Host Adapter

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What Does Host Adapter Mean?

A host adapter is an item that connects a central hardware resource to an additional network or storage hardware. Different types of host adapters support different data transfer protocols, reflecting the advancement of data transfer setups.

A host adapter is also known as a host bus adapter (HBA).

Techopedia Explains Host Adapter

A diversity of devices can be called host adapters. Many of them are traditional physical circuit board pieces that are installed in the host device. Some may be more portable or adaptable than others. Even hardware pieces used to connect USB devices can be called host adapters. Most of them will operate in fairly straightforward ways to set up “plug and play” functionality in broader network designs.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.

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