Renesas 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8

Overview

89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 from IDT is a 24-lane, 6-port PCI Express Gen2 system interconnect switch with Non-Transparent Bridging (NTB) and Switch Partitioning capabilities. It delivers up to 24 GBps switching capacity, supports 5.0 GT/s link speed per lane, and operates in servers, storage systems, and intelligent I/O subsystems requiring multi-domain peer-to-peer communication.

For engineers reviewing the 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 datasheet, 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 pinout, 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 application, or 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 equivalent, key selection criteria include NTB endpoint count (up to 6), partition reconfiguration support, integrated DMA controllers, PCIe 2.1 compliance, and 484-ball Flip Chip BGA packaging.

Technical Context

The 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 implements a Combined Input Output Queued (CIOQ) switch core with large buffers and low-latency cut-through forwarding. Its SerDes supports both Gen1 (2.5 GT/s) and Gen2 (5.0 GT/s) operation, with per-lane configuration for de-emphasis, receive equalization, and drive strength.

It integrates two SMBus interfaces - one master for EEPROM/I/O expander control and one slave for full register access - and supports flexible clocking modes including common clock, non-common clock, and local port clock with spread-spectrum capability.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 is packaged in a 23 mm × 23 mm 484-ball Flip Chip BGA with 1.0 mm ball pitch. Pin functions include six PCIe x4 ports (Port 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12), dual SMBus interfaces (master/slave), 9 GPIOs with alternate functions (e.g., partition reset, link status outputs), JTAG test pins, reference clock inputs (global and per-port), and dedicated power/ground/SerDes bias pins.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar PCIe Gen2 switch applications.

Compared with 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8, the ZCBL8 variant offers identical functionality at lower thermal and qualification cost for benign environments, while the 12-lane 89H12NT6AG2ZAHL8 reduces die size and power for bandwidth-light deployments - both retain full NTB, partitioning, and DMA compatibility but differ in scale and environmental rating.

Availability

89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for server backplanes, intelligent storage controllers, communications infrastructure, and industrial multi-domain systems requiring stable component supply and long-term lifecycle support.

Supply support for 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 includes scheduled delivery planning, volume procurement assistance, BOM continuity management, traceable sourcing, and lifecycle availability coordination for OEM customers, industrial embedded developers, connected-device designers, and electronics production programs.

Manufacturer

IDT (Integrated Device Technology, Inc.) is a fabless semiconductor company specializing in high-performance timing, memory interface, RF, and interconnect solutions, acquired by Renesas Electronics in 2019.

The 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 belongs to IDT's PCI Express switching portfolio, designed specifically for high-reliability, multi-host system interconnects demanding non-transparent bridging, hardware partitioning, and integrated DMA offload in enterprise and communications equipment.

FAQ

What is the primary function of the 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 in a PCIe system?

The 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 serves as a 24-lane, 6-port PCIe Gen2 system interconnect switch with integrated Non-Transparent Bridging (NTB) and Switch Partitioning. Its primary function is to enable secure, low-latency communication between isolated PCIe domains-such as dual-CPU servers or FPGA-ARM subsystems-by performing address translation, managing BAR windows, and supporting doorbell- and message-based inter-domain signaling without shared memory or OS mediation. The 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 implements this through dedicated NTB blocks per endpoint and hardware-enforced partition boundaries.

Does the 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 support PCIe Gen3 or higher speeds?

No, the 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 is strictly PCIe Gen2 compliant, supporting link speeds of 2.5 GT/s (Gen1) and 5.0 GT/s (Gen2) per lane. It does not support Gen3 (8.0 GT/s) or higher. This is confirmed by its datasheet specification, SerDes architecture, and PCI-SIG compliance statement referencing only PCIe Base Specification 2.1. Systems requiring Gen3 must use newer-generation switches such as IDT's 89HPESx family successors or Renesas' post-acquisition offerings.

How many Non-Transparent Bridge endpoints does the 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 support?

The 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 supports up to 6 Non-Transparent Bridge (NTB) endpoints, with each endpoint providing 6 BARs (including BAR2/BAR4 with lookup-table translation), 32 inbound/outbound doorbell registers, and 4 inbound/outbound 32-bit message registers. This allows simultaneous communication between up to 6 distinct PCIe domains-for example, connecting six independent CPUs or root complexes-while maintaining full address isolation and translation per endpoint. All NTB functionality is implemented in hardware and enabled via configuration registers.

What package type and thermal characteristics apply to the 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8?

The 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 uses a 484-ball Flip Chip BGA package measuring 23 mm × 23 mm with 1.0 mm ball pitch. It is rated for industrial temperature operation (−40°C to +85°C), as indicated by the "A" in the suffix (ZAHL8). Thermal design requires attention to VDDCORE (1.0V), VDDPEHA (2.5V), and VDDI/O (3.3V) power planes, plus proper decoupling near REFRES[5:0] and REFRESPLL analog reference pins. The device includes an on-die temperature sensor with three programmable thresholds and automatic min/max recording, supporting thermal monitoring in deployed systems.

Can the 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 be configured for different port topologies, and how is this done?

Yes, the 89H24NT6AG2ZAHL8 supports flexible port configuration-including six x4 ports-and enables automatic per-port link width negotiation (x4 → x2 → x1), crosslink support, and automatic lane reversal. Configuration is achieved via hardware strapping pins (SWMODE[3:0], CLKMODE[1:0], GCLKFSEL) at power-up, or dynamically through the SMBus slave interface or PCIe configuration space after initialization. Port mapping, partition assignment, and NTB parameters are all software-configurable, allowing runtime adaptation to changing system topology without hardware modification.