Which storage technology is based on serial communications, can be used in both an internal and external interface, and supports speeds up to 3.0 gigabits per second?
A) PATA
B) IDE
C) SCSI
D) SATA
Answer: D) SATA
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment is the latest generation of storage technologies, and it’s high speed interface can be used internally through SATA interfaces or externally through eSATA ports. With speeds at 1.5 gigabits per second and 3.0 gigabits per second, the SATA interface is one of the fastest around.
The incorrect answers:
A) PATA
The older PATA (Parallel AT Attachment, formerly called ATA) is based on parallel communication paths, not serial links.
B) IDE
The older Western Digital Integrated Drive Electronics standard was popular for a long time, and you’ll find many legacy systems with IDE interfaces. The terms IDE, ATA, and PATA are used interchangeably as the same interface type.
C) SCSI
The Small Computer Systems Interface has been around for years, and it continues to evolve into newer and faster interface types. There are newer serial versions of SCSI in use, but their speeds aren’t currently quite matching SATA’s 3.0 gigabits per second.
 |
Want to know more? Watch “Storage Overview.”Understanding the fundamentals of personal computer storage is an important CompTIA A+ topic. In this module, we’ll provide you with an overview of computer storage systems, an explanation of disk geometry, and a description of how the master boot record manages to get your operating system started. |