The "In-depth Exploration of Serial Attached SCSI" course provides students with a comprehensive insight into the operation of the Serial SCSI interface. The class examines the evolution of SCSI, summarizes the operation of the parallel SCSI interface and then explores in detail the operation of Serial SCSI at all architectural levels. The class concludes with a study of new application areas in which Serial SCSI will be deployed.

Course Outline
Introduction Parallel SCSI Overview:  Physical Interface, Protocol, and Command Language  SCSI-3 Architectural Model Architecture:  Physical links and phys  Ports (narrow and wide ports)  SAS devices: Initiators, Targets, Target/Initiators and Expanders  Domains  Expander device topologies  Connections and Pathways Names and identifiers:  SAS addresses  Hashed SAS address  Port names and identifiers  Phy identifier State machines Transmit data path Resets  Reset overview  Hard reset  Loss of signal Expander device model  Expander device model overview  Expander ports  Expander connection manager and router (ECM & ECR) and interface  Broadcast primitive processor and interface  Expander device interface Physical layer SATA and SAS cables and connectors Connectors  SAS plug, internal cable receptacle, backplane receptacle, external cable receptacle, external plug connectors Cables (Internal & External) Backplanes Driver & receiver electrical characteristics Eye masks Transmitted & Received signal characteristics Jitter & Jitter tolerance Impedance specifications Electrical TxRx connections Driver & Receiver characteristics Spread spectrum clocking Non-tracking clock architecture	Phy layer Encoding (8b10b) Character encoding & decoding, Bit order Out of band (OOB) signals Phy reset sequences SAS phy (SP) state machine  OOB sequence states   SAS phy dword synchronization (DWS) state machine Spin-up Link layer Primitives overview and summary Primitive sequences SAS, SSP, and STP primitives Clock skew management CRC (generating and checking) Scrambling Bit order of CRC and scrambler Address frames (IDENTIFY and OPEN) identification and hard reset sequence  Initiator specific rules  Fanout expander device specific rules  IDENTIFY AND HARD RESET (IR) state machines Power management Near end analog loopback test Domain changes Connections (Opening, requests & resposes) Arbitration fairness Expander devices and connection requests Abandoning, Breaking, and Closing connection requests SAS link layer state machine for initiator phys and target phys (SL) SAS link layer state machine for expander phys (XL) Error handling Rate matching SSP link layer:  Opening an SSP connection  SSP frame transmission and flow control  Closing an SSP connection  SSP link layer (SSP) state machines STP link layer:  STP frame transmission and flow control  Preparing to close an STP connection  STP link layer (STP) state machines SMP link layer:  SMP frame transmission and flow control  Preparing to close an SMP connection  SMP link layer (SMP) state machines	Transport layer SSP transport layer and frame format Information units: COMMAND, TASK, XFER_RDY, DATA, and RESPONSE Frame sequences: COMMAND, TASK, XFER_RDY, DATA, and RESPONSE frame rules SSP transport layer handling of link layer errors SSP transport layer error handling SSP transport layer state machines STP transport layer:  SATA tunneling  SATA tunneling for multiple initiator ports  STP transport layer (TT) state machines SMP transport layer:  SMP_REQUEST frame  SMP_RESPONSE frame  SMP transport layer state machines  Initiator, Expander, and target device state machines Application layer SCSI application layer:  SCSI mode parameters  Protocol-Specific Port mode page  Protocol-Specific Logical Unit mode page  SCSI log parameters  SCSI commands  ATA application layer Management application layer SMP functions: REPORT GENERAL, REPORT SATA CAPABILITIES, REPORT MANUFACTURER INFORMATION, REPORT ROUTE INFORMATION DISCOVER, REPORT PHY ERROR LOG, REPORT PHY SATA, REPORT PHY MARGIN SETTINGS, CONFIGURE ROUTE INFORMATION, PHY CONTROL, PHY MARGIN CONTROL SCSI architecture mapping Names and identifiers Protocol services: Send SCSI Command, SCSI Command Received, Send Command Complete, Command Complete Received, Send Data-In, Data-In Delivered, Receive Data-Out, Data-Out Received, Send Task Management Request, Task Management Request Received, Task Management Function Executed, Received Task Management Function-Executed

Who Should Attend
This in-depth technical class is targeted towards engineers involved in the design, development, integration, deployment and maintenance of Serial Attached SCSI storage devices and systems. Day 1 of the class may be taken by those requiring a broad understanding of Serial SCSI technology with less technical depth; this includes technical managers, IT managers and staff, technical writers, technical sales and marketing staff.

Prerequisites: The student should be familiar with computing and storage concepts. In-depth Exploration of SCSI course will benefit the student to understand this technology.
Course Length: 3 Days