Intel’s Next-Generation Platform to Support SATA Express Natively

From X-bit Labs: Intel Corp.'s 9-series chipsets, which will emerge in the year 2014, will natively support Serial ATA Express interface for storage devices that is based on PCI Express protocol. The new interconnection addresses high-speed solid-state drives and will be able to offer a significant performance boost for SSDs thanks to significantly increased maximum throughput compared to conventional Serial ATA-6Gb/s interface.

Although Intel yet has to release its 8-series code-named Lynx Point chipsets this summer along with its code-named Haswell microprocessors for desktops, notebooks and servers, the company has already began to promote its future-generation 9-series chipsets among mainboard developers. Chinese VR-Zone web-site, which has published a photo from a presentation of the new chipsets, claims that the forthcoming platform from the chip giant will feature a number of important innovations.

Intel 9-series chipsets, which will include such core-logic sets as Z97 and H97 as well as derivatives, will support SATA Express interface for high-speed storage devices, which will bolster performance of high-end SSDs that are currently limited by SATA-6Gb/s. In addition, the core-logic series will support all-new Intel device protection technology with boot guar, which will enhance platform security against low-level malware attacks.

The SATA Express technology will provide a cost-effective means to increase device interface speeds to 8Gb/s and 16Gb/s. The specification will define new device and motherboard connectors that will support both new SATA Express and current SATA devices. The SATA Express connectors will maintain backwards compatibility with current SATA cables and will allow plugging both existing hard drives as well as future SATA Express PCIe-based devices.

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