Currently, the hottest discussion topic in the server industry is AI, due to ChatGPT and NVIDIA. AI servers have begun to attract the attention of industry leaders who have placed many orders already. According to the market research agency TrendForce, AI server shipments are estimated to have an annual increase of 38.4% in 2023 (approximately 1.2 units), which accounts for 9% of global server shipments. In 2026, they are estimated to account for 15% of global server shipments. From 2022 to 2026, the compound annual growth rate of AI server shipments will increase from 10.8% to 22%.
The high-speed interfaces inside AI servers currently use PCI Express (PCIe) 5.0 technology with a throughput of around 128GB/s, supporting various generative AI applications that require large amounts of data transmissions and calculations. PCIe 5.0 technology is one of the main reasons why AI servers are successful in the market. Therefore, the quality of PCIe lanes is considered to be very important. One of the most common testing methods for PCIe lanes is the eye diagram analysis. It’s very time-consuming to test all of the lanes. For example, an AI server with 8 PCIe 5.0 slots (x16) will have an output of 4608 eye diagrams, requiring 9-10 days to complete.
Due to measuring it to completion is so time-consuming, brands and manufacturers often run partial tests to shorten schedules, which usually cover less than 25% of signals. With such a low coverage ratio, poorly designed lanes will not be detected, leading to reduced performance. In more severe cases, it could even lead to GPU failures or system restarts.
In response to this, Allion has developed an automated testing solution called the Allion PCIe Multiport System (APMS) to accelerate the testing duration. The aim is to shorten the testing cycle and increase production. After evaluating this solution, we found it could shorten the testing duration by 5 times. The situation mentioned above that would have taken 9-10 days to test could be shortened to 2 days with complete coverage of all lanes with all preset modes.
Faster, Easier, Better: The Most Trusted Product Testing Consultant
Allion also has a wide range of testing equipment and decades of client experience. In addition to providing the APMS testing solution, we can also provide the following PCIe-related services.
- Provide various form factor fixture tests required for verifications, and also customize exclusive fixtures according to our client’s needs.
- Provide verification services, problem isolation, and debugging support.
- Provide customizable APMS solutions according to our client’s needs, such as additional form factors, changing the DUT from host to device, or other customizations.
- Verify products with environment simulation testing, such as testing the electrical signals under high/low temperatures.
Faster
Allion can provide industry-leading product testing which includes evaluations of high temperatures, low temperatures, and degree of vibration. Specification suggestions, supplier selection, and sample specifications are also a part of our services. It doesn’t matter which stage your products are in now, we can provide our clients with services that correspond to various standards and specifications, speeding up the product testing phase.
Easier
For quality control during mass production like these, Allion can assist you to evaluate the quality of your production line and help you carry out sample inspections. This way you can ensure quality consistency with mass production for your customers or clients. In addition, Allion can also help you with product compatibility testing for suppliers, establishing a tolerance database to prevent compatibility issues between your suppliers.
Better
Allion has more than three decades of professional experience, professional technical teams, and a complete range of testing laboratories and equipment. Once we find potential risks in our client’s products, we can immediately help them understand the possible causes. Afterward, debugging and suggested solutions are provided to help our clients make faster decisions and solve problems more efficiently.
If you have any further needs for testing, verification, or consulting services related to the server ecosystem, please feel free to explore the following services online or contact us through the online form.
