A system technician is categorizing legacy and modern storage technologies for an enterprise hardware refresh. Match each storage interface standard or form factor on the left with its correct physical or bandwidth performance characteristic on the right.
- SATA Revision 3.0 InterfaceDelivers a maximum bus transfer rate of 6 Gbps (~600 MB/s practical throughput)
- NVMe protocol over PCIe 4.0 x4Attains raw throughput up to ~8 GB/s utilizing 4 high-speed point-to-point PCIe lanes
- mSATA Form FactorUses the legacy mini-PCIe card slot form factor to pass standard SATA drive signals
- M.2 Socket 2 (B-Keyed) SlotProvides up to 2 PCIe lanes or SATA bus throughput, physically keyed with gaps at pins 12–19
Answer
SATA Revision 3.0 matches 6 Gbps transfer rate (~600 MB/s practical throughput); NVMe over PCIe 4.0 x4 matches raw throughput up to ~8 GB/s; mSATA matches the mini-PCIe physical slot form factor carrying SATA signals; M.2 Socket 2 (B-Keyed) matches PCIe x2/SATA capability keyed at pins 12–19.
Each storage standard is accurately matched to its bus design, keying, or throughput specification. SATA Revision 3.0 caps out at 6 Gbps. NVMe over PCIe 4.0 x4 reaches ~8 GB/s total bandwidth. mSATA physically reuses the mini-PCIe interface for SATA signaling. M.2 Socket 2 (B-Key) is physically keyed at pins 12–19 and restricted to a maximum of 2 PCIe lanes or SATA signaling.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Storage Device Interface Standards, Physical Form Factors, and Keying Specifications