SATA - Serial AT Attachment (SATA)
SATA is a drive interface with a maximum bandwidth of 6Gbps SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) is a serial interface used to connect data storage devices such as hard disks and solid state drives to a computer. It was developed as a replacement for the older parallel ATA (IDE) interface, which was renamed PATA (Parallel ATA) after the advent of SATA.
SATA's main features:
- Connectors: SATA uses a 7-pin connector for data transfer and a 15-pin connector for power. A standard 4-pin Molex connector can be used instead of the 15-pin power connector, but using both at the same time may damage the device.
- Throughput: Maximum SATA throughput is 6 Gbps (600 MB/s) with the SATA III (SATA 3.0) version.
- Improvements over PATA:
- Reduced cable footprint: SATA cables are more compact and provide better ventilation inside the computer.
- Separate device cables: Each device is connected via a separate cable, eliminating conflicts between devices and improving performance.
- Hot plug and play: SATA allows you to plug and unplug devices without shutting down your computer.
- NCQ (Native Command Queuing) technology: Optimizes the command queue to improve drive performance.
SATA evolution:
- SATA I (1.5 Gbps): First generation, providing speeds up to 150 MB/s.
- SATA II (3 Gbps): Second generation, doubling the data transfer rate to 300 MB/s.
- SATA III (6 Gbps): Third generation, providing a maximum throughput of 600 MB/s.
