CopprLink Unveils PCIe 5.0 and 6.0 Copper Cable Specs

A new development in high-speed interconnect technology is set to revolutionize data transmission over copper cables. The PCI-SIG has introduced the CopprLink Internal and External Cable specifications, designed to support signaling at 32.0 and 64.0 GT/s, extending the capabilities of the PCI Express standard.

These specifications leverage established industry connector form factors maintained by the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA), catering to a wide range of applications including storage, data centers, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and disaggregated memory systems. According to Al Yanes, President and Chairperson of PCI-SIG, the CopprLink Cable specifications seamlessly integrate PCIe cabling with the electrical base specification, offering enhanced channel reach and topological flexibility.

The Internal Cable specification supports PCIe 5.0 and 6.0 technology, enabling signaling at 32.0 and 64.0 GT/s using SNIA SFF-TA-1016 connectors. With a maximum reach of 1m, these cables are suitable for various connections within a self-contained server platform node, including motherboard-to-add-in-card, motherboard-to-backplane, chip-to-chip, and add-in-card-to-backplane configurations.

On the other hand, the External Cables Specification utilizes the SNIA SFF-TA-1032 connector form factor, offering a 2m reach for connections such as rack-to-rack, CPU-to-storage, CPU-to-memory, CPU-to-accelerator, and accelerator fabrics in disaggregated server platform nodes. This extended reach enhances the flexibility and scalability of interconnect solutions in diverse computing environments.

For PCI-SIG members interested in exploring the capabilities of the CopprLink Cable specifications, the Internal and External Cable specifications are now available for download on the official PCI-SIG website at www.pcisig.com. These advancements underscore PCI-SIG's commitment to driving innovation in PCIe technology, with ongoing efforts to pave the way for future generations of high-speed interconnect solutions.