Quarch intros physical layer switches for storage interfaces

AVIEMORE, SCOTLAND: Quarch Technology Ltd announced a range of physical layer switches to complement their existing innovative range of storage test products. These new products allow the user to remotely and automatically switch connections between multiple host and target ports.

This release includes a 4-to-8 SAS/SATA 6Gb/s multiplexer and a 1-to-8 USB 3.0 SuperSpeed multiplexer. Automatable applications include hot-swapping between multiple devices and switching instrumentation into different paths of a system. These devices will make testing faster and more efficient for manufacturers.

Andy Norrie, technical director, Quarch, said: "Switching products are a great addition to the Quarch range, they are very easy to use and far more cost effective than anything else on the market today. Whether you need to switch in an analyzer or automate an entire motherboard test suite, these modules enable our customers to save time and money through automation."

The modules are transparent to hosts and attached devices. Their unique signal forwarding capability allows users to easily observe high speed data from multiple paths using a protocol analyzer, while causing minimal effect on signal timing. Modules include programmable signal conditioning, allowing equalization and de-emphasis to be applied on individual ports.

As with all Quarch products the modules are designed to integrate into existing test systems with minimal effort and a range of control interfaces are available to suit customer requirements.