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Overview
XConn is a leader in high-performance computing (HPC) and data center switching technologies, based in Silicon Valley. Their mission is to accelerate AI computing in data centers and HPC environments with high-performance, power-efficient, scalable, and cost-effective interconnect solutions. XConn’s XC50256 is the world’s first Compute Express Link (CXL) 2.0 switch System on Chip (SoC) designed for data center and memory pooling applications. This cutting-edge technology supports a configurable number of ports and the largest capacity switching technology in the market.
Challenges
XConn faced several critical challenges in their mission to deliver the world’s first CXL 2.0 switch SoC:
- High Throughput and Low Latency: Build the world’s first CXL switch SoC with the highest throughput and lowest latency.
- Power Efficiency: Develop a solution that offers the lowest power consumption.
- Silicon Success: Achieve silicon success for the switch SoC on FinFET processes while meeting timing at 1GHz.
Solution
XConn turned to Synopsys for their CXL 2.0 Controller and PCI Express (PCIe) 5.0 PHY IP solutions. Here’s how the solution addressed their challenges:
- High-Quality IP: Synopsys’ IP has been proven in the industry for decades, offering advanced features such as low latency, low power, and high throughput. The CXL 2.0 Controller IP and PCIe 5.0 PHY IP were selected for their superior performance and reliability.
- Reliability, Availability, and Serviceability (RAS): The Synopsys CXL controller’s RAS feature provided error correction code (ECC) and parity protection, ensuring high quality and reliability.
- Expert Technical Support: Synopsys provided dedicated engineering support to help XConn achieve the critical 1GHz timing closure. Their timely assistance was instrumental in integrating the IP successfully.
Results
The collaboration between XConn and Synopsys yielded remarkable results:
- First-Pass Silicon Success: XConn achieved first-pass silicon success with Synopsys’ silicon-proven CXL and PCIe IP, significantly reducing design risk.
- Market Leadership: XConn delivered the world’s first CXL 2.0 switch SoC with the highest capacity in the market, meeting critical performance requirements.
- Future Development: Buoyed by the success of this project, XConn is now engaging with Synopsys for their future technology needs, including CXL 3.0 IP for their next-generation switch SoCs.
By leveraging Synopsys’ high-quality IP and expert technical support, XConn not only met their ambitious goals but also cemented their position as a leader in the data center switching technology market.
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