Features
Second Generation Controller
IC, Based on TACHYON
Family Architecture
Supports All Fibre Channel
Topologies; Arbitrated Loop
(FC-AL) and N_Port Fabric
Attachment
Supports Both Class 3 and
Class 2 (via Software)
33 MHz, 32/64-Bit PCI
Interface
1 Gigabit/Second Fibre
Channel Rate
Full Duplex Support with
Parallel Inbound and
Outbound Processing
32/64-Bit PCI Interface,
Compliant to PCI v2.1
Complete Hardware Handling
of Entire SCSI I/O via FCP
On-Chip Assists
Full Initiator and Target
Mode Functionality
Applications
Motherboard Integration
Host-Based Adapters
Storage Sub-systems
I
2
O Designs
Description
The HPFC-5100C, Tachyon TL, is
a second-generation controller that
leverages extensive experience in
Fibre Channel, established with the
original TACHYON controller.
Tachyon TL carries forward the
HPFC-5100C
Tachyon TL
33 MHz PCI to Fibre Channel
Controller
assurance of interoperability and
true Fibre Channel performance.
Tachyon TL focuses on mass
storage applications for any
topology that require Class 3 and
2 (via software) and SCSI upper
layer protocol handling. Coupled
with a high performance 33 MHz,
32/64-bit PCI bus interface,
Tachyon TL provides a cost-
effective, high-performance mass
storage solution.
TACHYON Architecture
Tachyon TL continues with the
TACHYON architecture, a
complete hardware-based state
machine design. This architec-
ture does not require an addi-
tional on-board microprocessor
and therefore avoids reduced
performance issues relating to
processor cycles per second and
access time to firmware. Rather,
the TACHYON architecture is
designed to be a single chip Fibre
Channel solution.
Tachyon TL provides the highest
levels of concurrency via
numerous independent functional
blocks providing parallel
processing of data, control, and
commands. In addition, these
blocks process at hardware
speeds versus firmware speeds,
and automate the entire SCSI I/O
in hardware. The result is
minimized latency and I/O over-
head, coupled with the highest
levels of parallelism to provide
maximum I/O rates and
bandwidth.
FC-AL Features
In addition to the high-perfor-
mance architecture, Tachyon TL
offers FC-AL-1 Fibre Channel
features, such as Auto Status,
multiple I/Os in the same loop
arbitration cycle, loop map, loop
broadcast, and loop directed
reset. These features allow the
designer to achieve higher
performance in an arbitrated loop
topology.
Physical Layer
The physical layer interface is the
popular 10-bit wide specification
that allows interfacing to a low-
cost serializer/deserializer
(SerDes) IC. This is the same
physical layer interface that is
popular on Fibre Channel disk
drives today due to its quality
gigabit signaling, small form
factor, and low cost.
Technical Data
2
HPFC-5100C Block Diagram.
