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Microchip Technology PM42068B1-FEI
- Part No.:
- PM42068B1-FEI
- Manufacturer:
- Microchip Technology
- Category:
- Specialized
- Package:
- 1467-BBGA
- Datasheet:
-
PM42068B1-FEI.pdf
- Description:
- PCIE SWITCH GEN4 X68 PAX 1467BBG
- Quantity:
- Payment:
- Shipping:
Inventory:4,998
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Product details
Overview
PM42068B1-FEI from Microchip Technology is a Gen 4 PCIe fabric switch with 68 lanes, 36 ports, and integrated hot-plug controllers on all ports, enabling multi-host SR-IOV sharing of GPUs and NVMe SSDs in rack-scale composable infrastructure.
For engineers reviewing the PM42068B1-FEI datasheet, PM42068B1-FEI pinout, PM42068B1-FEI application, or PM42068B1-FEI equivalent, key selection criteria include lane count, port bifurcation flexibility (×1*/×2/×4/×8/×16), end-to-end error containment, and support for in-band PCIe or UART-based fabric management.
Technical Context
The PM42068B1-FEI implements a non-blocking PCIe Gen 4 switch fabric with full 16 GT/s per lane, supporting up to 36 bidirectional ports and dynamic lane allocation across upstream/downstream roles. It integrates a MIPS processor for autonomous fabric management and supports SR-IOV virtualization of physical functions across multiple hosts.
Error handling includes Downstream Port Containment (DPC) on all downstream ports, poisoned TLP blocking, Completion Timeout Synthesis (CTS), and Advanced Error Reporting (AER). Each port features dedicated hot- and surprise-plug controllers and configurable GPIOs for cable/connector standards including SFF-8644, OCuLink, and SFF-8639.
Key Specifications
| Parameter | Value and Actual Design Meaning |
|---|---|
| PCIe Generation | Gen 4 (16 GT/s per lane), enabling 2 GBps per ×1 lane and full backward compatibility with Gen 3/2/1 links. |
| Lane Count | 68 total high-speed serial lanes, allocated flexibly across 36 ports without fixed upstream/downstream assignment. |
| Port Count | 36 bidirectional PCIe ports, each supporting ×1*, ×2, ×4, ×8, or ×16 bifurcation per physical connector. |
| Hot-Plug Controllers | 36 dedicated hot- and surprise-plug controllers - one per port - enabling safe insertion/removal of endpoints without system reset. |
| Error Containment | Downstream Port Containment (DPC), poisoned TLP blocking, and Completion Timeout Synthesis (CTS) prevent error propagation to upstream hosts. |
| Integrated Processor | MIPS core enables autonomous fabric management, SR-IOV coordination, and boot image authentication without external CPU. |
| I/O Interfaces | Up to 103 GPIOs, 11 TWI/SMBus ports, 4 SGPIO, 4 UARTs, 10/100 Ethernet MAC (MII/RMII), and JTAG/EJTAG debug interface. |
Pinout & Package
PM42068B1-FEI is housed in a 40 mm × 40 mm, 780-pin flip-chip ball grid array (FC-BGA) package with edge-aligned I/O banks optimized for PCIe Gen 4 signal integrity and thermal dissipation in high-density server and storage platforms.
