Scalable Coherent Interface
<hardware, protocol> (SCI) The {ANSI}/{IEEE} 1596-1992
{standard} that defines a point-to-point {interface} and a set
of {packet} {protocols}. The SCI protocols use packets with a
16-byte {header} and 16, 64, or 256 data bytes. Each packet
is protected by a 16-bit {CRC} code.
The standard defines 1 Gbit/second {serial} {fiber-optic}
links and 1 Gbyte/second {parallel} copper links. SCI has two
unidirectional links that operate concurrently.
The SCI protocols support {shared memory} by encapsulating
{bus} requests and responses into SCI request and response
packets. Packet-based {handshake} protocols guarantee
reliable data delivery. A set of {cache coherence} protocols
are defined to maintain cache coherence in a {shared memory
system}.
{Message passing} is supported by a compatible subset of the
SCI protocols. This protocol subset does not invoke SCI cache
coherency protocols.
SCI uses 64-bit {addressing} and the most significant 16 bits
are used for addressing up to 64K {nodes}.
http://uni-paderborn.de/pc2/systems/sci/.
[Applications?]
(1999-03-22)