Serial-Attached SCSI Analyzer Supports Wide Links

Sept. 15, 2003

Billed as the industry's first Serial Attached Small Computer System Interface (SAS) analyzer, the SASTracer can support "wide" links. It's software-upgradable to support Serial ATA II (SATA) protocol analysis. The analyzer forms a single flexible...

Roger Allan

Built on CATC's UPAS 10K, SASTracer is expandable to support multiple SAS channels known as "wide" links. Initially supporting two-wide SAS connections, it will be upgradable to support four-wide links by the fourth quarter. The CATC Trace expert analysis software will automatically and logically group all frames and primitives that are part of a common operation at the Application Layer, even if they're spread across multiple physical pathways within a wide link. The analyzer records and analyzes out-of-band signaling problems, rate matching, and timing deltas between ALIGN bursts. With full support for SSP and SMP protocols, it decodes and displays all SAS Link Layer primitives up through SCS and Management Application layers.

The SASTracer is available now. Check CATC's Web site for pricing and updates.

Computer Access Technology Corp.www.catc.com (800) 909-2282

About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.