The CopprLink-compliant card supports direct Gen5 connections to external GPUs and NVMe storage, with up to 64 GB/s bi-directional throughput.
HighPoint Technologies, Inc., a provider of PCIe storage and connectivity solutions, announced the Rocket 7634D, an independent PCIe Gen5 external CDFP adapter. Designed for external PCIe fabric deployments, the Rocket 7634D combines external CDFP CopprLink connectivity in a compact, low-profile form factor with PCIe Gen5 switching technology to support bandwidth, reliability, and interoperability needs for disaggregated computing, AI workloads, HPC, and professional media applications.
Built to comply with the PCI-SIG CopprLink specification, the Rocket 7634D functions as a host interface card (HIC). It supports direct, non-blocking connections between servers or workstations and external GPUs, accelerator and I/O cards, or NVMe storage enclosures, without using tunneling or older interconnects.
PCIe Gen5 performance
The Rocket 7634D uses a Broadcom 89048 PCIe Gen5 switch IC to support external device expansion:
- 48-lane switching architecture: The Rocket 7634D manages lanes to support signal integrity and reduce contention for accelerators, NVMe storage, and data-intensive workloads.
- Up to 64 GB/s bi-directional throughput: The card provides up to a full x16 PCIe Gen5 link between the CopprLink device and the host platform so external devices can operate at native link speeds.
CopprLink compliance and interoperability
Compliance with the PCI-SIG CopprLink specification is intended to support reliability and interoperability, including:
- Compatibility with CopprLink-compliant devices and cables
- Gen5 signaling at up to 32 GT/s over the external cable connection
- A CDFP connector designed for compact external I/O and service access
Host interface for industrial and enterprise use
As a CopprLink-compliant HIC, the Rocket 7634D is positioned to connect servers to external PCIe resources such as:
- GPU and PCIe expansion enclosures: Dedicated Gen5 x16 connectivity for AI, simulation, and other compute workloads
- NVMe JBOF storage systems: Direct-attached Gen5 storage connectivity for high I/O workloads, including databases and analytics
HighPoint also notes compatibility with its RocketStor 6600 Series NVMe storage enclosures and RocketStor 8000 Series GPU/compute expansion enclosures.
Integration and management
HighPoint describes the Rocket 7634D as designed for server deployment and OEM integration, including:
- A low-profile CEM form factor for space-constrained systems
- Firmware customization support for OEM and embedded use cases
- Compatibility with HighPoint RocketStor 8000 Series external GPU/compute enclosures and RocketStor 6000 Series NVMe JBOF enclosures
HighPoint’s MPT (Management, Performance, and Troubleshooting) software is described as providing:
- Real-time health and link-status monitoring for the HIC and connected devices
- Troubleshooting tools for enterprise and industrial deployments
For more information, visit highpoint-tech.com.
