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 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.

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 International Organization: Serial ATA Revision 2.6”. The specification can be downloaded from www.sata-io.org.

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Pipeline HD Series SATA Product Manual, Rev. C

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Seagate ST3500422CS, ST3320310CS, ST3160310CS, ST3320410CS, ST3500321CS manual About the Serial ATA interface
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ST3320310CS, ST3500321CS, ST3320410CS, ST3160310CS, ST3500422CS specifications

Seagate has long been recognized as a leader in data storage solutions, and their range of hard drives continues to reflect innovation and reliability. Among the notable SATA drives are the Seagate ST3500422CS, ST3160310CS, ST3320410CS, ST3500321CS, and ST3320310CS models, all designed for various consumer and enterprise applications.

The ST3500422CS operates at a capacity of 500GB, combining high performance with energy efficiency. With a spindle speed of 7200 RPM and a 32MB cache, it ensures rapid data access and transfer rates, making it suitable for multimedia storage and gaming applications. This drive incorporates Seagate’s Instant Secure Erase technology, which allows users to securely wipe their data quickly, ensuring privacy and data protection.

Next, the ST3160310CS model offers a storage capacity of 160GB, ideal for smaller applications requiring faster access times. Also spinning at 7200 RPM, it features a similar 8MB cache, ensuring good performance for everyday computing needs. Its compact design makes it suitable for both desktop systems and where space is at a premium.

The ST3320410CS is designed for larger capacity requirements, providing up to 320GB of storage space. This drive features enhanced data integrity with a 16MB cache and a consistent performance level that makes it suitable for both personal computing and lightweight server applications. Its Balancing Act technology optimizes the drive's performance across multiple workloads, extending its lifespan.

The ST3500321CS provides users with 500GB of storage, similar to the ST3500422CS but with a focus on data reliability. Featuring advanced error correction technologies, it diminishes the chance of data loss, making it a great choice for critical applications requiring consistent reliability.

Finally, the ST3320310CS model holds 320GB of storage capacity and shares many characteristics with its counterparts, such as the 7200 RPM speed and strong error correction mechanisms. The drive also utilizes Seagate's Thermal Fly-Height Control technology, which further enhances reliability by adjusting the read/write heads according to the drive's operational temperature.

Overall, these drives exemplify Seagate's commitment to performance, efficiency, and data protection across their various storage solutions. With a range of capacities and features, they cater to diverse user needs while ensuring reliability and speed in data access.
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