The “Meet the PCI-SIG® Members” blog series is a way to highlight our diverse global members that make PCI-SIG what it is today. PCI-SIG members help to advance and promote PCI Express® (PCIe®) technology innovation in the industry, while receiving a variety of benefits.

In this edition, David Woolf, Product Manager for PCIe protocol analysis testing platforms at VIAVI Solutions, discusses VIAVI’s participation in PCI-SIG Developer’s Conferences and Workshops, advantages of membership.

1. Can you provide a brief overview of your company?

VIAVI provides testing platforms used in R&D labs and manufacturing environments including our line of PCIe protocol testing and debug solutions, which are aligned with the latest PCIe specifications. In fact, we recently introduced our first PCIe 6.0 specification, 64 GT/s, PAM4 solution, and we are looking forward to the PCIe 7.0 specification.

Our company also develops network test, monitoring and assurance solutions for telecommunications, cloud, enterprises, first responders, military, aerospace and railway — as well as light management technologies for 3D sensing, anti-counterfeiting, consumer electronics, industrial, automotive, government and aerospace applications.

In 2023, VIAVI celebrated over 100 years of innovation. 

2. Why did your company join PCI-SIG?

VIAVI joined PCI-SIG for a number of reasons. First, it reflects our company’s overall commitment to, and support for, PCI Express technology. VIAVI recognizes the importance of ensuring a robust PCIe technology ecosystem for years to come. We appreciate the leadership PCI-SIG provides, and as a member, we gain valuable insight into the evolving specs and the latest compliance standards through various PCI-SIG committees, events and member interactions. We also strive to contribute to the ecosystem with our experience in the test and measurement space by correlating spec-compliant tools that support overall compliance and the Integrator’s List through Gold Suite testing. 

3. What is the biggest advantage of PCI-SIG membership?

VIAVI especially values member interaction at DevCons, Compliance Workshops and other industry events where the PCI-SIG provides venues to train and learn from others. Workshops provide an ability to expand beyond the theoretical and explore the protocol in depth. This enables continuous improvement of the solutions we provide to the industry.  We also value insights PCI-SIG provides around standards, interoperability and compatibility.  Being an active member of PCI-SIG, and being approved as a Gold Suite vendor, also provides us with invaluable visibility and credibility within the ecosystem. 

4. How does your company participate in PCI-SIG?

VIAVI is a Platinum DevCon sponsor, supports Compliance Workshop events, and participates in subgroup and working group meetings. Our test and measurement equipment enables member companies to verify PCIe product performance in their labs and qualify for the Integrators List at compliance events.

5. What expertise does your company bring to PCI-SIG?

VIAVI’s core competency lies in test and measurement. We innovate and provide PCIe technology (and related protocols) analysis platforms including Protocol Analyzers, Exercisers and Error-injection solutions used for testing, analysis and debugging PCIe root complex, peripherals and complete systems. In a nutshell, we are proficient in diagnosing why products fail or are non-compliant.

6. What does your company see as PCI-SIG’s impact within the industry?

PCI-SIG congregates global, top-level industry companies and experts. It provides the vision for innovation, standardization and interoperability — as well as functional benefits like the Integrators List.  PCI-SIG is the place to be for everything related to PCIe technology.

7. Which market segments benefit the most from PCIe technology?

PCI Express specification is a ubiquitous protocol used in most high-tech market segments. It touches everything from consumer electronics all the way to bleeding-edge high-performance computing — and everything in between. PCIe technology should be most impactful to emerging applications like AI/ML, hyperscale computing, and automotive applications that require high data rates and low latency.

8. Which future applications of PCIe technology is your company most looking forward to?

Applications like AI, ML, HPC and automotive are compelling and will enable technology advancements that will ensure the sustainability of PCIe technology for generations. PCIe 6.0 and PCIe 7.0 specifications and beyond will enable these new applications to scale, and we look forward to helping our customers qualify their innovations at these next-generation specifications.   

Interested in participating in a future “Meet the PCI-SIG Members” blog? Reach out to pr@pcisig.com for additional details. If you are interested in joining PCI-SIG, learn more about becoming a member on our website.