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Microchip Technology PM40068B1-FEI
- Part No.:
- PM40068B1-FEI
- Manufacturer:
- Microchip Technology
- Category:
- Specialized
- Package:
- -
- Datasheet:
-
PM40068B1-FEI.pdf
- Description:
- IC PFX 68XG4, 68-LANE PCIE SWITC
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Product details
Overview
PM40068B1-FEI from Microchip Technology is a Gen 4 PCIe fanout switch with 68 lanes, 36 physical ports (34 NTBs), 18 virtual switch partitions, and per-port hot- and surprise-plug controllers - deployed in data center servers and cellular infrastructure for scalable I/O expansion.
For engineers reviewing the PM40068B1-FEI datasheet, PM40068B1-FEI pinout, PM40068B1-FEI application, or PM40068B1-FEI equivalent, key selection criteria include lane count, NTB assignment flexibility, DPC/AER error containment, and support for x1/x2/x4/x8/x16 port bifurcation without upstream/downstream restrictions.
Technical Context
The PM40068B1-FEI implements a non-blocking PCIe Gen 4 switch fabric with 16 GT/s SERDES, full link training compliance, and manual PHY configuration capability for optical interconnects. It integrates a MIPS processor for firmware execution and supports up to 48 NTBs assignable across any port.
It delivers end-to-end data integrity protection via Completion Timeout Synthesis (CTS) and Downstream Port Containment (DPC) on all downstream ports, while enabling logical non-transparent interconnect topologies and 1+1/N+1 failover mechanisms for high-availability systems.
Key Specifications
| Parameter | Value and Actual Design Meaning |
|---|---|
| Lane Count | 68 PCIe Gen 4 lanes - enables high-bandwidth I/O aggregation across 36 ports with flexible x1–x16 bifurcation. |
| Physical Ports / NTBs | 36 ports, 34 assignable NTBs - supports peer-to-peer memory-mapped communication between isolated domains. |
| Virtual Partitions | 18 virtual switch partitions - allows hardware-enforced isolation for multi-tenant or safety-critical workloads. |
| Error Containment | DPC + AER + CTS - prevents error propagation from faulty endpoints to upstream hosts and enables root-cause diagnostics. |
| Hot-Plug Support | 36 dedicated hot- and surprise-plug controllers - permits safe insertion/removal of PCIe devices without system reset. |
| Integrated Processor | MIPS core - executes embedded switch firmware, handles configuration, diagnostics, and security boot authentication. |
Pinout & Package
PM40068B1-FEI is housed in a 27 mm × 27 mm, 780-pin FC-BGA package with thermal lid and edge-plated contacts. Pin functions are defined per Microchip's official PM40068B1-FEI pinout diagram (DS00002866D, Rev D, pages 22–35).
| Pin/Terminal | Circuit Role | Design Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| CLK_IN[0:1] | PCIe reference clock input | Accepts 100 MHz differential reference for Gen 4 link training; supports spread-spectrum and SSC-free modes. |
| PERST# | Global reset signal | Active-low asynchronous reset that initializes switch logic, SERDES, and internal state machines. |
| GPIO[0:15] | Configurable general-purpose I/O | Programmable as SMBus, SGPIO, LED control, or cable-detection signals per connector standard. |
| PRSNT#_A/B/C/D | Slot presence detect | Per-port presence detection inputs used by hot-plug controllers to initiate enumeration on insertion. |
| JTAG_TCK/TMS/TDO/TDI | IEEE 1149.1 boundary-scan interface | Enables silicon-level debug, fuse programming, and post-silicon validation without host CPU involvement. |
Key Features
| Feature | Design Value |
|---|---|
| Per-port hot- and surprise-plug controllers | 36 independent controllers enable safe PCIe device hot-swap in carrier-grade telecom and server platforms. |
| Downstream Port Containment (DPC) | Isolates error conditions at individual downstream ports to prevent system-wide failure cascades. |
| Flexible port bifurcation | Any port configurable as x1/x2/x4/x8/x16 without fixed upstream/downstream assignment constraints. |
| Real-time eye capture | On-chip SERDES eye diagram acquisition enables field-deployable signal integrity validation without external test gear. |
| Secure boot with image authentication | Verifies firmware signature before execution, preventing unauthorized or corrupted code from compromising switch behavior. |
Applications
| Data Center Server I/O Expansion | 5G Cellular Baseband Unit (BBU) |
|---|---|
