Serial ATA Storage Architecture and Applications: Designing High-Performance, Cost-Effective I/O Solutions

Today, hard disk drives for desktop PCs, laptops, servers, and storage appliances use either Parallel ATA or SCSI interconnect technology. Serial ATA is the new storage interconnect standard for these systems. Computer engineers and architects who plan to incorporate Serial ATA in new products must answer questions such as: Why make the change? What problems does Serial ATA solve for me? How do I transition from Parallel ATA to Serial ATA and from SCSI to Serial ATA? This book helps you answer these questions.

If you are a systems engineer, product architect, or product line manager, you could be asked to contribute to the planning process for a transition to Serial ATA. This book provides you with reliable information, in sufficient technical depth to help you implement the Serial ATA specifications.

Topics include PHY signaling and interface states, protocol encoding, programming model, flow control, performance, compatibility with legacy systems, enclosure management, signal routing, hot-plug, presence detection, activity indication, power management, and cable/connector standards.

Serial ATA Storage Architecture and Applications brings you authoritative insights on:

• The goals driving Serial ATA standard development
• The advantages of Serial ATA adoption for OEMs, IHVs, and end-users
• Capabilities defined by the Serial ATA 1.0 and Serial ATA II standards, with "under the covers" explanations of how Serial ATA works
• Performance and reliability characteristics of Serial ATA
• Hands-on, how-to designs for building real-world systems that use Serial ATA