- Brief
history of computer bus evolution
- Introducing
the PCI bus
- Bus
protocol
- Electrical/mechanical
issues
- Advanced
features
- Scalability--Overcoming
electrical limitations
- Configuration
(Plug & Play)
- Performance
issues
- CompactPCI
- Hot
Swap
- Development tools and commercial silicon
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For a long time the PCI (Peripheral
Component Interconnect)
was the
dominant mechanism for inter-connecting the elements of modern,
high-performance computer systems. At the consumer level at least it
has largely been replaced by USB. Nevertheless, it is still found
internal to many computing devices. It is a well-thought-out standard
that serves as a good starting point for understanding Plug-and-Play
busses. In the form of CompactPCI,
it is having a major impact in the telecommunications
market.
A maximum theoretical transfer rate of 528 Mb per second, along
with advanced features like Plug & Play configurability and Hot
Swap distinguish the PCI from most of its predecessors. Yet these very
features that provide added value to end users lead to added headaches
for product designers. Plug & Play makes PCI design as much a
software problem as a hardware problem.
This class looks at the fundamentals of PCI--both hardware and
software--from a practical, results-oriented point of view. It provides
the tools you need to make informed decisions on interconnect-related
issues. Whether you design hardware or software, if you're involved in
product development for PCs, workstations or industrial computing, you
need to know about PCI. |