Rohde & Schwarz presents first automated solution to speed up PCIe 5.0 and 6.0 cable and connector compliance testing For precise and time-saving compliance testing of the latest generation PCIe 5.0 and 6.0 cables and connectors in line with PCI-SIG specifications, Rohde & Schwarz is developing a new R&S ZNrun vector network analyzer automation suite option. For a fully automated verification of a PCIe x8 cable, for instance, the software controls a setup with R&S ZNB vector network analyzer plus scalable R&S OSP switch matrix configuration, creating a multiport VNA solution with 64 test ports. The solution reduces testing times for PCIe x8 cables to just a few minutes for complete test runs with all Thru and all crosstalk combinations plus corresponding metric calculations for Pass/Fail evaluations. By comparison, manual testing takes several hours and involves major risk of connection errors by test engineers.
Setup with 32 test ports for automated compliance tests of PCIe 5.0 and 6.0 cables with 4 lane pairs. (Image: Rohde & Schwarz)
Rohde & Schwarz efficiently tackles compliance verification challenges for PCIe 5.0 and 6.0 cables and connectors by automating the process with a new R&S ZNrun vector network analyzer automation suite option. R&S ZNrun-K440 is designed for automatic compliance testing of PCIe 5.0 and 6.0 internal and external cables and connectors in line with PCI-SIG specifications, saving users a lot of time. The test setup is based on the R&S ZNB26 or R&S ZNB43 vector network analyzer with four test ports in combination with multiple R&S OSP320 open switch and control platforms - depending on the number of the DUT lanes for verification - to provide multiple four-port measurements, all without reconnecting to the DUT and repeatedly terminating the other lanes. A PCIe x8 cable, for example, has 16 lanes and requires 64 test ports, provided by three R&S OSP320 platforms, while a PCIe x4 cable only needs 32 test ports from two R&S OSP320 platforms.
The R&S ZNrun-K440 solution fully automates all measurements in line with the PCIe specification. Postprocessing of defined PCIe metrices is also covered. A powerful test configurator lets test items be selected and deselected by lane for greater flexibility in meeting customer needs and preferences in R&D and verification testing. A test report with a pass/fail verdict is generated at the end of the automated measurement. The automation features a new calibration procedure, which significantly reduces number of calibration steps and calibration connections. It also includes a method for de-embedding of the test fixture as required in the PCIe test specifications.
Increasingly complex test demands with PCIe evolution
Each iteration of the PCIe evolution has doubled the transfer rate to meet ever increasing demand for speed. Data centers across the world are starting to use the latest versions of PCIe 5.0 and 6.0 cables to connect large amounts of high-speed data storage. Cable manufacturers are also ramping up production to deliver the first PCIe 5.0 and 6.0 cables to customers. R&D verification, compliance testing and manufacturing all require thorough testing to guarantee compliance with PCIe requirements and the proper functioning of the overall system.
Each PCIe link has 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 lane pairs, with each lane pair consisting of one differential TX and one differential RX lane. With 8 lane pairs in a x8 configuration, a PCIe 6.0 cable can have transfer rates of up to 64 GB/s. Manually verifying compliance of high-speed interconnect is labor intensive and error prone. A total of 256 four-port measurements are needed for all Thru connections and all near-end and far-end crosstalk paths inside the cable. With traditional four-port vector network analyzers, a VNA must be reconnected for each four-port measurement and unmeasured lanes must be properly terminated. The new automated solution from Rohde & Schwarz drastically simplifies this process.
Since certain limit mask excursions are not critical for overall PCIe 5.0/6.0 system behavior, pass/fail verdicts are based on metrices such integrated return loss (iRL) and component contribution to integrated crosstalk noise (ccICN). They are defined in the PCI-SIG specification and need to be calculated from the S-parameter results and require significant postprocessing. Calibrating test fixture characterization and de-embedding brings additional challenges. R&S ZNrun-K440 software for automatic compliance testing covers them all.
