VSC7173
Data Sheet
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.
I/O Controller A
VSC7173
I/O Controller B
Serial ATA Drive
(1 of n)
Backplane
"Tailgate" Board
Figure 1. Serial ATA Backplane Application
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.
Serial ATA
Host Bus Adaptor
PCI Bus
Port A
Port B
Internal
Connector
VSC7173
Port Multiplier
Figure 2. Port Multiplier Application
External
Connector
External
Connector
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Confidential
Revision 4.1
May 23, 2005