Saniffer RapidIO Protocol Tester provides a comprehensive tool set for validating and debugging devices using Serial RapidIO Gen 1 or Gen 2.

 

Fully-Integrated Architecture

 

Sanifferr’ s RapidIO architecture incorporates its protocol analyzer and traffic generator into the same hardware, making it an elegant and complete solution for debugging devices within  a Serial RapidIO environment.  

 

General Specifications: 

• · Integrated Protocol Analyzer and Traffic Generator
• · Supporting Serial RapidIO Gen 1 and Gen 2· 
• · x1, x2, and x4 link configuration support
• · Up to 16 time-synchronized full-duplex channels
• · Lossless 100% line rate data capture
• · Visibility down to the bit level
• · Real time analysis, filtering and triggering
• · Automatic Descrambling
• · A variety of connector and cable options available
• · Two chassis configurations, including portable, rack mount systems

 

Validate & Debug

Saniffer not only validates compliance and interoperability to Serial RapidIO  specifications, but also offers a complete test environment to debug when tricky problems and errors are encountered.  Saniffer's capability to see every bit down to the hardware level give us our motto:  “We never miss a bit.”

 

Saniffer Serial RapidIO Solution Overview

 

Bypass and Traffic Generation Modes

Saniffer monitors RapidIO link traffic in different modes:

Bypass mode:  Saniffer is passive to the line, and monitors traffic in real time agnostically.

Traffic Generation Mode:  Saniffer is used as an end-point device, so generate traffic to the device under test, and simultaneously listen to its response on a separate port.

 

 

Monitor Multiple Points

The capacity of Saniffer is 16 link pairs.  This gives the tool the capability of monitoring multiple points simultaneously, and view the results with full time correlation. 

This capability is not limited to a single protocol.  Multiple types of protocols can also be monitored to check data passing through multiple protocol domains.

 

Monitor Errors Real-Time

Saniffer captures data at full line rate.  Couple this with its advanced triggering and filtering, allows users to monitor for conditions and errors in real-time.  This not only saves time to find the problem, but also helps designers quickly find which device is misbehaving.  This proprietary filtering and triggering is unique to the industry, and has the power to reduce your debug time in half or more. 

 

The Most Advanced Protocol Test Tool Available Today

Saniffer RapidIO product line is the most advanced platform for testing high speed Serial RapidIO links today.  All required testing functions, as well as multiple protocol support, are available in a single piece of hardware, leveraging your test equipment investment so you can focus on designing your device.  Saniffer has been successfully used in almost every industry where high speed communications are required, including military, aerospace, telecom, storage, networking, post silicon verification, and embedded systems. 

 

Software Functions - Displaying and Finding Trace Data

 

Find and Debug Errors Fast

Saniffer software provides exceptional functionality to find and debug errors fast.  The software can constantly monitor data on the line, and only capture events necessary for your debug.  This both saves time as well as  precious capture data, insuring you will capture only the required conditions that caused the problem.

 

To achieve this, the software utilizes a number of advanced functionality, including:

• · Alarms:  Build and save custom trigger, filter and capture configurations to server for later use, or use as part of a formal test procedure
• · Advanced triggering:  Start capturing data only when specific conditions are met
• · Powerful filtering:  Sift through trace data fast, and filter out all conditions except the ones you are looking for
• · Search facilities:  Find any data pattern within any packet or control symbol, and maintain a library of predefined search patterns
• · Bookmarks:  Set bookmarks for reference in later debugging

 

Collaboration and Offline Viewing

Saniffer Viewer is available for free download, enabling design team collaboration with captured trace data.  All traces can be captured and stored on any standard PC. 

 

Search Facilities

• · Find next and previous packets
• · Create  and go-to bookmarks
• · Search for source or destination address
• · Search for any data pattern within a packet or control symbol
• · Library of predefined search items

 

Data Display Formats

• · Raw, 8B/10B, hexadecimal, and frame modes
• · Detailed decode of each packet or control symbol down to individual bit level
• · Highly configurable trace display with color coded channel data
• · Independent or merged channel views·

 

Statistics

Characterize link performance with real time statistics monitoring. Provides bookmarks, search, event log, and readily customizable tabular or graphical displays of link data.

 

Performance Statistics further enhances Saniffer’s reputation for unrivalled flexibility, power and ease of use in high-speed data capture, decode and analysis.

 

Advanced Analysis Capabilities 

 

Expert Control: Find and Trigger on Anything

Part of the exercise of validating and debugging involves finding the problem quickly, without having to sift through gigabytes of data. With Saniffer, the advanced triggering will allow you to trigger on any event or character within the protocol specification, and then setup automated multi-step tests.

 

Analyzer Control

• · Capture and decode data before & after the trigger
• · Send out  an external sync out  signal to any oscilloscope or logic analyzer
• · Loop back to begin after capturing data
• · Use Boolean logic for up to 32 trigger conditions
• · Re-arm trigger if condition is not met
• · Independent channel triggers

 

Triggering Options

• · Multi-level triggering
• · Trigger on multiple consecutive  events, or across every  channel
• · Select from a list of predefined  trigger events
• · State machine “loop sequence” triggering
• · Re-arm trigger if condition is not met
• · Independent channel triggers
• · Trigger from an external source

 

Serial RapidIO Traffic Generator

 

Generate Real Serial RapidIO Traffic Your Device

Saniffer Saniffer’s Serial RapidIO Traffic Generator allows you to  generate compliant traffic into a Device Under Test (DUT) with complete control over the timing and content of the data.

