Compex Systems Advanced SerialRAID Adapters SA33-3285-02 - Manual (Page 23)

Chapter 1. Introducing SSA and the Advanced SerialRAID Adapters
This chapter describes:
v Serial storage architecture (SSA).
v The Advanced SerialRAID Adapter and the Advanced SerialRAID Plus Adapter.
Physically, the two types of adapter are the same. The Advanced SerialRAID Plus
Adapter, however, provides additional functions.
In this book, the name “Advanced SerialRAID Adapter” is used both for the Advanced
SerialRAID Adapter and for the Advanced SerialRAID Plus Adapter, unless otherwise
stated.
Serial Storage Architecture (SSA)
Serial Storage Architecture (SSA) is an industry-standard interface that provides
high-performance fault-tolerant attachment of I/O storage devices. In SSA subsystems,
transmissions to several destinations are multiplexed; the effective bandwidth is further
increased by spatial reuse of the individual links. Commands are forwarded
automatically from device to device along a loop until the target device is reached.
Multiple commands can be travelling around the loop simultaneously. SSA retains the
SCSI-2 commands, queuing model, and status and sense bytes.
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