What Is SCSI Drive?

A Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) is an interface used to connect and transfer information between hardware. A hard drive is known as a SCSI drive when the back of the device has SCSI connectors that are cable input slots.

History

The SCSI interface was first introduced in 1981 by Larry Boucher who pioneered the previous interface known as SASI. The goal was to provide a connection between hardware devices such as drives and motherboards.

Speed

SCSI drives offer faster data transfer speeds than it competitors ATA and IDE. Although ATA and IDE are common for desktop users, these drives do not offer as many features as SCSI which can foster the connection of multiple interfaces.

Linked

SCSI drives can be connected together. This is known as the daisy chain. The device has an open secondary port which is used to connect the next drive. Multiple drives can be daisy chained.

Popularity

The drive and its interface is often used for complicated wide area networks and work stations. This is because SCSI serves several interfaces within its own protocols such as parallel SCSI and serial attached SCSI.

Connection

A SCSI drive is connected via a flat ribbon cable that has multiple pins that are inserted into the back of the drive. The first ribbon, called SCSI One, was defined by its 50-pin capacity.