About: Serial ATA

The parallel ATA specification has defined the standard storage interface for PCs since the protocol was introduced in the 1980s. Parallel ATA led for three main reasons, low cost, broad operating system support, and steady evolution. Parallel ATA evolved to support higher speed and performance while maintaining backward compatibility with older ATA devices. However, for a variety of reasons, including performance headroom, cabling issues, and voltage tolerance requirements, a new storage interface is required. Therefore, the Serial ATA Working Group was formed.

Breaking the Boundaries

Serial ATA gives you easier installations and the power to perfom like never before in systems such as:

desktop systems
high performance PCs & workstations
low-end server
near-line storage
consumer electronic devices

Details:

150MB/sec interface
683Mbits/sec internal transfer rate
longer/thinner cables
jumperless
enhanced data reliability
8.5/9.5 msec avg seek time (read/write)

Serial ATA

Seagate Technology is currently developing new products featuring the Serial ATA (Advanced Technology Architecture) interface. A group of computer industry leaders has developed a next generation ATA specification that will provide scalable performance for the next decade. ATA is an interface for desktop system drives that is used to connect hard drives and other peripherals to a PC.

The industry takes a major step forward in extending the use of ATA drives by providing the PC industry with Serial ATA. The current interface Parallel ATA has done an outstanding job of providing a desktop interface with tremendous growth and scalability since the 1980s. But a new era of desktop storage has come about; the era of larger and faster hard drives has pushed the boundaries of the Parallel ATA interface. There are new demanding applications for desktop drives that scream for a more flexible and creative way to integrate disc drives.

About Serial ATA

Industry leaders including Intel, Seagate, Maxtor, Dell, APT Technologies designed Serial ATA. This group is known as the Serial ATA working group and includes over 80 companies. This innovative interface is designed to overcome the limitations of Parallel ATA and eventually replace it.

Serial ATA offers consumers a new level of interface scalable performance, flexibility, and cost efficiency. Industry leaders designed Serial ATA with customer convenience in mind by ensuring 100% software compatibility, flexible thin cables, hot plug connectors, and improved data reliability and protection.