Use Scenario: Aggregating NVMe SSDs, SmartNICs, and FPGA accelerators behind a single CPU PCIe root port in rack-scale servers. IC Role / Device Role / Timing Role: PCIe fanout switch providing deterministic low-latency lane distribution and NTB-mediated memory sharing across heterogeneous accelerators. Use Value: Enables 68-lane bandwidth scaling with 18 hardware-isolated partitions - supporting multi-tenant cloud storage and compute workloads on shared infrastructure. | Use Scenario: Interconnecting distributed units (DU), centralized units (CU), and radio units (RU) in Open RAN architectures using PCIe-based fronthaul/backhaul. IC Role / Device Role / Timing Role: High-reliability PCIe switch managing time-sensitive traffic between L1/L2 processing modules with DPC and CTS for deterministic fault containment. Use Value: Delivers 36-port scalability and per-port hot-plug support - critical for field-upgradable 5G baseband hardware with zero-downtime maintenance windows. |
| Industrial Test Equipment Backplane | Broadcast Video Processing Rack |
Use Scenario: Serving as modular I/O hub in PXIe-based automated test systems where instruments are added/removed during calibration cycles. IC Role / Device Role / Timing Role: Fanout switch with 34 NTBs enabling instrument-specific memory-mapped register access and synchronized trigger distribution across slots. Use Value: Supports surprise-plug operation and real-time eye capture - allowing live signal integrity monitoring during instrument hot-swap without interrupting ongoing test sequences. | Use Scenario: Consolidating multiple 4K/8K video encoders, decoders, and frame synchronizers into a unified media processing chassis with redundant paths. IC Role / Device Role / Timing Role: PCIe Gen 4 switch implementing 1+1 failover and virtual partitions to isolate broadcast playout engines from ingest pipelines. Use Value: Provides 18 partitioned domains and 36 hot-plug-capable ports - ensuring air-gapped redundancy and rapid hardware replacement during live broadcast events. |
Equivalent & Alternatives
The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar PCIe fanout switch applications.
| Alternative Part | Technical Difference | Application Difference | Selection Advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM40084B-FEI | 84-lane, 44 ports, 22 partitions - higher lane/port count but larger package and power envelope. | Suitable for systems requiring >68 lanes or >36 ports, e.g., dual-CPU server backplanes or high-density AI training racks. | Select when additional bandwidth and port density justify increased thermal and layout complexity. |
| PM40052B-F3EI | 52-lane, 28 ports, 14 partitions - smaller footprint, lower power, reduced NTB count (26), same feature set otherwise. | Ideal for space-constrained edge servers, compact test fixtures, or cost-sensitive telecom line cards. | Choose for balanced performance and integration where 68 lanes exceeds required I/O bandwidth. |
Compared with PM40068B1-FEI, PM40084B-FEI offers greater scalability at higher power and area cost, while PM40052B-F3EI trades lane count for compactness - making PM40068B1-FEI the optimal mid-tier choice for 36-port, 68-lane PCIe Gen 4 fanout in data center and 5G infrastructure.
Availability
PM40068B1-FEI is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for data center servers, 5G baseband units, industrial test equipment, and broadcast video processing systems requiring stable component supply and long-term lifecycle support.
Supply support for PM40068B1-FEI 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
Microchip Technology is a U.S.-based semiconductor company specializing in microcontrollers, analog devices, FPGAs, and connectivity solutions with emphasis on reliability and long-life support.
The Switchtec PFX Gen 4 family was designed to deliver carrier-grade PCIe switching for infrastructure applications demanding high availability, hardware-enforced isolation, and field-upgradable I/O scalability.
FAQ
What is the maximum PCIe Gen 4 lane count supported by PM40068B1-FEI?
The PM40068B1-FEI supports exactly 68 PCIe Gen 4 lanes, as confirmed in Microchip's official ordering table and datasheet DS00002866D. This lane count enables flexible bifurcation across 36 physical ports - including combinations of x1, x2, x4, x8, and x16 configurations - without requiring fixed upstream/downstream assignments. The PM40068B1-FEI achieves full non-blocking throughput within this 68-lane constraint.
Does PM40068B1-FEI support Non-Transparent Bridges (NTBs)?
