Microchip Technology PM8253B-F3EIS1

Overview

PM8253B-F3EIS1 from Microchip Technology is a SmartIOC 2200e PCIe Gen 4 tri-mode I/O controller supporting 8 host × 8 storage lanes, hardware AES-XTS encryption (IEEE 1619), FIPS 140-2 Levels 1–3 certifiable security, and SAS-4 (24 Gbps) with Dynamic Channel Multiplexing for bandwidth aggregation - deployed in enterprise rack servers for mixed NVMe/SAS boot and storage tiering.

For engineers reviewing the PM8253B-F3EIS1 datasheet, PM8253B-F3EIS1 pinout, PM8253B-F3EIS1 application, or PM8253B-F3EIS1 equivalent, key selection considerations include PCIe Gen 4 ×8 host interface, integrated Switchtec-based PCIe switch, SAS-4 PHY support with DCM, hardware root-of-trust, and native HBA/RAID 0/1/10/5 modes for NVMe/SAS/SATA media.

Technical Context

The PM8253B-F3EIS1 implements a fully integrated PCIe Gen 4 ×8 upstream port with Switchtec-based switching logic, enabling low-latency transparent and non-transparent bridging to up to eight downstream storage lanes. It supports bifurcation down to ×1 and includes PCIe error containment features including poisoned TLP blocking and completion timeout synthesis.

Each of its eight SAS-4 PHYs delivers 24 Gbps per lane with Dynamic Channel Multiplexing (DCM), allowing near 100% bandwidth efficiency when aggregating SATA 6G, SAS 6G/12G/24G drives over a single SAS-4 link. Hardware root-of-trust enables Secure Boot and Secure Update via firmware signing verified at power-on reset.

Key Specifications

Pinout & Package

PM8253B-F3EIS1 is housed in a 25 mm × 25 mm, 780-pin FC-BGA package with thermal lid. Pin functions are defined per Microchip's SmartIOC 2200e family pinout specification (DS00003797A, Rev A, Section 3.2). Power, PCIe differential pairs, SAS differential lanes, DDR4 interface, management I²C/UART, and secure boot control signals occupy dedicated ball groups.

Key Features

Applications

Equivalent & Alternatives

The following parts are listed as comparable options for similar tri-mode storage controller applications.

Compared with PM8252B-F3EI, PM8253B-F3EIS1 adds mandatory hardware encryption and root-of-trust for regulated deployments; versus PM8263B-F3EI, it trades lane count for compactness and lower power in space-constrained 1U servers.

Availability

PM8253B-F3EIS1 is available at Aetrix Electronics and suitable for enterprise rack servers, hyperscale cloud storage nodes, secure multi-tenant infrastructure, and UEFI-managed edge appliances requiring stable component supply and long-term lifecycle support.

Supply support for PM8253B-F3EIS1 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 global semiconductor company specializing in microcontrollers, analog, FPGA, and storage solutions, with headquarters in Chandler, Arizona and design centers worldwide.

The SmartIOC 2200e product line was designed to unify NVMe, SAS, and SATA storage connectivity in data center servers while delivering hardware-rooted security, bandwidth-efficient DCM, and single-stack management for mixed-media topologies.

FAQ

What is the PCIe interface configuration of the PM8253B-F3EIS1?

The PM8253B-F3EIS1 features a PCIe Gen 4 ×8 upstream interface compatible with x16 slots via bifurcation. It supports ASPM, hot-plug, and L1 substates, and integrates a Switchtec-based switch core for low-latency routing to downstream NVMe targets. This configuration enables direct attachment of up to eight NVMe SSDs or connection to PCIe switches for scale-out architectures. The PM8253B-F3EIS1 does not support ×16 host interface operation.

Does the PM8253B-F3EIS1 support hardware RAID with cacheless operation?

Yes, the PM8253B-F3EIS1 supports cacheless RAID 0, 1, 10, and 5 across NVMe, SAS, and SATA media. All RAID operations execute in hardware without DRAM caching, eliminating write-back risks and meeting enterprise data integrity requirements. RAID metadata is stored in external DDR4 memory managed by the PM8253B-F3EIS1 controller firmware. This capability is active in both boot and runtime modes.

How does Dynamic Channel Multiplexing (DCM) function on the PM8253B-F3EIS1?

DCM on the PM8253B-F3EIS1 aggregates bandwidth from multiple SATA 6G or SAS 6G/12G drives onto a single 24 Gbps SAS-4 link with ≤1% protocol overhead. It operates transparently at the PHY layer without host or driver involvement, enabling near 100% link utilization. DCM is enabled per SAS-4 port and requires Microchip SXP 24G SAS-4 expanders for full functionality. The PM8253B-F3EIS1 does not perform DCM across NVMe lanes.

Is the PM8253B-F3EIS1 FIPS 140-2 certified?

The PM8253B-F3EIS1 implements hardware cryptographic modules compliant with FIPS 140-2 Levels 1–3 requirements, including AES-XTS for data-at-rest encryption and secure key management. While the device itself is certifiable to those levels, final certification depends on system-level implementation, firmware version, and key management policies. Microchip provides documentation and test reports supporting FIPS validation for the PM8253B-F3EIS1 in approved configurations.

What management interfaces does the PM8253B-F3EIS1 provide?

The PM8253B-F3EIS1 supports UEFI pre-boot GUI and CLI, maxView™ web-based GUI, ARCCONF command-line utility, autonomous event monitoring, and third-party plugins for vSphere and OpenStack. Management occurs over I²C, UART, and PCIe AER registers. All interfaces share a unified firmware stack, enabling consistent configuration and telemetry across NVMe, SAS, and SATA devices without protocol-specific tools. The PM8253B-F3EIS1 does not require proprietary drivers for basic enumeration.