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VSC7173

Data Sheet

Revision 4.1

May 23, 2005

Confidential

Application Examples

The VSC7173 allows two Serial ATA hosts to access one Serial ATA drive. Figure 1 shows a common application

where redundant I/O controllers in disk arrays have multiplexed access to single-port Serial ATA disk drives.

Another application example (Figure 2) is for simple port replication to enable an existing Serial ATA Host Bus

Adapter (HBA) to connect to two ports. By using the VSC7173, a single channel from the HBA may be selectively

connected to an internal connector or an external connector. The VSC7173 provides both the mulitplexing

functionality and buffering to drive external connections.

Figure 1. Serial ATA Backplane Application

Figure 2. Port Multiplier Application

"Tailgate" Board

Backplane

VSC7173

I/O Controller A

I/O Controller B

Serial ATA Drive

(1 of n)

Port Multiplier

External

Connector

VSC7173

Port A

Port B

Internal

Connector

Serial ATA

Host Bus Adaptor

PCI Bus

External

Connector