| Pin/Terminal | Circuit Role | Design Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| PCIe_TX[0:67] | Differential transmit output | 68 dedicated Gen 4 transmit lanes supporting flexible port mapping and lane reversal per link. |
| PCIe_RX[0:67] | Differential receive input | 68 dedicated Gen 4 receive lanes with per-lane equalization control and real-time eye capture capability. |
| HOTPLUG_n[0:35] | Active-low hot-plug detect | 36 independent hot-plug status inputs - one per port - enabling per-port plug detection and state tracking. |
| PERST_n[0:35] | Active-low PCIe reset | 36 isolated reset signals allowing independent reset sequencing of connected endpoints without affecting other ports. |
| CLKREQ_n[0:35] | PCIe clock request | 36 clock request outputs supporting dynamic power gating of SerDes blocks per active port. |
| GPIO[0:102] | Configurable digital I/O | 103 general-purpose pins supporting SMBus, SGPIO, LED control, or custom enclosure management signaling. |
Key Features
| Feature | Design Value |
|---|---|
| SR-IOV Domain Virtualization | Enables multi-host sharing of single-root I/O virtualized endpoints (e.g., NVMe SSDs) by virtualizing entire PCIe domains with physical and virtual functions. |
| Non-blocking Fabric Architecture | Delivers up to 174 GBps aggregate switching capacity with zero packet loss under full line-rate traffic across all 36 ports. |
| End-to-End Data Integrity | Combines ECC protection on internal RAMs, poisoned TLP blocking, and AER reporting to ensure reliable data transport across disaggregated systems. |
| Firmware-Defined Fabric Management | Microchip's PAX SDK allows customization of SR-IOV sharing policies, topology discovery, and secure boot workflows without hardware modification. |
| Comprehensive In-System Diagnostics | Includes built-in PCIe analyzer, TLP generator, per-port latency/error counters, and real-time 2D eye capture accessible via in-band PCIe or UART. |
Applications
| GPU Composable Fabric | SR-IOV JBOF |
|---|---|
Use Scenario: Multi-tenant AI training cluster where GPU resources are dynamically allocated across bare-metal and VM hosts. IC Role / Device Role / Timing Role: PCIe fabric switch managing low-latency, high-bandwidth interconnect between hosts and shared GPU pools using SR-IOV virtual functions. Use Value: Eliminates PCIe tree bottlenecks by enabling direct host-to-GPU routing, reducing average GPU access latency by up to 40% versus traditional root complex topologies. | Use Scenario: JBOD-style NVMe storage enclosure supporting simultaneous access from multiple servers via shared physical NVMe drives. IC Role / Device Role / Timing Role: Fabric manager virtualizing NVMe SSDs as SR-IOV endpoints, assigning virtual functions to distinct hosts while maintaining isolation and QoS. Use Value: Enables true multi-host NVMe sharing with hardware-enforced namespace isolation and per-VF performance guarantees. |
| Rack-Scale Disaggregation | Secure Enclosure Management |
Use Scenario: Data center rack with physically separated compute, memory, and storage modules interconnected via high-speed optical or passive cables. IC Role / Device Role / Timing Role: Central PCIe fabric switch providing non-blocking connectivity between heterogeneous resource modules using SFF-8644/OCuLink interfaces. Use Value: Achieves 95%+ fabric utilization under mixed read/write workloads while maintaining sub-100 ns packet forwarding latency. | Use Scenario: Enterprise storage chassis requiring firmware-controlled LED indicators, temperature monitoring, fan control, and hot-swap event logging. IC Role / Device Role / Timing Role: Integrated controller executing enclosure management firmware via its MIPS core and 103 GPIOs, interfacing with sensors and actuators over TWI/SGPIO. Use Value: Removes need for external microcontroller, reducing BOM cost and board space while enabling unified firmware update and secure boot for enclosure subsystems. |
Equivalent & Alternatives
The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar PCIe fabric switch applications.
| Alternative Part | Technical Difference | Application Difference | Selection Advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| PM42084B1-FEI | 84-lane, 44-port variant with identical package, I/O interfaces, and firmware architecture. | Supports larger endpoint pools and higher port density in same footprint; requires additional PCB routing for extra lanes. | Select when scaling beyond 36 ports or requiring >68 lanes while retaining identical thermal and management characteristics. |
| PM42052B1-F3EI | 52-lane, 28-port variant in smaller 29 mm × 29 mm package; lacks 10/100 Ethernet MAC and uses different ball map. | Better suited for space-constrained embedded or edge systems where port count and Ethernet interface are secondary. | Choose for cost-sensitive or compact designs where 36 ports and 40 mm × 40 mm footprint are unnecessary. |
Compared with PM42084B1-FEI and PM42052B1-F3EI, the PM42068B1-FEI delivers optimal balance of lane count, port density, and feature set for mid-scale composable infrastructure - offering full Ethernet MAC, hot-plug support on all ports, and 40 mm × 40 mm thermal scalability without over-provisioning.
Availability
PM42068B1-FEI is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for GPU composable fabrics, SR-IOV-enabled JBOFs, rack-scale disaggregated systems, and secure enclosure management platforms requiring stable component supply and long-term lifecycle support.
Supply support for PM42068B1-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 a focus on reliability, security, and long-life product support.
The Switchtec PAX family is designed specifically for scalable, multi-host PCIe fabric architectures - targeting composable infrastructure, disaggregated data centers, and enterprise storage systems requiring hardware-enforced virtualization and robust error containment.
FAQ
What is the maximum PCIe Gen 4 bandwidth supported by the PM42068B1-FEI?
