Introduction; What Is Signal Integrity - Compaq BL10e - HP ProLiant - 512 MB RAM Specification

Introduction

A requirement for any server architecture is that it continues to meet future customer needs by
supporting a built in capability to provide sustained high performance as technology driven
bandwidth enhancements become available.
The BladeSystem c-Class enclosures (c3000, c7000) are architected to ensure that they can support
upcoming technologies and increasing demand for bandwidth and power for at least 5 to 7 years.
This technology brief discusses the effort to design, model, standardize, and document the electrical
requirements for the high-speed interfaces of the HP BladeSystem. This applies to all HP BladeSystem
switch modules, mezzanine cards, server blades, and midplanes that use the high-speed interface.

What is signal integrity

Signal integrity engineering ensures that electronic circuits communicate reliably in the presence of
channel impairments. Over short distances and at low bit rates, a simple conductor can easily
transmit a signal from point A to point B with good fidelity (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Lossy signal line depiction over short distances and low bit rates
However, at high bit rates and over longer distances, various effects can degrade the electrical signal
to the point where data transmission errors occur, resulting in a system malfunction (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Lossy signal line depiction over longer distances and higher bit rates
2