Because of their importance to PCIe systems, PCI-SIG is in the process of defining standardized cables for internal (inside a chassis) and external (chassis-to-chassis) applications, including the corresponding electrical requirements for mated cable assemblies and mated cable connectors at both 32 GT/s and 64 GT/s. R&S ZN-run-K440 will also cover these PCIe tests, once they are standardized.
New solution showcased at PCI-SIG Developers Conference
Rohde & Schwarz demonstrates its new automated solution for PCIe 5.0 and 6.0 cable and connector compliance testing to members of the PCI-SIG community at the PCI-SIG Developers Conference from June 13 to 14, 2023 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. The new R&S ZNrun-K440 option will be available soon and complements the Rohde & Schwarz compliance test software automation portfolio. The R&S ZNrun-K410 and R&S ZNrun-K411 options are already available for high-speed Ethernet cable assemblies in line with IEEE 802.3bj, by, cd and ck.
For more information about the R&S ZNrun vector network analyzer automation suite, visit: https://www.rohde-schwarz.com/_63493-109824.html
Europe Stories
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
06/09/2026
June 9 2026, 23:00 (PDT) Dolby and MagentaTV Bring Fans Closer to the FIFA Worl...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
12/06/2026
Simple Steps to Better Acoustics - Taming The Small Room
Most of us mix in spare rooms and small spaces, where the acoustics fight us at every turn. At Gear...
12/06/2026
Latest addition expands vintage-inspired effects palette
Meris' Ottobit pedal range draws its inspiration from vintage gaming consoles, and the latest a...
12/06/2026
Soundbox-based chamber strings series expanded
Sonora Cinematic have just announced the launch of the second instalment in their Soundbox-based chamber stri...
12/06/2026
With John Daro, DI Colourist at Warner Bros. Water Tower Color Tuesday 23 June, 10am-1pm or 3-6pm
Restar Corporation
Tokyo
Register here
John Daro is the ...
12/06/2026
Meet The Grumpy Onion Ireland's newest online sensation, all he wants is to ...
12/06/2026
RT stays Up All Night with brand new daily 2026 FIFA World Cup Vodcast
Adding to the fun around 2026 FIFA World Cup tournament, RT has launched a brand new d...
11/06/2026
As podcast formats evolve in the streaming era, podcasting needs updated, transp...
11/06/2026
As Spotify's global RADAR program enters its sixth year in Italy, a new class of artists is stepping into the spotlight. Today, we're announcing the six...
11/06/2026
Pride Month is a time for celebration, reflection, and amplifying the diverse stories and perspectives from the LGBTQIA+ community that enrich our world. To hel...
11/06/2026
First in new line of muted string libraries
VSL have just announced the launch of two new string libraries that represent the first two instalments in a new...
11/06/2026
New colour option for 61-key Launchkey MK4
At Superbooth 2025, Novation introduced the Launchkey Mini 37 White and Launchkey 49 White, bringing an additiona...
11/06/2026
Larger, but still compact!
Arturia's popular compact MIDI controller keyboard is now available in a, well, slightly less compact version! The new MiniLa...
11/06/2026
Eurosatory 2026: Rohde & Schwarz shapes the new-generation battlefield Rohde & Schwarz unveils next generation SIGINT/EW and CUAS solutions on uncrewed system...
11/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz unveils NEMACS - Directional, ultra secure connectivity for the ...
11/06/2026
Thursday 11 June 2026
Daisy May Cooper rallies the nation ahead of ICC Women's T20 World CupTurn on cookies to view this content. Go to Privacy options and...
11/06/2026
Summer solstice shows from C il House and Late Date from 9pm on Saturday 20 Jun...
10/06/2026
Get Hands-On with Interfaces & Mic Preamp Brands
If youre after a new interface or preamp, then GearExpo UK is the place to be! Well have a whole host of au...
10/06/2026
November 13-14 2026, The Midway, San Francisco
Following their recent rebranding, MONO Music Conference (formerly Music Expo) have officially announced thei...
10/06/2026
Debut instrument free for limited time
deFORM is the debut release from newly founded developer ebbandflow, and it's being offered as a free download fo...
