News Release
VIA Announces the VIA VT6421 PCI Serial ATA RAID Controller
for Next Generation PC Storage Flexibility
New VIA VT6421 PCI Serial ATA RAID Controller integrates
Cardbus support for mobile and compact PCs and Combo support
for greater peripheral connectivity
Taipei, Taiwan, 13 January 2004 - VIA Technologies, Inc,
a leading innovator and developer of silicon chip technologies
and PC platform solutions, today announced the launch
of the VIA VT6421, a discrete controller providing high
performance Serial ATA RAID. Built on VIA's renowned DriveStation™
technology, the VIA VT6421 controller supports the full
spectrum of PC processor platforms for desktop and mobile
PCs, enabling control through PCI and Cardbus (PCMCIA)
interfaces.
The VIA VT6421 Serial RAID controller provides support
for two Serial ATA Hard Drives and two IDE devices and
combines exceptionally fast disk data transfer rates and
optimal data integrity with easy installation and manageability
through support for multiple RAID configurations, Level
0, Level 1 and JBOD.
Combined with one of the VIA Vectro line of USB2.0 host
controllers or any other USB2.0 host controller, the VIA
VT6421 supports Combo solutions, enabling single solutions
with dual functionality, significantly reducing costs
and design complexity. The VIA VT6421 therefore enables
system builders to design a greater range of Serial ATA-enabled
peripheral cards, offering consumers enhanced connectivity
and storage flexibility.
"The VIA VT6421 Serial ATA RAID controller provides
a cost effective and easily integrated single chip package
with an excellent combination of the new ultra fast dual
channel Serial ATA interface, the flexibility of multi-level
RAID configurations and backwards compatibility with Parallel
ATA," commented Eric Lin, Product Manager, VIA Technologies,
Inc., "Offering Serial ATA RAID control with support
for PCI or Cardbus as well as Combo solutions, VIA shows
its commitment in leading the market towards the adoption
of Serial ATA Interface."
As the industry moves toward smaller form factor designs,
the VIA VT6421 Serial ATA RAID controller offers system
builders much simpler and more practical cabling and installation
for improved airflow within the more compact chassis over
that of Parallel ATA, while the smaller connector size
reduces board real estate requirements, further enables
smaller system designs.
The VIA DriveStation™ Controller Suite provides
the most comprehensive set of high-performance integrated
storage interface technologies. VIA is driving the transition
from Parallel ATA to Serial ATA technology by providing
integrated and discrete controllers featuring its DriveStation™
technology, enabling OEMs and systems builders to take
full advantage of Serial ATA, high-speed 150Mbps dual
channel connections, while retaining support for current
Parallel ATA-133 devices.
VIA and Serial ATA
Serial ATA is in the process of succeeding Parallel
ATA to become the standard drive interface for all desktop
and notebook PCs and is projected to represent over 90
percent of total desktop and mobile PC hard disk drive
shipments by 2005. VIA is a key driver of the adoption
of Serial ATA on the PC platform, providing discrete Serial
ATA controllers and integrated solutions such as the VIA
VT8237R South Bridge.
The VIA DriveStation™ Controller Suite provides
the most comprehensive set of high-performance integrated
storage interface technologies. In addition to enabling
high-speed dual channel connections to new generation
Serial ATA Hard Drives, it combines exceptionally fast
disk data transfer rates and optimal data integrity with
easy installation and manageability through the V-RAID
native RAID controller. VIA DriveThru™ technology
enables the hot-swap of Serial ATA Hard Drives without
the need for configuration.
About the VIA VT6421 Serial ATA RAID Controller
The VIA VT6421, with dual channel Serial ATA for two
devices, offers real data transfer rates of up to 150Mbps
between storage devices, giving a significant performance
improvement in data intensive and bulk storage applications.
The VIA VT6421 supports Cardbus solutions for mobile PCs
and Combo solutions with USB2.0 host controllers for enhanced
connectivity.
Apart from Serial ATA connectivity, the VIA VT6421 provides
multi-level RAID support including RAID Level 0 for maximum
performance, RAID Level 1 for maximum security and JBOD
for combining multiple drives into one larger one recognized
as a single drive by the operating system. The VIA VT6421
is also backwards compatible with Parallel ATA, integrating
a dual channel Parallel ATA-133 controller, offering support
for IDE devices without the requirement for adaptors.
The VIA VT6421 is compatible with a complete range of
Intel, AMD and VIA based processing platforms and with
Microsoft® Windows® 9X/ME/NT4/2K/XP and major
Linux based Operating Systems.
The VIA VT6421 is available in a single chip form with
a small 14x20mm, 128 pin PQFP package. For more information
please click here. |
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