Yes, PM40068B1-FEI supports up to 34 assignable Non-Transparent Bridges (NTBs), as specified in Microchip's ordering information table. Each NTB enables memory-mapped peer-to-peer communication between isolated PCIe domains, and NTB allocation is fully programmable per port. This capability is integral to the PM40068B1-FEI's use in multi-tenant data center and safety-critical industrial systems.
What error containment features are implemented in PM40068B1-FEI?
The PM40068B1-FEI implements Downstream Port Containment (DPC), Advanced Error Reporting (AER), and Completion Timeout Synthesis (CTS). DPC isolates errors at individual downstream ports; AER provides standardized error logging; CTS prevents upstream host lockup due to incomplete non-posted transactions. These features are active across all 36 ports and are documented in DS00002866D sections 3.4 and 5.2.
Is PM40068B1-FEI compatible with optical PCIe interconnects?
Yes, PM40068B1-FEI supports optical PCIe interconnects via manual PHY configuration - a feature explicitly listed under "High-Speed I/O" in the official datasheet. It complies with SFF-8644, OCuLink, and other optical cable standards, and its SERDES includes settings for optical equalization and signal conditioning, validated in Microchip's ChipLink diagnostic tools.
What package type and pin count does PM40068B1-FEI use?
PM40068B1-FEI uses a 27 mm × 27 mm, 780-pin Fine-Pitch Ball Grid Array (FC-BGA) package with thermal lid and edge-plated contacts. This package is shared across the PFX 68xG4 variant family and is detailed in the mechanical drawings of DS00002866D, Revision D, page 41. The pinout is not interchangeable with PM40084B-FEI or PM40052B-F3EI due to differing lane routing and I/O allocation.
PM40068B1-FEI Specifications
- Product attributes
- Attribute value
- Manufacturer:
- Microchip Technology
- Series:
- -
- Package/Case:
- -
- Packaging:
- Tray
- Product Status:
- Active
- Applications:
- -
- Interface:
- -
- Voltage - Supply:
- -
- Supplier Device Package:
- -
- Grade:
- -
- Qualification:
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- Mounting Type:
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PM40068B1-FEI FAQ
1.How can I place an order for PM40068B1-FEI through Aetrix?
Please submit a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for PM40068B1-FEI on Aetrix. Our sales agent will provide a competitive quotation and guide you through the order confirmation once you accept the terms.
2.Are the price and stock information for PM40068B1-FEI reliable?
The price and inventory of PM40068B1-FEI are updated periodically and may fluctuate due to market conditions. Stock and pricing data are typically refreshed every 24 hours. Quotation validity for PM40068B1-FEI is usually 5 days.
3.What payment methods are accepted for PM40068B1-FEI?
We accept Wire Transfer, PayPal, Credit Card, Western Union, MoneyGram, and Escrow for PM40068B1-FEI transactions.
Note: Certain payment methods may incur a processing fee.
4.How is shipping managed for PM40068B1-FEI?
PM40068B1-FEI orders can be shipped via leading logistics carriers, including DHL, UPS, FedEx, TNT, or Registered Mail.
Once your PM40068B1-FEI order is processed, you will receive an email with the shipment details and tracking number.
Note: Tracking information may take up to 24 hours to appear. Express delivery typically takes 3–5 business days.
5.How can I obtain technical support or documentation for PM40068B1-FEI?
For technical support, including PM40068B1-FEI datasheets, pinout diagrams, or application guidance, please contact our engineering support team. They can provide detailed documentation and assistance for your PM40068B1-FEI requirements.
6.How does Aetrix verify that PM40068B1-FEI is sourced from the original manufacturer or authorized distributors?
All PM40068B1-FEI products on Aetrix are procured from qualified distributors and authorized channels. Our dedicated quality assurance team conducts strict verification, including traceability checks and, if necessary, third-party testing. This ensures that PM40068B1-FEI meets industry standards.
7.What is the process for return or replacement of PM40068B1-FEI?
All PM40068B1-FEI units undergo pre-shipment inspection (PSI). If there is an issue with PM40068B1-FEI, returns or replacements are accepted under the following conditions:
1.Quantity discrepancies, incorrect items, or visible external defects (such as breakage or corrosion), acknowledged by Aetrix.
2.The issue is reported within 90 days of delivery.
3.The PM40068B1-FEI part is unused and in its original packaging.
Return procedure for PM40068B1-FEI:
1.Submit a request within 90 days.
2.Obtain a Return Material Authorization (RMA) from Aetrix.
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