10/06/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and TRUMPF advance laser-based drone defense with THORIS LCS Rohde & Schwarz is showcasing THORIS at ILA 2026: A sovereign, end to end counter...
10/06/2026
MAHLE and Rohde & Schwarz develop application for sensor testing of modern drive...
10/06/2026
10 Jun 2026
VEON's Banglalink Brings Every World Cup 2026 Match to Football...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
How to watch every ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 match live on Sky Sports
Where is the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 availabl...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
P RLA brings first-ever Beautifully Clean Oral Care'...
10/06/2026
Wednesday 10 June 2026
Sky reveals pulse-pounding first teaser trailer for upco...
10/06/2026
Wuppertal June 10, 2026
Riedel Artist at the Heart of the 14th World Live Neurovascular ConferenceAt the 14th World Live Neurovascular Conference (WLNC) in Li...
09/06/2026
Last month, Spotify hosted PURE FLOWERS LIVE, a special event celebrating the re...
09/06/2026
Last month, RADAR U.K. artist Skye Newman took the stage in East London for a sp...
09/06/2026
Company to cease operating on 30 June 2026
Australian loudspeaker and amplifier manufacturer Wayne Jones Audio have announced that after much consideration,...
09/06/2026
Increases low-end weight and character
The latest plug-in release from Sheffield-based fedDSP aims to offer an all-in-one solution for users in search of mo...
09/06/2026
Introduces AI Studio Assistant, Moises Studio integration & more
Fender Studio have just announced the launch of a significant update that brings an array o...
09/06/2026
The BBC has found its Hercule Poirot.
After Deadline revealed last month that t...
09/06/2026
Filming to take place in Holmfirth
9th June 2026, London: U&GOLD is heading bac...
09/06/2026
X-Rite Pantone Launches Offset360 to Modernize Color Control Across Existing Pre...
09/06/2026
09 Jun 2026
VEON Appoints Serkan Ozturk as Chief of Staff & Strategy Officer Dubai and New York, June 9, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a global digital oper...
09/06/2026
Tuesday 9 June 2026
Katie Price: Nothing to Hide, a candid and unfiltered accou...
09/06/2026
Enni Continues to Rely on Arvato Systems - And Will Be Using AEP.EnerS4 Billing Solution
Arvato Systems to implement transformation project for SAP S/4HANA Ut...
09/06/2026
These special programmes will highlight RT 's connection with the Irish diaspora
This year, RT is marking 100 years of public broadcasting in Ireland with...
08/06/2026
At Spotify, our commitment to the LGBTQIA community is year-round. Through GLOW, our global music program, we celebrate and amplify the contributions of queer ...
08/06/2026
Get Hands-on With Keyboard & Synth Brands
GearExpo UK wouldn't be complete without some synth action, and we've got some of the industry's most ...
08/06/2026
50 popular in-ear monitoring system profiles added
The latest update for IK Multimedia's headphone-correction system has just arrived, and introduces ca...
08/06/2026
Manny Marroquin signature cans upgraded with SLAM Technology
The flagship model in Audeze's Manny Marroquin Signature Series has just been treated to an...
08/06/2026
Air domain supremacy redefined - New counter UAS, space solutions and directiona...
08/06/2026
he BBC and BritBox have announced that Edward Bluemel (We Might Regret This, My ...
Rohde & Schwarz presents first automated solution to speed up PCIe 5.0 and 6.0 cable and connector compliance testing For precise and time-saving compliance testing of the latest generation PCIe 5.0 and 6.0 cables and connectors in line with PCI-SIG specifications, Rohde & Schwarz is developing a new R&S ZNrun vector network analyzer automation suite option. For a fully automated verification of a PCIe x8 cable, for instance, the software controls a setup with R&S ZNB vector network analyzer plus scalable R&S OSP switch matrix configuration, creating a multiport VNA solution with 64 test ports. The solution reduces testing times for PCIe x8 cables to just a few minutes for complete test runs with all Thru and all crosstalk combinations plus corresponding metric calculations for Pass/Fail evaluations. By comparison, manual testing takes several hours and involves major risk of connection errors by test engineers. 
