SANTA CLARA, Calif., Dec. 13, 2010 — Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced an automated compliance test package for PCI Express^®(PCIe^®) 3.0 physical-layer transmitter compliance testing that includes measurement support for the new PCIe 8-GT/s interface.

Devices operating at 8 GT/s present new measurement challenges that require new tools and procedures for proper validation and jitter margin analysis. Having advance access to measurements enables engineers developing cutting-edge solutions to address potential issues early in the design cycle and get their products to market faster. The PCIe specification defines a high-speed serial bus used primarily for data communication between a computer’s main CPU and high-speed peripheral components such as graphics, networking and storage adapters. It is capable of operating at data rates from 2.5 GT/s to 8 GT/s.

The Agilent N5393C compliance test software for Infiniium 90000 Series oscilloscopes performs a wide range of oscilloscope-based tests for the PCIe 1.x, 2.x, and 3.0 standards. It also provides early 8-GT/s physical layer transmitter measurements for customers designing to the requirements of the PCIe 3.0 specification.

“We are pleased with Agilent’s continued backing for the broad adoption of the PCI Express architecture,” said Al Yanes, PCI-SIG^® president and chairman. “The PCI-SIG and its members benefit from test and measurement equipment vendors’ support for our compliance workshops, such as that from Agilent, where products from a variety of our members are tested for electrical and protocol interoperability, among other tests. In the near future, the PCI-SIG plans to roll out its PCIe 3.0 testing procedures and related tools as high-volume products implementing this technology become available.”

The N5393C PCIe compliance test software for Infiniium 90000 Series oscilloscopes provides design and validation engineers with a fast and easy way to verify physical layer transmitter compliance for PCIe 2.5-GT/s, 5-GT/s end point, root complex systems and devices and for 8.0-GT/s chipsets. The software:

• provides automated compliance test support for the BASE and CEM measurement points supporting PCIe 1.x and 2.x standards, as well as BASE specification support for the PCIe 3.0 standard;
• supports de-embedding of test fixtures and cables to help improve voltage and jitter margin measurements when used with the optional Agilent N5465A InfiniiSim waveform transformation toolset;
• displays the results in a flexible report format; and
• provides a margin analysis that shows how closely a device passes or fails each test.

Engineers designing and developing PCIe 3.0 devices also can use the Agilent J-BERT N4903B high-performance serial BERT for physical-layer receiver compliance testing and characterization. They can use the Agilent DCA-J 86100C TDR system for characterizing PCIe 3.0 channels.

Agilent’s Infiniium 90000 X-Series 16-GHz to 32-GHz oscilloscopes are ideal for PCIe 3.0 product testing. They offer the industry’s lowest noise floor, deepest memory and flattest response. Using the 90000 X-Series oscilloscope and the automated N5393C PCIe compliance test software, engineers can maximize their design margins and gain greater insights into their system performance.

For additional information about Agilent’s N5393C PCIe test software, see www.agilent.com/find/N5393C. Information on Agilent’s total PCIe 3.0 test solution portfolio is available at www.agilent.com/find/pciexpress.

Agilent’s complete portfolio of oscilloscopes is available in a variety of form factors, from 20 MHz to 90 GHz. They offer industry-leading specifications and powerful applications.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

The Agilent N5393C SATA compliance test application is available now with prices starting at $9,000.

About PCI-SIG

PCI-SIG is the Special Interest Group that owns and manages PCI specifications as open industry standards. The organization defines and implements new industry standard Input/Output (I/O) specifications as the industry’s local I/O needs evolve. The PCI Special Interest Group was formed in 1992 and became a nonprofit corporation, named “PCI-SIG,” in the year 2000. Currently, more than 900 industry-leading companies are active PCI-SIG members worldwide. PCI-SIG’s current directors are employed by the following PCI-SIG member companies: Agilent, AMD, Dell, HP, IBM, Intel, LSI, NVIDIA and Oracle. For more information about the PCI-SIG and its membership benefits, please visit the PCI-SIG Web site at www.pcisig.com or contact +1 503 619 0569.

Agilent’s Digital Test Standards Program

Agilent’s solutions for digital applications are driven and supported by Agilent experts who are involved in various international standards committees. Experts from the Agilent Digital Test Standards Program are active in the Joint Electronic Devices Engineering Council, PCI-SIG, Video Electronics Standards Association, Serial ATA International Organization, Serial Attached SCSI (T10), USB-Implementers Forum, MIPI Alliance, Ethernet standards (IEEE 802.3), Optical Internetworking Forum, and many others. Agilent’s involvement in these standards groups and their related workshops, plugfests, and seminars enable the company to bring the right solutions to the market when its customers need them.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world’s premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, electronics and communications. The company’s 18,500 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries. Agilent had net revenues of $5.4 billion in fiscal 2010. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com.