Software tool for PCIe debug and diagnostics
Swiss USB chip designer Kandou has developed a diagnostics tool for PCI Express (PCIe) retimers called Besso to reduce the development time of high speed interfaces.
The Besso diagnostic tool for Kandou runs on Microsoft Windows and is portable for rapid use in the field. By providing a real-time, on-chip window into links, both in lab and on the bench, Besso provides designers instant access and powerful insights, allowing users to visualize any PCIe system and diagnose issues quickly, from anywhere in the world, without interrupting links.
With increasing speeds in PCIe technology, SerDes and higher bit rates, retimers are essential for maintaining signal integrity. This makes it vital to identify and resolve problems as quickly as possible to accelerate a product’s time to market.
Besso also includes an analyzer to investigate state transition on all lanes, along with link bifurcation, training and logging capabilities. The ReTimer state machine (RTSSM) analyser developed by Kandou is logically equivalent to the Link Training Status State Machine (LTSSM) in the PCI Express standard.
Kandou has built-in EyeScope and BER monitors, RTSSM Analyzer and Logic Analyzer into the Beso software. A PCIe board board connects to a laptop via a USB cable and the Besso app gives access to the EyeScope and BER monitors for SerDes. Besso has TX EQ presets display and override, visualization for internal temperature sensors, and a KB900x Logic Analyzer which supports rising and falling edge triggers on multiple signals.
“Designers know how complex, time-consuming, and costly it can be to debug a retimer and, in Besso, we have a solution,” said Thomas Boudrot, VP of Sales & Business Development at Kandou. “It is those designers, deep in the trenches of R&D, who have told us that Besso is a great debugging tool for solving problems faster and getting products to market sooner. They also see real value in having key diagnostic features integrated into one package.
“With Besso, you have a single graphical user interface that can control a retimer and perform extensive diagnostics instead of having to use different scripts and software to control it. This one, brilliant tool brings together everything you need to debug faster and accelerate time to market.”
Besso is currently available at no additional cost to existing Kandou customers who purchase Regli retimers. It will be available for use on live link systems from 12th August 2024. New customers will automatically gain access to the built-in diagnostic software with training and support available from Kandou’s expert team.
www.kandou.com/products/besso/
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