 

Valid and invalid traffic streams can be defined to test device error recovery.  The traffic generator’s  ability to maintain full-line rate traffic, even across multiple links, allows device performance to be measured and operation under stress to be characterized.

 

Saniffer’s Traffic Generator together with the Frame Builder application allows user-defined data to be sent across the interface.

  

Use Frame Builder to Define Custom Packets or Control Symbols

The Frame Builder provides an easy to use GUI to create implementation defined packets and/or control symbols.

 

To create such an event the user simply enters the value for each field or uses the default values supplied. Frame Builder uses the contents of the Protocol Database to display the field names and their default values in the GUI. Nested protocols are also supported.

 

Critical timing events that cannot be supported in software are handled by the FPGA’s on the Interface Card such as flow control. These are configurable by the user.

 

Frame Builder can also be expanded to generate data to external applications using .bin, .pcap and .csv formats.

 

Saniffer Library Application Programming Interface (API)

 

Write your own test case suites

All of the functions used by the various Saniffer applications are made available to the user through the Saniffer Library API. The ‘C’ compatible interface allows 3^rd party applications to be created on top of the Saniffer platform that can be used for Test Automation, Production Testing or Conformance Testing.

 

The API can also be accessed from a UNIX platform using remote procedure calls enabling the integration of Unix-based platforms into the Saniffer Solution. As the support of Java-based applications increases within the Saniffer platform, parts of the solution can run natively under UNIX.

 

SanifferProtocol Editor

 

Create your own custom protocols

The Protocol Editor is easy to use, powerful means of adding implementation defined packets and control symbols, per the RapidIO specification.

 

The Protocol Editor uses a GUI to correctly display the translated data from the link. Once it is saved into the protocol database the new or revised protocol is available for decoding and searching within the Trace Viewer, in the Protocol Analyzer as trigger and filter definitions, also in the Frame Builder as a communications event.

 

Saniffer Connectivity

A variety of connector types available

The ports on every Saniffer System have been standardized to accommodate the widest range of connections using the QSFP (quad small form factor pluggable) transceiver specification.

 

We support the most common connection methods for Serial RapidIO devices, which include:

• · QSFP to SMA cables
• · Flying leads
• · Interposer cards
• · Midbus probe
• · QSFP to Infiniband style cables (not shown)
• · QSFP to optical cables (not shown)
• · SFP to SMA cables (not shown)

 

Please contact us for your specific connector and cabling needs.

 

Saniffer Platforms

 

Select the chassis to suit your needs

Saniffer Platforms have been designed to meet a number of different customer requirements from high port count to extreme portability.

 

Saniffer makes use of industry standards within its design to protect customer investments in our technology. This means future upgrade paths are flexible and cost effective.  Often, additional capabilities can be self-installed into existing hardware, without having to send the unit back to the factory.

 

Saniffer platforms use industry standard PC-based platforms, Windows-based operating systems and Java-based applications.

 

Saniffer invests time and effort in ensuring the enclosure technology provides appropriate power and cooling for the Saniffer Interface Cards. Each platform provides exactly the same high level of functionality as the others with the only difference being the number of Interface Cards, and consequently the number of communications ports, supported.

 

Saniffer for Serial RapidIO Solutions Summary

 

A complete solution on a single piece of hardware

 

Functions	Protocol Analyzer and Traffic Generator for Serial RapidIO
Specification Support	Gen 1 and Gen 2 of the RapidIO specification.
Speed Support	1.25, 2.5, 3.125, 5.0 & 6.25 Gbps speeds supported
Lane Support	x1, x2 and x4
Capture Memory Capacity	Up to 2 gigabytes per duplex link for 1x.  Up to 4 gigabytes per link for 4x.
Triggering Functions	Trigger on real-time traffic, using any control symbol, packet or port.  Advanced Boolean functions for setting trigger conditions, including external trigger in and out capabilities.
Filtering	Filter trace data on any symbol or packet.  Save filter conditions for later analysis.  Add note and bookmarks to  help facilitate debugging.
API Support	Use the API to control the analyzer and traffic generator with an external C program.  Automate test cases, and reproduce specific traffic pattern to facilitate a repeatable test plan.
Network Connections	The Saniffer platform supports a variety of connectors and cables, including QSFP to SMA, flying leads, and midbus probes.
Maximum Port Count	Up to 8 full duplex 4x links per chassis supported.
Platforms and Configurations	Saniffer RapidIO Systems are available in several platforms ranging from portable to high port count rack mount chassis.

 

 

Service and Support

Saniffer provides unsurpassed service to all Saniffer users including remote diagnostics, extended warranties, and upgrade paths to current offerings from any
Saniffer system.

 

Training

Saniffer offers comprehensive training courses for products and protocols. Training can be provided at your location or remotely, and can be customized to your requirements.