External Serial ATA (eSATA)

Er · ‎06.12.2021

Term

Definition

SATA was created for connecting devices inside a computer. Therefore, the cables and plugs do not have the necessary shielding against electromagnetic interference and the plugs do not have sufficient mechanical resilience for operation outside a (shielded) housing. Very soon the desire arose to be able to connect, for example, external hard disks by means of the fast SATA.

In the early days, this was solved in that on a SATA plug-in card, one SATA connector leads inside the case and the other is led through the slot bracket so that a SATA cable can be connected directly. Cable-side clips on the connectors are used to fix them to the slot bracket and prevent the cable from being pulled out unintentionally. This connection type is only suitable for connecting bare drives that are not in external enclosures.

However, with SATA Revision 2, cables and connectors for external operation were also standardized: External Serial ATA, or eSATA for short. The connectors intended for this are not compatible with those for operation inside the case.

eSATA defines shielded cables up to two meters long and new male/female connectors with the following features:

New incompatible male/female geometry without the L-shape of the SATA male/female connectors, which should prevent cables from being accidentally used externally for internal operation.
Plug and socket are shielded like the cables to prevent electromagnetic interference.
The contacts are located deeper in the plugs/sockets so that the shielding has secure contact and static charge can dissipate before the signal contacts touch.
The bushings have small springs to improve mechanical stability and prevent accidental extraction.
Plugs and sockets should withstand at least 5000 mating cycles (SATA: min. 50).