The PM42068B1-FEI supports up to 68 lanes of PCIe Gen 4 (16 GT/s), delivering a theoretical aggregate bandwidth of 174 GBps. Each lane provides 2 GBps unidirectional throughput, and port bifurcation (×1*/×2/×4/×8/×16) allows flexible allocation without sacrificing total capacity. This bandwidth is sustained across all 36 ports under non-blocking switching conditions.
Does the PM42068B1-FEI require an external CPU for fabric management?
No, the PM42068B1-FEI integrates a MIPS processor that executes Microchip's PAX SDK firmware, enabling full fabric configuration, SR-IOV coordination, and error handling without an external CPU. Management interfaces include in-band PCIe, UART, TWI, and 10/100 Ethernet - all driven autonomously by the on-chip processor within the PM42068B1-FEI.
How does error containment work on the PM42068B1-FEI?
The PM42068B1-FEI implements multiple hardware-level error containment mechanisms: Downstream Port Containment (DPC) isolates faulty downstream links, poisoned TLP blocking prevents corrupted packets from propagating, and Completion Timeout Synthesis (CTS) avoids upstream host hangs due to incomplete transactions. All 36 ports support Advanced Error Reporting (AER) and dedicated hot-plug controllers - critical features confirmed in the PM42068B1-FEI datasheet and functional specification.
Can the PM42068B1-FEI support both upstream and downstream ports on the same physical interface?
Yes, the PM42068B1-FEI allows any of its 36 ports to be configured as either upstream or downstream - no fixed hierarchy is enforced. This flexibility enables mesh, star, or hybrid topologies in composable systems. Port role assignment is software-defined via the PAX SDK and persists across resets, making the PM42068B1-FEI adaptable to evolving infrastructure requirements.
What packaging and thermal specifications apply to the PM42068B1-FEI?
The PM42068B1-FEI uses a 40 mm × 40 mm, 780-pin flip-chip BGA package with thermal pad and edge-aligned I/O banks optimized for PCIe Gen 4 signal integrity. Its thermal design supports operation up to 105°C junction temperature, with recommended PCB layout including internal copper planes and thermal vias beneath the package - specifications fully documented in the official PM42068B1-FEI datasheet and packaging drawing.
PM42068B1-FEI Specifications
- Product attributes
- Attribute value
- Manufacturer:
- Microchip Technology
- Series:
- Switchtec
- Package/Case:
- 1467-BBGA
- Packaging:
- Tray
- Product Status:
- Active
- Applications:
- PCIe Switch
- Interface:
- PCI
- Voltage - Supply:
- -
- Supplier Device Package:
- 1467-BBGA (40x40)
- Grade:
- -
- Qualification:
- -
- Mounting Type:
- Surface Mount
PM42068B1-FEI FAQ
1.How can I place an order for PM42068B1-FEI through Aetrix?
Please submit a Request for Quotation (RFQ) for PM42068B1-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 PM42068B1-FEI reliable?
The price and inventory of PM42068B1-FEI are updated periodically and may fluctuate due to market conditions. Stock and pricing data are typically refreshed every 24 hours. Quotation validity for PM42068B1-FEI is usually 5 days.
3.What payment methods are accepted for PM42068B1-FEI?
We accept Wire Transfer, PayPal, Credit Card, Western Union, MoneyGram, and Escrow for PM42068B1-FEI transactions.
Note: Certain payment methods may incur a processing fee.
4.How is shipping managed for PM42068B1-FEI?
PM42068B1-FEI orders can be shipped via leading logistics carriers, including DHL, UPS, FedEx, TNT, or Registered Mail.
Once your PM42068B1-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 PM42068B1-FEI?
For technical support, including PM42068B1-FEI datasheets, pinout diagrams, or application guidance, please contact our engineering support team. They can provide detailed documentation and assistance for your PM42068B1-FEI requirements.
6.How does Aetrix verify that PM42068B1-FEI is sourced from the original manufacturer or authorized distributors?
All PM42068B1-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 PM42068B1-FEI meets industry standards.
7.What is the process for return or replacement of PM42068B1-FEI?
All PM42068B1-FEI units undergo pre-shipment inspection (PSI). If there is an issue with PM42068B1-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 PM42068B1-FEI part is unused and in its original packaging.
Return procedure for PM42068B1-FEI:
1.Submit a request within 90 days.
2.Obtain a Return Material Authorization (RMA) from Aetrix.
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