IDE Vs. ATA Hard Drives
Development of the IDE hard drive specification was an innovation leading to the rapid development of the personal computer. IDE drives incorporate the data logic controller interface as an integrated piece, allowing for increased signal stability and faster data transfer to and from the disk. The ATA system updated format standards of the original IDE drive specification, allowing a second hard disk to be integrated within a computer system as well as other improvements.
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History
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The Integrated Device Electronics (IDE) interface was developed in 1980. Until then, hard drives (hard cards) were small cards plugged into a larger integrated controller card to control drives as software demanded. The HardCard, developed by Quantum Corp., was a 3.5-inch disk, simple in design and a quick way to add storage as a peripheral device to existing computer schemata without major change to the controlling hard drive.
These cards were the standard for the larger computer systems of the time. Several issues, however, made them hard to use. When installed in a slot, the cards usually took up enough space to block the next spot, reducing the capacity of the controller to handle additional cards. Also, the cards were heavy and attached to the interface with one screw. This stressed the connector itself and led to loosening and vibration of the card, resulting in a loss of data integrity.
IDE
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The IDE interface was pioneering in that the design contained its own logic controller mechanism, allowing relocation of the drive to a bay like other peripherals. Connected by a serial cable to a bus slot or other controller, the drive reduced the amount of space required to increase storage capabilities. This design also provided these other benefits over other hard disks: increased integrity of the signal, simplicity in design and installation and a specific standard of data handling for logic controller interfaces.
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Benefits
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As noted, the integrated logic controller hard drive design led to the redesign of the personal (standalone) computing system. Compaq, a competitor of IBM, was a leader in this area. Partnering with interface logic company Western Digital, Compaq refined the operation and interface, resulting in the 1986 release of the Deskpro 386 system. This system grew in popularity among mainstream personal computer users, forcing other manufacturers to replicate the technology in their own models.
ATA
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ATA, or Advanced Technology Attachment, began as a drive interface design among a group of software and hardware providers. The IBM PC/AT was the first computer system to use the faster 16-bit ISA bus. The ATA specification did not replace IDE but enhanced its operation through several advances such as increased speed. This was an important progression, since competing data-transfer design variants of the interface were soon abandoned.
Advances
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As personal computer use exploded, manufacturers realized that every computer was going to require an IDE hard disk. This forced a redesign in the interior operation of the computer, leading to the integration of IDE/ATA controllers directly into the chipsets of motherboards, allowing direct drive connection. This resulted in a design that held the operational logic either on the drive or the motherboard itself, completely eliminating the need for peripheral controller cards.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Matt Rudge
