PM42028B1-F3EI

Overview

The PM42028B1-F3EI is a Switchtec PAX Gen 4 Advanced Fabric PCIe switch supporting up to 28 lanes and 16 ports. It provides high-performance non-blocking switching with a capacity of up to 174 GBps across the family, featuring PCIe Gen 4 16 GT/s interfaces. The device includes hot- and surprise-plug controllers for each port, advanced error containment mechanisms like AER and DPC, and an integrated MIPS processor. It supports flexible lane bifurcation (x1/x2/x4/x8/x16) and SR-IOV sharing without an external CPU. The component is housed in a 29 mm × 29 mm package.

Feature Summary

• Supports multi-host sharing of SR-IOV endpoints and virtualization of entire PCIe domains
• Features advanced error containment including Downstream Port Containment and Completion Timeout Synthesis
• Includes comprehensive diagnostics with real-time 2D eye capture and built-in PCIe analyzer
• Integrates a MIPS processor and extensive I/O interfaces for enclosure management

Applications

• Scalable multi-host systems
• SR-IOV-enabled JBOFs
• Composable GP-GPU fabrics
• Disaggregated systems
• Rack scale architectures

Procurement Notes

Verify the specific ordering suffix F3EI against official Microchip documentation to confirm package dimensions and pinout compatibility. Ensure firmware requirements align with the PAX Software Development Kit for intended SR-IOV or fabric management functions. Cross-reference the datasheet revision date to validate feature availability and electrical specifications before finalizing procurement orders.

Selection Notes

Select this model when 28 lanes and 16 ports are sufficient for the target topology. Consider higher-lane variants like the PM42052 or PM42100 if greater bandwidth or port density is required. Evaluate the need for automotive qualification; if required, choose from the PAX-A series instead. Confirm that the 29 mm × 29 mm package fits the mechanical constraints of the design.

Part Context

This part belongs to the Switchtec PAX Gen 4 Advanced Fabric PCIe Switch family, which also includes models with 36, 52, 68, 84, and 100 lanes. The family shares common architectural features such as the integrated MIPS processor, SDK support, and advanced error handling capabilities. Variants differ primarily in lane count, port quantity, and physical package size.

Replacement Considerations

Direct functional substitutes within the same family include the PM42036B1-F3EI and PM42052B1-F3EI, though they offer different lane counts. Automotive-qualified equivalents are available in the PAX-A series, specifically the PM45028B1-F3EI.