Master and slave clarification

Although they are in extremely common use, the terms "master" and "slave" do not actually appear in current versions of the ATA specifications. The two devices are simply referred to as "device 0" and "device 1", respectively, in ATA-2 and later.

It is a common myth that the controller on the master drive assumes control over the slave drive, or that the master drive may claim priority of communication over the other device on the channel. In fact, the drivers in the host operating system perform the necessary arbitration and serialization, and each drive's onboard controller operates independently of the other.

The terms "master" and "slave" have not been without controversy. In 2003, the County of Los Angeles, California, US requested that, when possible, suppliers stop using the terms because the county found them unacceptable in light of its "cultural diversity and sensitivity".

July 9, 2011

Continue

Featured