Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO) announced Monday the completion of the SATA Revision 2.5 specification.
SATA Revision 2.5 is a consolidated, integrated spec that includes the 3Gb/s feature, as
well as other features like Native Command Queuing (NCQ), Staggered Spin-up, Hot Plug, Port
Multiplier and eSATA.
The SATA Revision 2.5 specification gives developers a single document for the most current
information available on the SATA architecture. SATA-IO completed the integrated spec today
and ushered it into the final ratification process required by the organization's bylaws. As
SATA-IO members have early access to all specifications, it is now available within the
members-only area of the SATA-IO Web site at http://sata-io.org/specifications.asp. The
specification is expected to be publicly available in November.
"SATA Revision 2.5 consolidates the original spec and six advanced feature specs spanning
more than five years of development. This integrated spec now comprises the full SATA
feature set and represents a new milestone in the maturity and stability of the technology,"
said Knut Grimsrud, SATA-IO president and chairman and Intel senior principal engineer. "We
are also working to ensure that products based on the SATA specification interoperate
flawlessly by continuing efforts to develop the Interoperability Program."
In an effort to accelerate SATA development, SATA-IO will join member companies, Hitachi
Global Storage Technologies and Maxtor, to host the fifth SATA Plugfest in Milpitas, Calif.
on September 20, 2005. The organization is also finalizing plans for its formalized
Interoperability Program, an extension of the current SATA Plugfest model. The upcoming
Plugfest will give participants an initial look at the highlights of the future
Interoperability Program.
The program is designed for SATA component vendors to show customers third-party validation
support for high-quality, interoperable SATA products. Within the program, SATA-IO will
identify a full set of interoperability testing criteria and plans to roll out the program
in Q2'06.
Slimline Connector Specification
In parallel, SATA-IO also completed the Slimline Connector specification. This spec expands
the SATA market by making it the interface of choice for laptop swap bay and associated
optical drives. The new connector has been tailored to fit within the existing mechanical
dimensions of these swap bays and associated optical peripherals. The Slimline Connector
specification was ratified by SATA-IO and is available within the members-only area of the
Web site at http://sata-io.org/specifications.asp.
The Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO) is the group responsible for developing,
managing and driving adoption of the Serial ATA specifications. Users of the Serial ATA
interface benefit from greater speed, simpler upgradeable storage devices and easier
configuration.