Mini-SAS HD Cable Assemblies

Special Article

Overview
The Amphenol Mini-SAS HD SFF 8644 product range offers high-speed interconnectivity for various applications and includes a Mini-SAS HD copper cable assembly. This Mini-SAS HD storage interface can support 6Gb/s, 12 Gb/s, and 24Gb/s and is compatible with all SAS versions, including SAS 2.1, SAS 3, SAS 4, and PCI Express.

The Mini-SAS HD (MSAS HD) products meet SFF 8644 and SFF 8088 industry standards. With a high port density of 11mm (port-to-port,) our cable assemblies are suitable for various applications, including high-performance computing, rack-mounted servers, and Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks (RAID).

External Mini-SAS HD connectors support x4 and x8 external copper cable assembly solutions and EEPROM.

Your copper cable assembly is integral to the performance of your MSAS HD configuration. Learn the specifications of the Amphenol MSAS HD cables below.

Description
Amphenol offers a wide selection of Micro SATA cables and Mini-SAS HD cable assemblies to complete your data storage configuration. Our 12G and 24G Mini-SAS HD cables are compatible with a wide range of SAS connectors, including SFF 8644 and SFF 8088.

Each copper cable assembly consists of eight differential pairs and a SFF 8644-compliant backshell. The cable has electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) braiding to prevent electromagnetic interference. The cable materials have a UL Type 2 flammability rating, and they comply with REACH and RoHS2 regulations.

This cable is mechanically compliant to SFF 8644 standards, and is STA and PCI interoperability certified to ensure compatibility with various architectures.

Features and Benefits

• Optimized EM-888k laminated PCB with a gold finger, solder pads and separate Tx and Rx board designs, meeting the 24G SAS 4 electrical performance requirement. This PC board design also lowers PS-NEXT, FEXT, and AXT crosstalk.
• A copper cable assembly is available in either a 4x or 8x configuration, providing flexibility for SAS system data bandwidth designs. These assemblies are also compatible with PCI Express 4x and 8x.
• The MSAS HD cable features Electrical Erasable Read-Only Memory, or EEPROM, allowing for standard memory map compliance and the ability to make changes on the fly.
• 26, 28, and 30 American Wire Gauge (AWG) cables have connector backshells with a low-profile design, making a high-density I/O panel port layout possible, provided that the application distance is less than 3 meters.
• The cables feature an enhanced latch design that can withstand a retention force of up to 180N. Because of the high latch retention, cables will maintain their connection, even under stress. The latch design requires a low insertion force, allowing for easy connections.
• A pull-to-release lanyard is available for HD SFF 8644 cable assemblies for easy disconnection. These lanyards are available in different lengths and colors to meet different application needs and system requirements.
• Hybrid HD SFF 8088 to SFF 8644 external cables are available to connect Mini-SAS HD with Mini-SAS, making backward integration with legacy system hardware possible.
• Cable sizes range from 26 to 30 AWG, and can support various cable length options, including 0.3m, 0.5m, 1m, 1.5m, 2m, 3m, 4m, 5m, and 6m.
• The production of every part takes place in compliance with RoHS standards, which lowers the occurrence of defects and ensures adherence to environmental standards.

Applications
A Mini-SAS HD SFF 8644 cable assembly primarily functions as a part of storage applications. This high-performance cable has a small profile so that manufacturers can add more than one part to a single piece of equipment. A typical application is the connection of two storage devices to make data consolidation and sharing possible.

Communications

• (DAS) Communication switches

Data

• Storage racks
• Redundant Arrays of Inexpensive Disks (RAID) systems
• Data servers
• External storage systems
• Direct-attached storage systems
• SAS/SATA HBA interfaces

Product Configuration
As a communication protocol, Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) is ideal for fast data transfers between storage devices. There is a complete part selection available for SAS connections, including connectors and cable assemblies. For external configurations, SFF 8088 and SFF 8644 connections are necessary.

The types of external cable assemblies that Amphenol has available in the United States include:

• SFF 8088 to SFF 8644 Mini-SAS hybrid cable
• SFF 8088 to SFF 8088 Mini-SAS cable
• SFF 8644 to SFF 8644 Mini-SAS HD cable

The type of cable you need depends on your computer system. The primary difference between SFF 8088 and SFF 8644 is the connector part.

The SFF 8088 part has 26 pins, and the SFF 8644 connector has 36 pins. Without a hybrid cable, backward integration between these computer systems is not possible.

If you are looking to connect various storage devices, add the cable assemblies you need to your shopping cart and enjoy high data transfer rates and convenient storage consolidation.