Serial ATA II

Less than 6 months after the release of the first version of the Serial ATA specification, the Serial ATA Working Group has announced the formation of the Serial ATA II Working Group. The new group, which the original working group announced at the Intel Developer Forum, will work to add server and network-storage features as well as next-generation signaling speed to Serial ATA 1.0 technology. Companies will use Serial ATA technology to connect internal storage devices such as hard disks, DVDs, and CD-RWs to the motherboard in desktop and mobile PCs, as well as connect to cost-sensitive servers and networked storage.

Members of the new working group include Adaptec, EMC, Eurologic, Fujitsu, IBM, Infineon Technologies North America, LSI Logic, Marvell Technology Group, Molex, NEC, Promise Technology, QLogic, Sierra Logic, Silicon Image, and Western Digital. APT Technologies, Dell, Intel, Maxtor, and Seagate Technology will work to promote the technology.

The Serial ATA II Working Group will complete the Serial ATA II specification in two phases. The first phase will involve server and networked-storage features. The group will define a specification for the first phase by the second half of this year, with products appearing in the market by 2003. Developing a faster signaling rate will be the second development phase. The group will define the specification for the second phase by the second half of 2003, with products appearing in the market by 2004.

http://www.serialata.org