HOST DATA STRUCTURES
SCSI
EXCHANGE
STATE TABLE
SINGLE
FRAME
QUEUE
INBOUND
MESSAGE
QUEUE
EXCHANGE
REQUEST
QUEUE
INBOUND
DATA
OUTBOUND
DATA
PCI LOCAL BUS
DMA ARBITER MULTIPLEXER
SLAVE
REGISTERS
COMPLETION
MESSAGE
MANAGER
SINGLE
FRAME
MANAGER
EXCHANGE
REQUEST
MANAGER
SCSI EXCHANGE
MANAGER,
OUTBOUND
SEST
LINK FETCH
MANAGER
SCSI EXCHANGE
MANAGER,
INBOUND
FIBRE
CHANNEL
SERVICES
INBOUND
DATA
MANAGER
OUTBOUND
SEQUENCE
MANAGER
OS PROCESSOR/
CRC CHECKER
ELASTIC
STORE
10B / 8B
DECODER
OS / CRC
GENERATOR
8B / 10B
ENCODER
INBOUND
FIFO
MANAGER
OUTBOUND
FIFO
MANAGER
FRAME MANAGER
10-BIT INTERFACE
EXCHANGE
MEMORY
INTERFACE
3
Fibre Channel Operation
Fibre Channel Rate
1 Gbit/sec, 100 MBytes/sec, each direction w/full duplex support
Frame Payload Size
Up to 1024 bytes
Topology
Arbitrated Loop, Public & Private, and N_Port Fabric attachment
Classes of Operation
Class 3 and Class 2 (via software)
Upper Layer Protocol
FCP On-chip automation for complete SCSI I/O
Loop Initialization
Completely hardware-based for high availability
Arbitrated Loop Capabilities
Loop map, loop-directed reset, loop broadcast, loop port bypass
Buffer-to-Buffer Credit
Four via on-chip buffers
Physical Layer Interface
10-bit Interface
Link Diagnostics
Link status indicators, internal/external loopback, user-definable
signal pins
Compliance
FC-PH, FC-AL, FC-AL2, FC-PLDA, FC-FLA, FCP, 10-bit profile
Fibre Channel Protocol (FCP)
for SCSI Features
SCSI I/O
Complete hardware-based management and processing of entire I/O
on chip, including multiple data phases
Initiator & Target Mode
Yes, simultaneously
Maximum # of Concurrent I/Os
32,768
I/O Request Queue
Up to 8,000 commands
Interrupts per I/O
1 or less
Arbitration Avoidance Techniques
Status and chained commands to same AL_PA sent in same loop
tenancy
Error Recovery
Simplified error notification and recovery
Addressability
Byte-level addressability on all data buffers, inbound and outbound
PCI
Intended compliance for future Revision 2.2
DMA Channels
6
Width and Rate
32-bit or 64-bit selectable; 16 to 33 MHz. Operation to 0 MHz
guaranteed by design.
Burst Transfer Rate
132 or 264 Mbytes/second, guaranteed for length of frame, inbound
and outbound (at 64-bit, 33 MHz)
Dual Address Cycle Support
Yes
Voltage
3.3 V, 5 V tolerant
External Sub-system ID Support
Yes
Additional PCI Features
Zero wait state multiple cache line bursting capable up to full frame
size, configurable latency timer, 32-byte cache line, Boot BIOS
capable
Advanced Configuration and
Power Interface
Yes, D0 and D3 power management states supported
Tachyon TL Architectural Features
Complete Hardware-Based Design
Numerous independent functional blocks concurrently processing
inbound data, outbound data, control and commands in hardware
Six DMA channels
Automation of complete I/O on-chip in hardware
Results in lowest latency and I/O overhead and highest levels of
parallelism
Tachyon TL Specifications
Command & Data Management
Context Switching
16-entry on-chip cache for low latency context save and restore, as
well as extensive pipelining techniques
Reduced PCI Control Overhead
Through the use of local memory option
Full Duplex Support
Yes, independent inbound and outbound FIFOs with automatic
hardware management of buffer-to-buffer credit
Full Scatter/Gather List Support
Yes, with support for local and extended Scatter/Gather lists for
unlimited "chaining" of Length/Address pairs
DMA Channels
6 to optimize concurrency and PCI utilization
Parity Protection
All data paths at byte level
Optional External Memory Interface
Interface
32-bit @ 33 MHz for 132 MBytes/second
Memory Supported
128 K or 256 K bytes of synchronous static RAM for optional low
latency control access
Flash and ROM support for Boot BIOS and Subsystem Vendor ID
Parity Protection
No
Test & Debug
JTAG
Yes
Full Internal Scan
Yes, IEEE Standard 1149.1 Boundary Scan
Hardware Debug Capability
Yes
Link Status Indicators
Yes
User Definable Signal Pins
Link up/down, low-speed serial interface or custom
Packaging
Package
272-pin Enhanced Plastic Ball Grid Array (PBGA+)
Tachyon TL Specifications, continued
www.semiconductor.agilent.com
Data subject to change.
Copyright 1999 Agilent Technologies, Inc.
5968-5303E (11/99)
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