What Is Retimer?_
A retimer is an integrated circuit placed in the signal path of a high-speed serial link, such as PCIe or Ethernet, to clean up jitter and restore signal integrity. It recovers the clock and data from the incoming signal and retransmits a fresh copy, effectively extending the maximum cable length or enabling reliable operation over lossy board traces. Retimers are distinct from redrivers, which only amplify the signal without fully regenerating it.
Technical Details
Retimers use a clock-data recovery (CDR) circuit to extract timing from the incoming bitstream and then retransmit the data with a clean clock. They are commonly found in active electrical cables (AEC) for InfiniBand or Ethernet, and on server or switch motherboards to drive signals across long PCB traces. Retimers add latency on the order of a few nanoseconds per link, which is acceptable for most data-center workloads but must be accounted for in latency-sensitive applications.
How Leviathan Systems Works with Retimer
During GPU rack assembly, we often handle AEC cables that contain retimers to maintain signal quality over longer distances between switches and GPUs. We verify that retimer-equipped cables are properly seated and not bent beyond their minimum bend radius, as damage to the retimer chip can cause link errors.
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