Tektronix launches automated test support for SAS conformance

By siliconindia   |   Friday, 29 January 2010, 19:38 IST
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Bangalore: Tektronix, a manufacturer of oscilloscopes has announced an automated compliance and test automation solution that now spans both SATA and SAS (Serial Attached SCSI). It encompasses the breadth of SAS conformance tests defined by UNH-IOL and the SCSI Trade Association (STA). Using the latest TekExpress software, storage system designers can complete these tests by simply pressing a single button which ensures accurate and consistent results - saving set-up time and eliminating time-consuming and repetitive manual testing. SAS has emerged as the dominant storage interface for enterprise server environments offering scalability, improved speed and higher reliability compared to SATA or previous generation parallel interfaces. Transmitter validation and debug for 6Gb/s SAS designs requires accurate jitter and eye analysis and differential S-Parameter characterization. With the addition of 6Gb/s SAS support, the TekExpress automated test software meets the varied test demands facing everyone from silicon providers to drive manufacturers to OEM systems houses. "High-speed serial tests have become very complex and require the use of multiple instruments that have to be properly set up and coordinated. This complexity, together with the need for speed and efficiency, is driving a strong demand for test automation software," said Dave Slack, Marketing Manager, Technology Solutions Group, Tektronix. "In 2008, we delivered the industry's first fully automated compliance test suite for SATA Gen-2, and now we are following that up with the industry's first solution that automates the greatest combined breadth of SAS and SATA characterization tests." The TekExpress software for SAS delivers broad physical layer transmitter and channel measurements. This eliminates the need for senior engineers to closely monitor test specification developments. Instead, all the required tests are already fully implemented in software and instantly accessible. Tektronix offers the high-performance oscilloscopes and signal generators required for 3Gb/s SAS and 6Gb/s SAS compliance tests. Required equipment includes a real-time oscilloscope (DSA70000 Series Digital Serial Analyzer) with over 10GHz of Bandwidth. The optional high-speed serial signal generator (AWG7000 Series Arbitrary Waveform Generator) allows for receiver testing and full test automation. Setup and execution of SAS and SATA compliance tests is simple with TekExpress software. The test instrumentation is all controlled through the TekExpress automation framework. The TekExpress graphical user interface provides a common and intuitive workflow for setup and testing. Once the test bench is set up and the DUT is properly connected, the user simply presses the 'Run' button to perform the selected SAS or SATA test suite. From there, detailed HTML reports and score cards are automatically generated.

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