This course provides students with a comprehensive insight into the operation of the Serial Attached SCSI interface. The class examines the evolution of SCSI, summarizes the operation of the parallel SCSI interface and then explores in detail the operation of Serial Attached SCSI at all architectural levels. The class concludes with a study of new application areas in which Serial SCSI will be deployed. Protocol analyzer traces are used as an aid to understanding.

Course Outline (click for details)

• Introduction

  Details
  	Parallel SCSI Overview:
  	Physical Interface, Protocol, and Command Language
  	SCSI-3 Architectural Model
  	Architecture:
  	Physical links and phys
  	Ports (narrow and wide ports)
  	SAS devices: Initiators, Targets, and Expanders
  	Domains
  	Expander device topologies
  	Connections and Pathways
  	Names and identifiers:
  	SAS addresses
  	Port names and identifiers
  	Phy identifier
  	State machines
  	Transmit data path
  	Resets
  	Expander device model

• Physical layer

  Details
  	SATA and SAS cables and connectors
  	Backplanes
  	Driver and receiver electrical characteristics
  	Eye masks
  	Transmitted & Received signal characteristics
  	Jitter & Jitter tolerance
  	Impedance specifications
  	Electrical TxRx connections
  	Driver & Receiver characteristics

• Phy layer

  Details
  	Encoding (8b10b)
  	Character encoding and decoding
  	Out of band (OOB) signals
  	Phy reset sequences
  	SAS phy (SP) state machine
  	SAS phy dword synchronization (DWS) state machine
  	Spin-up

• Link layer

  Details
  	Primitives overview and summary
  	Primitive sequences
  	SAS, SSP, and STP primitives
  	CRC
  	Scrambling
  	Address frames
  	Fanout expander device specific rules
  	Power management
  	Connections
  	Arbitration fairness
  	Expander devices and connection requests
  	Abandoning, Breaking, and Closing connection requests
  	SAS link layer state machine for initiator phys and target phys (SL)
  	SAS link layer state machine for expander phys (XL)
  	Error handling
  	Rate matching
  	SSP link layer:
  	Opening an SSP connection
  	SSP frame transmission and flow control
  	Closing an SSP connection
  	SSP link layer (SSP) state machines
  	STP link layer:
  	STP frame transmission and flow control
  	Closing an STP connection
  	STP link layer (STP) state machines
  	SMP link layer:
  	SMP frame transmission and flow control
  	Closing an SMP connection
  	SMP link layer (SMP) state machines

• Transport layer

  Details
  	SSP transport layer
  	SSP frame format
  	Information units:
  	COMMAND, TASK, DATA, XFER_RDY, and RESPONSE
  	Frame sequences:
  	COMMAND, TASK, DATA XFER_RDY, and RESPONSE frame rules
  	SSP transport layer handling of link layer errors
  	SSP transport layer error handling
  	SSP transport layer state machines
  	STP transport layer:
  	SATA tunneling
  	STP transport layer (TT) state machines
  	SMP transport layer:
  	SMP_REQUEST frame
  	SMP_RESPONSE frame
  	SMP transport layer state machines
  	Initiator, Expander, and target device state machines

• Application layer

  Details
  	SCSI application layer:
  	SCSI mode parameters
  	Protocol-Specific Port mode page
  	Protocol-Specific Logical Unit mode page
  	SCSI log parameters
  	SCSI commands
  	ATA application layer
  	Management application layer
  	SMP functions:
  	REPORT GENERAL, REPORT SATA CAPABILITIES, REPORT MANUFACTURER INFORMATION, REPORT ROUTE INFORMATION DISCOVER, REPORT PHY ERROR LOG, REPORT PHY SATA, REPORT PHY MARGIN SETTINGS, CONFIGURE ROUTE INFORMATION, PHY CONTROL, PHY MARGIN CONTROL

• SCSI architecture mapping

  Details
  	Names and identifiers
  	Protocol services:
  	Send SCSI Command SCSI Command Received Send Command Complete Command Complete Received Send Data-In Data-In Delivered Receive Data-Out Data-Out Received Send Task Management Request Task Management Request Received Task Management Function Executed Received Task Management Function-Executed

Who Should Attend This in-depth technical class is targeted towards engineers involved in the design, development, integration, deployment and maintenance of Serial Attached SCSI storage devices and systems.
Prerequisites: Should be familiar with computing and storage concepts. In-depth Exploration of SCSI course will benefit the student to understand this technology.
Course Length: 3 days	Download course description (printable version)