Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

Scalable Coherent Interface
     
         (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://www.uni-paderborn.de/pc2/systems/sci/}.
     
        [Applications?]
     
        (1999-03-22)