The PCI Special Interest Group (PCI-SIG) releases an update on the development of PCIe 6.0-- the specification is now up to version 0.5, with a first draft available with feedback received from members following the October 2019 publishing of version 0.3.
The organisation says the update marks "momentous progress," and is confident the PCIe 6.0 standard remains on track to be finalised in 2021. As a Forst Draft specification, version 0.5 marks a final call for the submission of new features by PCI-SIG member companies. It also allows companies to design test silicon to ensure everything works, before starting preliminary work on actual commercial chips.
Interestingly, the PCI-SIG wants to avoid the 7-year process it took to develop the PCIe 4.0 specification, which is why it released the first draft specification less than a year after the PCIe 6.0 announcement. Following version 0.5 the organisation will release version 0.7, aka the Complete Draft with everything defined "at all levels." No features will be added after the release of version 0.7. Following it is version 0.9, the Final Draft allowing PCI-SIG members to review the technology, before the release of the final version 1.0.
As for the near future, the next milestone for the PCI 6.0 specification is the upcoming PCI-SIG Developers Conference 2020. Held on June 2020, it will have the group present deep dives into the features of the technology.
Go PCIe 6.0 Specification, Version 0.5: Now Available to Members
