PCI-X and PCI-Express
PCI-Express architecture is a new serial interconnect technology that retains the PCI usage model and software interfaces while supporting chip-to-chip, board-to-board and adapter solutions at an equivalent or lower cost structure than existing PCI designs. PCI-Express currently runs at 2.5Gbps, or 250MBps per lane in each direction, providing a total bandwidth of 16GBps in a 32-lane configuration. Future frequency increases will scale up total bandwidth capabilities beyond that expected from PCI-X 2.0, providing I/O attach points for high-performance graphics, 1394b, USB 2.0, InfiniBand Architecture, Gigabit Ethernet, and other technologies.
AMD expects PCI-Express to be adopted first as the next generation of graphics technology, replacing AGP 8X. In 2004, AMD expects PCI-Express graphics to debut in workstations, while predicting that PCI-X 266 will be strongly adopted in servers for higher-speed I/O card capabilities. Because the success of PCI-X 533 will likely be gated by the availability of 533MHz adapter cards and devices, AMD believes that servers requiring I/O bandwidth in excess of PCI-266’s capabilities will begin to feature PCI-Express options in the second half of 2004 and into 2005.
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