The only server-side expansion bus that provides switch-based, point-to-point serial connections with full-duplex lanes that can be combined in widths such as ×1, ×4, ×8, or ×16 is PCI Express (PCIe). PCI-X is an earlier parallel, shared-bus design that is half-duplex and cannot aggregate serial lanes. SATA is an internal storage interface, not a chassis expansion bus, and offers no multi-lane negotiation for GPUs. USB 3.2 is an external peripheral interface that also lacks the lane-based architecture, bandwidth, and low-latency characteristics required for high-performance GPUs.
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Why does PCI Express (PCIe) use point-to-point connections instead of a shared parallel backplane?
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What does 'full-duplex communication' mean in the context of PCIe, and why is it important?
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How do PCIe lane widths like x8 or x16 improve performance for GPUs in a server?
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What is PCI Express (PCIe) and why is it suitable for GPUs?
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How does PCI Express differ from PCI-X?
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What is meant by 'negotiated link widths' in PCIe?
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What does the PCIe bus architecture do that makes it ideal for GPUs?
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How does PCI-X differ from PCIe, and why is it not suitable for GPUs?
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Why isn't SATA or USB 3.2 used for connecting GPUs in servers?