(e) What is the need of interfaces like SCSI and IDE in a computer system?

Assume that
you are purchasing a computer with high-end graphics capability, which of the two
interfaces would you use for such computer? Justify your answer.
(2 Marks)

Solution:-

SCSI
(sku4ze) Short for small computer system interface, a parallel interface standard used by
Apple Macintosh computers, PCs and many UNIX systems for attaching peripheral
devices to computers. Nearly all Apple Macintosh computers, excluding only the earliest
Macs and the recent iMac, come with a SCSI port for attaching devices such as disk
drives and printers. SCSI interfaces provide for data transmission rates (up to 80
megabytes per second). In addition, you can attach multiple devices to a single SCSI
port, so that SCSI is really an I/O bus rather than simply an interface.

ATA/ IDE
(Also known as IDE) is a disk drive implementation that integrates the controller on the
disk drive itself. ATA is used to connect hard disk drives, CD-ROM drives and similar
peripherals and supports 8/16-bit interface that transfer up to 8.3MB/s for ATA-2 and
up to 100MB/s (ATA-6).

So, what do parallel interfaces have to do with SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) and SATA
(Serial ATA)? A lot, actually. It is the architectural limitations of the parallel interfaces
that serial technologies like SAS and SATA address. In contrast to multiple parallel data
stream, data is transmitted serially, that is in a single steam, by wrapping multiple bits
into packets and it is able to move that single stream faster than parallel technology.

Today, the majority of computers users are switching from IDE and SCSI to SATA disk
drives. However, for users trying to decide between IDE (ATA) and SCSI review the
below chart for pros and cons on each.

Topic ATA/IDE SCSI

Cost Overall, IDE is a much cheaper When compared with IDE, SCSI is
solution. often more expensive to implement
and support.
Expansion IDE/EIDE allows 2 two devices SCSI is capable of supporting up to 7
per channel. Most computers or 15 devices.
have 2 channels.
Ease IDE is commonly a much easier
product to setup than SCSI.
Faster Today, the latest IDE and SCSI
drives running at the same RPM
are very close. However, 10,000+
RPM drives are often only
available for SCSI.
Resources All motherboards today have an
ATA/IDE interface and unless
additional drives are needed no
additional resources need to be
taken.
Configuring SCSI can be more difficult
for most users when compared to
IDE.
All the fastest drives are almost
always available for SCSI first and in
many cases 10,000+ RPM hard drives
are only available as SCSI drives.
Unlike IDE, SCSI requires an interface
expansion card in most cases (unless
the motherboard already has it). This
means additional system resources
will be required.