool, 8600 family feature (white paper) | 1.0 | 10/07 | |||
| Download | Error Recovery and Fencing Mechanisms (white paper) | 1.0 | 01/08 | |||
| Download | Get More Out of the Intel Foxhollow Platform (white paper) | 1.0 | 04/09 | |||
| Download | Hardware Design Checklist | 1.0 | 10/08 | |||
| Download | Non-Transparent Mode: Setup & Demonstration (white paper) | 1.0 | 04/09 | |||
| Download | Power Management Modes, PEX 8600 Products (white paper) | 1.0 | 04/08 | |||
| Download | Quick Start Hardware Design Guide | 1.2 | 11/08 | |||
| Download | Read Pacing, 8600 family feature (white paper) | 1.0 | 10/07 | |||
| Download | REXT Resistor Guidelines | 1.1 | 05Aug11 | |||
| Errata | Download | Silicon Errata List | 1.9 | 16June11 | ||
| Interoperability | Download | Interoperability Report | 1.0 | 08/08 | ||
| Application Notes | Download | Error Injection (White Paper) | 1.0 | 04/10 | ||
| Download | Gen 2 switch compatibility with Gen 1 devices | 1.2 | 11/09 | |||
| Download | PEX 8648 Loopback Test Procedures | 1.0 | 04/10 | |||
| Download | Using a PCIe Switch as a Bandwidth Bridge | 1.0 | 04/10 | |||
| Download | Using Dual Cast feature of Gen 2 switches | 1.0 | 05/08 | |||
| Download | Using the Performance Monitor Feature (white paper) | 1.0 | 07Jul10 | |||
| Migration Document | Download | PEX 8649 Pin Compatibility with PEX 8648 | 2.0 | 04/09 | ||
| Videos | View HTML | IO Sharing via PLX PCIe Switches | -- | Oct 2010 | ||
| View HTML | PCI Express 3.0 over Optical Cable | -- | Oct 2010 | |||
| View HTML | PCI Express Clustering for next generation data centers | -- | Oct 2010 | |||
| Product Change Notification (PCN) | Download | PCN-2008-10: Die revision | -- | 11/08 | ||
| Download | PCN-2010-9-: ASEK Package Reliability Full Qualification Report | -- | 05Nov10 | |||
| Download | PCN-2010-9: Heat spreader epoxy and flux solder bump | 2.0 | 06/10 | |||
| Download | PDN-2011-4: Product Discontinuance Notice of select revisions/packages | -- | 22Dec11 | |||
| Ordering Information | View HTML | Part Number, Listing and Compliance | -- | -- | ||
| Quality & Reliability | Download | Certificate of Compliance (CoC) -- REACH | -- | 28Jan11 | ||
| Download | ICP Test Report | -- | -- | |||
| Download | Lead-Free Reflow Profile & Peak Temperature | -- | -- | |||
| Download | Material Analysis Data, Green (35x35mm) | -- | 15Feb11 | |||
| Download | Material Analysis Data, Pb-Free (27x27mm) | 2.0 | 19Jul10 | |||
| Download | Moisture/Reflow Sensitivity Classification (IPC/JEDEC J-STD-020D.1) | -- | 03/08 | |||
| Download | Reliability Qualification Report | -- | -- | |||
| Download | RoHS 6/6 Certificate of Compliance (PEX86xx Flip Chip BGA products with a suffix 'F') | -- | -- | |||
| Webinars | View HTML | About PLX PCIe Gen3 Switches (may require Webex plug-in) | -- | 05Oct11 |
PEX 8648 Development Tools
| Document/Resources | Everyone Access | Requires Membership | Requires NDA | Description | Version | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signal Integrity Kit | Download | PCIe Receiver Equalization (white paper) | 1.0 | 12/08 | ||
| Download | PLX Gen 2 Testing over "16 / 30" Tyco Comm Backplane (presentation) | 1.0 | 12/08 | |||
| Download | PLX PCI Express over 30" of Legacy Backplane (white paper) | 1.0 | 07/08 | |||
| Download | Tool provides loss estimation and bandwidth distortion for a specified trace distance and configuration. | 2.0 | 06/08 | |||
| Download | Using PEX 8648 SMA based (SI) Card (white paper) | 1.3 | 20Jul10 | |||
| Rapid Development Kit (RDK) | Download | RDK Hardware Reference Manual | 1.2 | 06Dec10 | ||
| Software Development Kit (SDK) | View HTML | Software Development Kit | -- | -- | ||
| BSDL | Download | Boundary Scan Description Language files | 1.0 | 02/09 | ||
| HSPICE Model | Download | HSPICE Model | 1.0 | 04/09 | ||
| OrCAD | Download | OrCAD Library | 1.0 | 01/09 | ||
| GERBER | Download | RDK Gerber Files | 1.0 | 02/08 | ||
| Reference Design | Download | RDK Reference Design Schematic | -- | 04Jun10 | ||
| Design Guidelines | Download | PCB Layout Review Guide | 1.0 | 11Oct11 |
Relevant Press Releases
PEX 8648 Applications
| Application | Description | Document | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Server and Storage Systems | Failover for Server and Storage systems using x16 port PCIe switches | ExpressApps #68 (PDF) |
|
| PCI Express Packet Generator | Transform PLX RDK into a Packet Generator | ExpressApps #62 (PDF) |
|
| Servers | Blade | Create Low-Cost Backplane/Fabric | ExpressApps #57 (PDF) |