Educate me on eSATA

[darfur]

I'm looking to build a new system around christmas time, and I've got a few options I'm considering. One is a SFF, and to do this I'll need a multi-bay enclosure of some sort.

I'm definitely considering (wanting) eSATA.

I found one company selling 4/5 bay enclosures that hook up to your pc via only one eSATA link. Now, one model of the enclosure says "multilane connector" and another model has a "port multiplier". What's the difference there? Also, does this mean that with this enclosure, I can connect 4 or 5 hard drives to my computer via only one eSATA connector on the motherboard?

These are the things I'm looking at.

http://www.addonics.com/products/raid_system/ast4.asp

 

[Czar]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SATA

under external sata

 

[darfur]

Great, so the one 5 bay enclosure will allow 5 drives to be accessed through one link to the computer.

Thanks!

 

[Oyeve]

My mobo has eSataII. In order to use it though I would have to cable one of my internal sata connections to another connetor on the mobo to utilize the external connection.

 

[Auric]

I've been considering this too... small PC with seperate multi-drive enclosure, but perhaps of the type with removeable bays and individual power switches. Not really keen on a seperate power suppy for each "end" although that could be overcome even if requiring DIY wiring. Infiniband cabling looks pretty schweet.

Anyone remember an old IBM PC which had the basic connectors, floppy and ROM drive in a unit to be placed on the desk (under display), while the more standard PC box could be located remotely via a proprietary cable? That has always appealed to me.