As the need for PCI Express® (PCIe®) cabling has grown, PCI-SIG® has kept pace with the industry demand for high-speed cabling solutions in applications like disaggregated servers, data center networking, storage, AI, automotive and more. In May 2024, PCI-SIG released the CopprLink™ Internal and External specifications for PCIe 5.0 and 6.0 technology, providing internal and external cabling solutions at 32.0 and 64.0 GT/s.
The release of CopprLink Internal and External specifications is part of PCI-SIG’s mission to offer PCIe cabling solutions that meet a wide variety of evolving industry needs. CopprLink internal cabling specification leverages the SNIA SFF-TA-1016 connector form factor for target applications like storage, data center compute nodes. CopprLink External specification leverages the SNIA SFF-TA-1032 connector form factor, targeting applications like storage and data center AI/ML use cases.
PCI-SIG is also developing a new external cabling specification, based on the well-established SNIA SFF-8614 connector form factor, more commonly known as “MiniSAS-HD” for its typical use in storage applications. The completion of the PCIe External Cabling Specification supports three successive generations of PCIe data rates (8.0, 16.0, and 32.0 GTs/s) and positions the PCIe technology as the fastest option among remote storage alternatives in the Enterprise market.
By providing internal and external cables of varying speeds and reach that utilize existing connector form factors, PCI-SIG is ensuring the industry can choose the best PCIe cabling solution for their applications. Utilizing existing, well-established connector form factors speeds up adoption, time to market and reduces cost. Along with CopprLink Internal and External specifications, PCI-SIG is exploring an optical interconnect for data-demanding applications like AI, cloud computing and HPC.
Attendees will receive an overview of current PCI-SIG cabling efforts, including CopprLink Internal and External Specifications and PCIe External Cabling Specification. They will also learn more about the application space for PCIe cabling, including data center networking, AI, storage and more.
