Overcoming SMBus Limitations with I3C - A Backward-Compatible Solution

Learn about the critical evolution from SMBus to I3C in PCIe and CXL solutions through this technical presentation from industry experts at Intel and Solidigm. Explore how the SNIA SFF-TA-1009 specification enables I3C upgrade of management buses, addressing growing demands in sideband management. Discover solutions to technical challenges faced by SMBus architecture in handling new use cases like MCTP protocol, SPDM-based attestation, and telemetry reporting. Examine experimental results from Intel and Solidigm's implementation using components from Aspeed, Renesas, and Microchip, demonstrating I3C's advantages and backward compatibility with legacy SMBus devices. Gain insights into advanced topics including polling mode, electrical analysis, and topology considerations that validate the superiority of I3C-based solutions for modern computing infrastructure.