ISO IEC 14776-263-2018 PDF

Full title and description

Information technology — Small computer system interface (SCSI) — Part 263: SAS protocol layer - 3 (SPL-3). This international standard defines the protocol-layer rules for Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) interconnects and the transport protocols that operate over SAS (SSP, STP and SMP), enabling interoperable exchange of SCSI and management traffic between initiators, targets and expanders.

Abstract

The SCSI family of standards describes multiple transport protocols and interconnects. ISO/IEC 14776-263:2018 (SPL-3) specifies the SAS protocol layer and three transport protocols that use the SAS interconnect: Serial SCSI Protocol (SSP) for mapping SCSI, Serial ATA Tunneling Protocol (STP) for SATA tunnelling, and Serial Management Protocol (SMP) for device and expander management. The document covers frame formats, primitives, initialization and error-handling behaviors required for SAS-compliant devices and topologies.

General information

• Status: Published / Valid
• Publication date: October 2018 (ISO publication date: 2018-10-30)
• Publisher: Joint ISO/IEC (ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 25)
• ICS / categories: 35.200 (Interface and interconnection equipment)
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2018)
• Number of pages: 860 (as listed by ISO)

Scope

ISO/IEC 14776-263:2018 defines the protocol layer for the Serial Attached SCSI interconnect and specifies three transport protocols that operate over SAS: SSP (Serial SCSI Protocol) which maps SCSI command/response semantics to SAS, STP (Serial ATA Tunneling Protocol) which tunnels SATA over SAS, and SMP (Serial Management Protocol) which provides management and discovery services for SAS devices and expanders. The standard covers link initialization, frame and primitive definitions, addressing/topology considerations, error recovery behaviors and basic management operations required for interoperable SAS systems.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of the SAS protocol layer (SPL-3) including frame formats and protocol primitives.
• Serial SCSI Protocol (SSP): mapping of SCSI semantics for multi-initiator/multi-target operation over SAS.
• Serial ATA Tunneling Protocol (STP): tunneling SATA commands over SAS connections.
• Serial Management Protocol (SMP): device and expander discovery, configuration and management commands.
• Link initialization, PHY/login procedures, and power/port management behaviors.
• Error detection and recovery rules, handling of resets and link events, and interoperability requirements for expanders and routing.
• Conformance expectations for implementers to ensure multi-vendor interoperability in SAS topologies.

Typical use and users

Implementers of storage hardware and firmware (SAS host bus adapters, RAID controllers, storage enclosures, hard drives and SSDs with SAS interfaces), system integrators, test laboratories, and standards committees use this standard. It is intended for engineers designing SAS-compliant devices, firmware developers implementing SSP/STP/SMP, and vendors producing interoperable storage subsystems.

Related standards

ISO/IEC 14776 series parts (other SAS/SCSI protocol layers), related SCSI architecture and command set standards (for example SAM families), and complementary documents such as SCSI Architecture Model (SAM) and SCSI Enclosure Services (SES) specifications. Implementers commonly reference adjacent parts of the 14776 series (SPL, SPL-2) and relevant INCITS/ANSI contributions when designing complete SCSI/SAS solutions.

Keywords

SCSI, SAS, SPL-3, Serial Attached SCSI, SSP, STP, SMP, expanders, PHY, storage interconnect, protocol layer

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO/IEC 14776-263:2018 is an international standard that specifies the SAS protocol layer (SPL-3) and the transport protocols SSP, STP and SMP used over Serial Attached SCSI interconnects.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the protocol definitions, frame and primitive formats, link initialization and recovery behaviors, transport mappings for SCSI and SATA over SAS (SSP and STP), and management functions provided by SMP for devices and expanders.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Hardware and firmware engineers (HBA, controller, drive and enclosure vendors), system integrators, test labs, and standards bodies that design, validate or certify SAS-based storage products.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: This document was published in October 2018 (ISO publication date listed as 2018-10-30) and is recorded as published/valid. There is no ISO record of it being formally superseded as of March 2, 2026; users should check official ISO/IEC publications or national standards bodies for any updates after that date.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — it is part of the ISO/IEC 14776 series of SCSI-related standards (multiple parts address different SCSI protocol layers and command sets); SPL-3 specifically is sub-number 263 in that series.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: SCSI, SAS, SPL-3, SSP, STP, SMP, serial attached SCSI, expanders, protocol layer.