Overview
ISO/IEC 17760-102:2016 - ATA/ATAPI Command set - 2 (ACS-2) defines the standard command set that host systems use to access ATA and ATAPI storage devices. As Part 102 of the AT Attachment (ISO/IEC 17760) series, ACS‑2 provides a common, vendor‑neutral specification for commands, feature sets, protocols, and status/error reporting used by systems manufacturers, integrators, and suppliers of intelligent storage devices.
Key topics and technical scope
This edition documents the ATA/ATAPI command semantics and related device behaviors. Major technical topics include:
- ATA command set and ATA protocols - definition of command formats, phases and protocol behaviour for host-to-device communication.
- Feature sets - comprehensive coverage of feature sets such as PACKET (ATAPI), 48‑bit Addressing, Advanced Power Management (APM), Device Configuration Overlay (DCO), Host Protected Area (HPA), Native Command Queuing (NCQ), NV Cache, Power Management, Power‑Up In Standby (PUIS), Sanitize, Security, SMART, Streaming, Trusted Computing, and more.
- Identification and device configuration - IDENTIFY DEVICE data structures and conventions used to report device capabilities.
- Status, error and sense reporting - detailed definitions of Status and Error fields, Interrupt Reason, and error bits used for diagnostics and recovery.
- Data and string conventions - bit/byte ordering, numbering, and field conventions used throughout the standard.
- Protocol interactions and state diagrams - operational behavior including interactions between commands, resets and feature sets.
Practical applications and who uses it
ISO/IEC 17760-102:2016 (ACS‑2) is essential for anyone developing, integrating or validating ATA/ATAPI storage systems:
- Drive firmware engineers - implement compliant command handling, feature sets and error reporting.
- Operating system and driver developers - ensure correct command sequences, power management, and NCQ integration.
- Storage controller and embedded systems designers - enable interoperability between hosts and intelligent storage devices.
- Systems integrators and OEMs - validate device behaviors (HPA, DCO, security, sanitize) for product compatibility.
- Test labs and QA teams - create conformance test suites and diagnostic procedures using standardized status and error semantics.
- Data center operators - rely on standardized features (SMART, power management, sanitize) for reliability and lifecycle management.
Related standards
- Part of the ISO/IEC 17760 AT Attachment family (AT Attachment series).
- Complements vendor specifications for ATA/ATAPI hardware and transport layer documentation.
Keywords: ISO/IEC 17760-102:2016, ACS-2, ATA/ATAPI command set, ATA protocols, HPA, NCQ, SMART, 48-bit addressing, storage device command set, AT Attachment.