Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumStorage Devices and Interfaces

A server administrator is provisioning storage for a compact edge computing system that features two dedicated M.2 slots on the motherboard:
- Slot A is wired exclusively to four PCIe 4.0 lanes (×4\times 4) from the CPU and supports the NVMe protocol.
- Slot B is connected exclusively to the onboard SATA host controller.

The administrator has two M.2 solid-state drives: an M.2 NVMe SSD and an M.2 SATA SSD. Which TWO of the following statements correctly describe drive compatibility and performance characteristics for this hardware configuration? (Select TWO.)

  1. Installing the M.2 NVMe SSD into Slot B will result in the drive not being recognized by the system because Slot B lacks PCIe lane connectivity.Answer
  2. The M.2 SATA SSD installed in Slot B will be limited to a maximum theoretical transfer throughput of 6 Gbps6\text{ Gbps}.Answer
  3. C
    Installing the M.2 SATA SSD into Slot A will automatically convert its operating protocol to match NVMe PCIe 4.0 speeds.
  4. D
    Both M.2 SSD types utilize the same underlying host bus protocol regardless of whether they communicate over SATA or PCIe signaling.

Answer

Installing the M.2 NVMe SSD into Slot B results in the drive not being recognized due to the lack of PCIe connectivity, and the M.2 SATA SSD performance is constrained to the SATA III transfer limit of 6 Gbps6\text{ Gbps}.
The M.2 form factor is a physical connector standard that can carry either PCIe (NVMe) or SATA protocol signals depending on motherboard trace routing. Because Slot B connects exclusively to a SATA host controller without PCIe lanes, an NVMe SSD installed there cannot communicate and will not be detected. Conversely, an M.2 drive using the SATA protocol is bound by the hardware limitations of the SATA III standard, which caps bandwidth at 6 Gbps6\text{ Gbps}.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the bus wiring and protocol support of Slot B.
Slot B only connects to the SATA host controller and lacks PCIe lanes.
NVMe drives require a PCIe interface to operate; without PCIe signaling, an NVMe SSD will fail to detect.
2
Evaluate the protocol ceiling of the M.2 SATA drive.
The SATA interface limits transfer speeds to 6 Gbps6\text{ Gbps}.
SATA III bus architecture caps theoretical bandwidth at 6 Gbps6\text{ Gbps} regardless of the physical M.2 slot form factor.

Key Concept

M.2 Form Factor vs. Storage Bus Protocols (NVMe vs. SATA)
Rate this question

Topics

Storage Devices and Interfaces

More questions from this topic