1.1About 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 jump- ers 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 disc drive in your current system and expect all of your existing applications to work as normal.

The Serial ATA interface connects each disc 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.

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.

The Serial ATA host adapter and drive share the function of emulating parallel ATA device behavior to provide backward compatibility with existing host systems and software. The Command and Control Block registers, PIO and DMA data transfers, resets, and interrupts are all emulated.

The Serial ATA host adapter contains a set of registers that shadow the contents of the traditional device regis- ters, referred to as the Shadow Register Block. All Serial ATA devices behave like Device 0 devices. For addi- tional information about how Serial ATA emulates parallel ATA, refer to the “Serial ATA: High Speed Serialized AT Attachment” specification. The specification can be downloaded from www.serialata.org.

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Barracuda ES.2 Serial ATA Product Manual, Rev. A

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Seagate ST31000340NS, ST3250310NS, ST3750330NS, ST3500320NS manual About the Serial ATA interface
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ST3750330NS, ST31000340NS, ST3250310NS, ST3500320NS specifications

Seagate has long been a leader in the hard drive market, providing various storage solutions for personal and enterprise needs. Among its notable models are the ST3500320NS, ST3320630NS, ST3250310NS, and ST3750330NS, tailored for different applications, particularly in data center environments.

The Seagate ST3500320NS is a 500GB SATA hard drive designed for high-performance computing. One of its key features is a spindle speed of 7200 RPM, which offers quick data access times, significantly reducing latency in read and write operations. This model supports a 3Gb/s SATA interface, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of systems. Another important characteristic of the ST3500320NS is its robust error recovery mechanism, which enhances data integrity, making it suitable for applications where data precision is critical.

The ST3320630NS, on the other hand, is a 320GB variant, also featuring a 7200 RPM spindle speed. This model includes advanced power management features, allowing for reduced energy consumption without sacrificing performance. The drive's design focuses on reliability, designed to handle the demands of continuous operation in RAID configurations or as part of a network-attached storage (NAS) solution. Its dual stage actuator technology ensures more precise positioning of the read/write heads, improving overall performance and durability.

Considered an entry-level model, the ST3250310NS boasts a capacity of 250GB and shares the 7200 RPM speed common to other models. This drive is tailored for cost-effective solutions, providing a balance of price, performance, and reliability for small to medium business environments. Its resilience to shock and vibration makes it suitable for use in mobile workstations and external drives.

Lastly, the ST3750330NS features a significant 750GB capacity while maintaining the same 7200 RPM speed. It offers enhanced caching capabilities with a 32MB buffer, improving data throughput and responsiveness. Designed for high-capacity storage needs, this model is optimized for streaming applications and heavy workloads, reinforcing Seagate's commitment to delivering good performance in demanding scenarios.

All these models embody Seagate's dedication to innovation and reliability, featuring technologies such as Native Command Queuing (NCQ) and S.M.A.R.T. (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) to monitor drive health. With years of expertise, Seagate continues to set industry standards for storage solutions, making these models ideal for a variety of professional applications.
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