SCSI Toolbox, LLC announced today a new ATA/SATA Control Set, including a task register level interface that gives total low-level control over the testing of ATA or SATA peripheral devices.
The ATA Control Set is the newest capability in the SCSItoolbox Suite of peripheral test/diagnostic tools. In use worldwide since 1992, SCSItoolbox is the industry’s most advanced and widely used testing and diagnostic tool in storage design engineering, development, manufacturing, systems integration, and quality assurance test environments.
The ATA Control Set includes:
The Interactive GUI, which allows any task register command to be sent to any ATA/SATA device. Common commands are pre-defined, and user-defined commands can be added to the command list. Error and status registers display command results, and resulting data can be viewed, edited, and saved. Common ATA functions, such as retrieval of S.M.A.R.T. data, viewing/setting features, and viewing „identify‰ information are implemented with simple menu choices. The GUI also includes an interactive test system with hundreds of „real-world‰ pre-defined commands and tests, from user defined CDB‚s, through complete suites of compliance, performance, and stress tests, for detailed testing of disk drives, tape drives, storage libraries, and processor devices.
Additional Function Calls added to the Developers Toolbox (DTB) API library. The new DTB ATA functions bring full ATA task register level functionality to Visual Basic or Visual C++ programs written using Developers Toolbox.
ATA Bus Trace Operates with the SCSI Toolbox Bus Analyzer Module. The Bus Analyzer Module allows any ATA or SATA bus traffic to be captured, displayed, and analyzed.
Engineering level customers who require access to ATA functionality which are not implemented via ATAPI, will appreciate being able to send any standard or vendor unique command as part of their test process.
QA, ORT, and Manufacturing test customers can retrieve SMART data before or after a test session, as well as the ability to change device configuration as part of the test process.
SCSItoolbox also comes with Manufacturing Modules, a complete high-volume manufacturing/ reliability test/burn-in test system for both disks and tapes. Each drive on up to 16 host bus adapters has its own independent test thread for the highest data throughput and least interaction with other devices under test. A simple Point and Click interface allows complex sequences of tests to be assembled in minutes, and with many pre-defined test sequences included user‚s test lines will be up and running in no time at all. Detailed test reports are generated for each device tested, and an Access database records all test steps and results, allowing users to build up a historical database tracking every drive that passes through their facility.
The Developers Toolbox is also available, and includes a rich library of over 170 functions allowing users to quickly write their own tests in Visual Basic or C++. From simple commands through completely threaded multi-drive high level tests, the Developers Toolbox supplies every tool the user need to write custom tests for any device and any interface. And best of all, the Developer Toolbox lets users program in industry standard programming languages and environments, keeping the learning curve to a minimum.
“This is the first time full low-level ATA testing capabilities have been available in a fully integrated test, development, and bus monitoring environment.,” said SCSI Toolbox CEO Michael Jones. “These features, combined in Version 6.0 with the SCSItoolbox Suite, bring new levels of efficiency to anyone involved in ATA/SATA design, test, or comparison of storage peripheral devices.”
For a description of SCSItoolbox modules go to: http://www.scsitoolbox.com/products/Toolbox.asp
For a description of the ATA/SATA Control Set go to: http://www.scsitoolbox.com/offers/v6Offer.asp
Availability
SCSI Toolbox is now accepting orders for SCSItoolbox Version 6.0, which includes the ATA/SATA Testing Capabilities, with delivery in April 2005. Current customers with maintenance contracts receive the upgrade for free. For more information, please contact SCSI Toolbox Sales at 720.249.2641 or sales@scsitoolbox.com.
About SCSI Toolbox
SCSI Toolbox is the world leader in software testing tools for peripheral design, development, manufacture, and quality inspection and maintenance environments. Since 1992 SCSI Toolbox has been committed to helping manufacturers, OEMs, resellers and system integrators bring quality-tested products to the marketplace by providing leading-edge storage testing solutions.
Learn more about SCSI Toolbox at www.scsitoolbox.com or by calling 720.249.2641.
