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Re: XGMII




Roger,
    It is only partially to benefit the board people.  It is also to keep
the MAC/RS layers in the ASIC development process and not require a
semi-custom bus interface in order to meet the strict timing.  It is fairly
easy to keep an 8-9 bit bus to the strict timing and not have too many
headaches.  However to keep 36 bits together to the strict timing is, I
believe, forcing the MAC/RS into a semi-custom type of chip, rather than and
ASIC/FPGA type of chip.  Which of course will increase cost.

DDR RAM is expensive.  It is also full custom by nature, the same for the
Microprocessor which connects to them.




Roger Ronald wrote:

> This interface does not seem to be any harder than interfacing to DDR RAM
> at the same speed. Every corner garage shop will soon be turning out
> DDR RAM based motherboards soon.
>
> Personally, I'd much rather have relatively tight timing instead of
> complications in the clocking and a whole new chip to chip
> protocol to spec/understand/debate/document/build.
>
> RR
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Justin Gaither" <jgaither@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: "802.3ae" <stds-802-3-hssg@xxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, July 17, 2000 3:15 PM
> Subject: XGMII
>
> >
> > Everyone,
> >
> >     Concerning the XGMII interface, I remember at least one comment
> > during the plenary and I have the same reservation concerning the
> > extreme width and tightness of the setup and hold timing.
> >
> > I would like to suggest separate clocks for each of the 8 bit lanes.
> > This would allow each lane to have a manageable number of tightly
> > coupled signals, and allow for 1 or two clocks skew between lanes.  The
> > Bus could easily be spread across the pins of a device enabling
> > distributed reference and less ground bounce. I don't see adding 3 more
> > pins to a 37 pin interface to be excessive.  Synchronization of the
> > lanes could be done using the control lines for a sync.  (i.e.. 1111
> > followed by 1000 on the control is start of data).
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Justin Gaither                 Phone: 512-306-7292  x529
> > RocketChips, Inc.              Fax:   512-306-7293
> > 500 N. Capital of TX Hwy.
> > Bldg 3                         email: jgaither@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Austin, TX 78746               WWW:   www.rocketchips.com
> >
> >
> >

--
Justin Gaither                 Phone: 512-306-7292  x529
RocketChips, Inc.              Fax:   512-306-7293
500 N. Capital of TX Hwy.
Bldg 3                         email: jgaither@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Austin, TX 78746               WWW:   www.rocketchips.com