SCSI Toolbox, LLC introduced today the addition of the Bus Analyzer Module, the newest capability in the SCSItoolbox Suite of peripheral test/diagnostic tools. In use worldwide since 1992, SCSItoolbox is the industry’s most advanced and widely used testing and diagnostic tool in storage design engineering, development, manufacturing, and quality assurance test environments.
The Bus Analyzer Module (BAM) allows the capture of bus traffic data on any peripheral bus (i.e. SCSI, Fibre Channel, ATA, SATA, ATAPI, and SAS). Captured data is displayed in real time along with a graphical display of various performance metrics, such as command queue depth, data transfer rate, command latency, and more. These features, combined in Version 6.0 with the SCSItoolbox Suite, bring new levels of efficiency to anyone involved in the design, test, or comparison of storage peripheral devices.
While hardware bus or protocol analyzers are required where the user needs to capture fine protocol details, for all other applications SCSItoolbox Bus Analyzer Module is:
– More Portable – the BAM is a software product and can travel to customer or field locations on a notebook computer. In the lab environment it can be economically deployed on a company-wide basis
– Easier to Use – a real-time graphical representation of performance metrics during data capture is automatic. Further analysis of previously captured data is a mouse click away
– More Available – the BAM is always available on a PC, ready to capture and analyze data on any bus type.
– Less Expensive – Hardware analyzers typically cost between $10-$40K, and that is for each bus type that is worked on. BAM is included in the price of the SCSItoolbox Suite, starting at $4,495 with discounts based on quantity.
With SCSItoolbox Bus Analyzer Module:
– DVT engineers can quickly and accurately ascertain the effects of design or firmware changes using one integrated tool suite.
– Competitive analysis technicians can quickly compare performance metrics of competing products. Subtle differences in products are revealed by the versatile graphical performance comparison reports.
– Manufacturing, QA, and ORT tests can now be more versatile using test procedures that have never been available until now, such as screening subsystems on performance parameters such as inter-command latency or queue depth.
– Programmers writing peripheral test routines can instantly confirm proper command execution and sequence by directly viewing commands and device response captured with the BAM. The BAM also shows the source of all captured commands, and can flag when a command is issued by an unknown or unexpected source.
SCSItoolbox comes with an Interactive GUI, including an interactive test system with hundreds of „real-world‰ pre-defined commands and tests for detailed testing of disk drives, tape drives, storage libraries, and processor devices. From user defined CDB‚s through complete suites of compliance, performance, and stress tests for all device types, the SCSItoolbox can be used by both SCSI experts and novices.
SCSItoolbox also comes with Manufacturing Modules, a complete high-volume manufacturing/ reliability test/burn-in test system for both disks and tapes. Each drive on up to 16 host bus adapters has its own independent test thread for the highest data throughput and least interaction with other devices under test. A simple Point and Click interface allows complex sequences of tests to be assembled in minutes, and with many pre-defined test sequences included user‚s test lines will be up and running in no time at all. Detailed test reports are generated for each device tested, and an Access database records all test steps and results, allowing users to build up a historical database tracking every drive that passes through their facility.
The Developers Toolbox is also available, and includes a rich library of over 170 functions allowing users to quickly write their own tests in Visual Basic or C++. From simple commands through completely threaded multi-drive high level tests, the Developers Toolbox supplies every tool the user need to write custom tests for any device and any interface. And best of all, the Developer Toolbox lets users program in industry standard programming languages and environments, keeping the learning curve to a minimum.
“SCSI Toolbox has added the Bus Analyzer Module to meet the growing needs of developers, manufacturers, resellers and systems integrators. Regardless of the application, skill level, or environment, SCSItoolbox is the ideal test solution,” said SCSI Toolbox CEO Michael Jones.
For a description of SCSItoolbox modules go to: http://www.scsitoolbox.com/products/Toolbox.asp
For a description of Bus Analyzer Module features go to: http://www.scsitoolbox.com/offers/v6Offer.asp
Availability
SCSI Toolbox is now accepting orders for SCSItoolbox Version 6.0, which includes the Bus Analyzer Module, with delivery in April 2005. Current customers with maintenance contracts receive the upgrade for free. For more information, please contact SCSI Toolbox Sales at 720.249.2641 or sales@scsitoolbox.com.
