This article is out of date, but may still be useful to some readers.
Ultra SCSI
Seagate Technology
920 Disc Drive
Scotts Valley, CA 95066-4544
408-438-6550
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Ultra SCSI is the next major performance advancement to the Small Computer System Interface (SCSI). Ultra SCSI boosts data transfer rates from the current limit of 1 0 Mbytes per second for Fast SCSI-2 to 20 Mbytes per second. It also doubles the Fast Wide SCSI-2 data transfer rate from 20 to 40 Mbytes per second. These performance improvements create the bandwidth necessary to support the data intensive applications to be used in the coming generation of servers, workstations and high-end personal computers.
The increased data transfer rates are attributable to the faster cycle times for data transfer and the arbitration of SCSI commands. Host systems and devices using Ultra SCSI will be able to negotiate optimal parameters for speed, width, offset, etc. These improvements in cycle times are primarily fueled by the higher speed of new semiconductor technologies employed in SCSI chipsets.
Easing the migration from the huge investment in other SCSI versions, Ultra SCSI is backward-compatible with previous generations of SCSI and uses the same physical environment. Cables, connectors, and terminators that support SCSI can support Ultra SCSI. More importantly, Ultra SCSI can be integrated without having to modify or change operating systems.
Strategically, Ultra SCSI is the logical migration of SCSI to accommodate system-level technology improvements and ever-increasing demand by users for higher performance. While the infrastructure to support the Fibre Channel serial interface is developing, Ultra SCSI is the cost-effective solution for servers and workstations in the near term. Over time, Ultra SCSI will appear in personal computers as integration costs decline.
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