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0 introduction, 1 about the serial ata interface, Introduction – Seagate BARRACUDA ST3320413AS User Manual

Page 9: About the serial ata interface

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Barracuda SATA Product Manual, Rev. B

9

1.0 Introduction

This manual describes the functional, mechanical and interface specifications for the following Seagate

Barracuda

®

model drives:

These drives provide the following key features:

• 7200 RPM spindle speed.

• High instantaneous (burst) data-transfer rates (up to 600MB per second).

• Perpendicular recording technology provides the drives with increased areal density.

• State-of-the-art cache and on-the-fly error-correction algorithms.

• Native Command Queueing with command ordering to increase performance in demanding applications.

• Full-track multiple-sector transfer capability without local processor intervention.

• Quiet operation.

• Compliant with RoHS requirements in China and Europe.

• SeaTools diagnostic software performs a drive self-test that eliminates unnecessary drive returns.

• Support for S.M.A.R.T. drive monitoring and reporting.

• Supports latching SATA cables and connectors.

• Worldwide Name (WWN) capability uniquely identifies the drive.

1.1

About the Serial ATA interface

The Serial ATA interface provides several advantages over the traditional (parallel) ATA interface. The primary
advantages include:

• Easy installation and configuration with true plug-and-play connectivity. It is not necessary to set any jumpers

or other configuration options.

• Thinner and more flexible cabling for improved enclosure airflow and ease of installation.

• Scalability to higher performance levels.

In addition, Serial ATA makes the transition from parallel ATA easy by providing legacy software support. Serial
ATA was designed to allow you to install a Serial ATA host adapter and Serial ATA disk drive in your current system
and expect all of your existing applications to work as normal.

The Serial ATA interface connects each disk drive in a point-to-point configuration with the Serial ATA host
adapter. There is no master/slave relationship with Serial ATA devices like there is with parallel ATA. If two drives
are attached on one Serial ATA host adapter, the host operating system views the two devices as if they were both
“masters” on two separate ports. This essentially means both drives behave as if they are Device 0 (master)
devices.

ST31000524AS

ST3500413AS

ST3250312AS

ST3750525AS

ST3320413AS

ST3160316AS

Note

The host adapter may, optionally, emulate a master/slave environment to host software where two
devices on separate Serial ATA ports are represented to host software as a Device 0 (master) and
Device 1 (slave) accessed at the same set of host bus addresses. A host adapter that emulates a
master/slave environment manages two sets of shadow registers. This is not a typical Serial ATA
environment.

This manual is related to the following products: