According to Peter Polanowski, director of Percept’s Data Storage/ITE business unit, “Today’s IT managers are always looking for ways to make storage less expensive and easier to deploy and manage. Data storage companies have responded by introducing new interfaces to streamline and simplify interface connections between servers and storage subsystems. Many companies are adopting SATA interfaces to simplify device interconnect and lower the total cost of a system. Likewise, SAS interfaces offer a new, lower cost alternative to parallel SCSI, providing system designers and users with more flexibility when it comes to connecting storage devices and servers. Both of these interfaces decrease cost and increase dependability, making them popular new choices for data connectivity.”

Percept now delivers specialized SAS and SATA testing at both the command level and protocol level, as well as interoperability testing:

• Command-level Testing – Using custom test tools, Percept runs systematic tests to verify that all required and optional commands are being communicated and executed properly. Percept test tools support both disk and tape device testing with a collection of exhaustive test scripts. Any potential problems discovered during testing can be addressed and fixed, pre-empting expensive field problems and customer satisfaction issues.
• Protocol-level Testing – In addition to command-level testing, Percept is able to test the SATA or SAS link at the protocol level. Using specialized tools, experienced staff simulates protocol errors and verifies that systems recognize and recover link-level exceptions as they occur. This type of testing allows Percept to exercise additional functionality that may have significant impact on the stability and robustness of the data subsystem.
• Interoperability Testing - Percept can also verify that SATA and SAS devices function correctly with the wide variety of corresponding equipment currently available on the market – assuring seamless integration into the customer environment, and avoiding product launch surprises and future support problems.

Percept Technology Labs is an established, independent product test and consulting company with a proven track record of helping customers test and improve their products since 1996. Specializing in data storage, ITE and consumer electronics products, Percept does more than simply test products in its 5,000 square foot real world and environmentally controlled lab spaces. With years of specialized technology testing experience and absolute commitment to customer care, the Percept team manages the entire product testing, improvement and certification process from start to finish. Percept provides everything clients need to launch and deliver their products around the world – on time and within budget. Customers include leading information technology equipment (ITE), data storage, consumer electronics, scientific instrumentation, and telecommunications firms. To learn about Percept’s full line of testing and consulting services, visit www.percept.com or call 303-444-7480.

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