Non-intrusive test strategies discussed for the Intel® Xeon® Processor 5500 Series

Non-intrusive board test (NBT) technologies, such as those that are found on the ScanWorks® platform for embedded instrumentation, can be particularly effective replacing the test coverage that the older intrusive probe-based technologies like ICT are losing as physical access for probes and bed-of-nails fixtures diminishes. A new whitepaper that can be downloaded from the ASSET web site describes in technical detail how NBT strategies can increase test coverage for designs based on Intel®'s new Xeon® Processor 5500 Series (codenamed Nehalem).

ScanWorks® with its non-intrusive boundary scan test, processor-controlled test, and tools for Intel®'s embedded instrumentation, Interconnect Built-In Self Test (IBIST), does not rely on external access. Instead, ScanWorks employs embedded instrumentation within silicon and on circuit boards to deliver improved test coverage.

The following is a typical Nehalem-based design. Virtually all of this circuit board can be tested with the NBT technologies on the ScanWorks platform.

For example, boundary scan can test where it is impossible to place test pads on the circuit board, such as on the QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) links. And boundary scan can be used for the lifecycle of the product, from prototype, through manufacturing, and into repair and return. Another NBT technology on ScanWorks, processor-controlled test (PCT), can exercise the kernel of the board's devices and buses with an at-speed functional test. Because it is a low-level (pre-boot) functional test, PCT runs without the BIOS or operating system loaded. It also has excellent diagnostics and runs extremely quickly compared to traditional functional tests.

A third NBT technology on ScanWorks, Intel IBIST, can validate the shape and size of an eye diagram for a high-speed link and generated by margining tests. Other IBIST tools like Bit Error Rate (BER) routines can test the QPI and PCI Express (PCIe) links. With a four-corner or fast-cross test, IBIST can verify the link speed, determine the size of the eye and detect certain structural faults.

The new whitepaper examines other typical Nehalem-based board designs and explains how ScanWorks' NBT technologies can be deployed to achieve a very high level of test coverage. The paper describes in detail the technical implementation of various NBT technologies, including boundary-scan test, processor-controlled test and Intel® IBIST tools.

To download a free copy of this whitepaper, click here.

While on the ASSET web site, please review the other whitepapers that are available.  Click here for the archive of ASSET's whitepapers.