I am looking at the Beagle USB 5000 v2 SuperSpeed Protocol Analyzer - Standard Edition, which supports both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 at a reasonable cost. For some cases, I need to store large amounts of data; some tests run for days. How can I store data that exceeds the size of the internal memory buffer?

Thanks for your question! The Beagle USB 5000 v2 analyzer – Standard Edition contains a 2 GB USB 3.0 memory buffer. For a larger internal buffer of 4 GB, you may consider the Ultimate Edition. An additional buffer supports storing 128 MB of USB 2.0 data, which can be used in parallel with the USB 3.0 buffer. We will explain how the buffer works and two ways you can maximize the data stored.

How the Memory Buffer Works

The internal memory acts a temporary FIFO storage buffer. When a trigger condition occurs, the captured data is streamed from the Beagle USB 5000 v2 analyzer to the analysis computer over the High-speed USB downlink. (Note: On the Ultimate Edition, the downlink is upgraded to SuperSpeed.) The internal buffer is constantly emptied, freeing up the hardware memory for capturing more data. When using the Data Center Software with the Beagle USB 5000 v2 analyzer, captured data can be continuously streamed to the RAM of the computer. The only limitation to capture size is the amount of available RAM on the analysis computer.  Typically, up to 80% of the computer’s RAM can be used to store data.

There are two ways to adjust the amount of data that can be stored: use Triggering and Complex Matching with the hardware circular buffer, or use Beagle Software API to deliver captured data to the hard drive of the computer.

Triggering Data and Complex Matching

Using the Match/Action Triggering and Filtering features, you can capture and store only relevant data. This way, the computer RAM is used more efficiently. These features are provided in the Data Center Software.

With Complex Match, you set up a trigger condition and start the capture.

• The analyzer runs in a “pre-trigger” mode until the trigger condition is met.
• In the pre-trigger mode, the analyzer captures traffic in a circular hardware buffer on the Beagle USB 5000 v2 analyzer. The internal memory behaves as a circular buffer; only the most recent records are retained.

When the trigger condition is met, the Data Center Software downloads the data in the pre-trigger buffer and starts capturing traffic from that point on. This method of data capture will continue until all the available space of the computer RAM is used.

Create a USB Complex Match and Trigger a Capture with the Beagle USB 5000 v2 Analyzer

Here is a video that demonstrates using the Match/Action Triggering and Filtering features:

Storing Captured Data on the Hard Drive

The Data Center Software does not support streaming data to the hard drive. However, you can create a storage application with the Beagle Software API. The API supports Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X operating systems and multiple software languages. Functional examples are provided that can be used as-is or modified to meet your specifications. For details, please refer to the API Documentation section of the Beagle Protocol Analyzer User Manual.

We hope this answers your questions. Additional resources that you may find helpful include the following:

• • Beagle Protocol Analyzer User Manual
  • Total Phase Solution Videos
  • About the USB Protocol, Common USB Bus Errors, and How to Troubleshoot Them

If you want more information, feel free to contact us with your questions, or request a demo that applies to your application.