Host Bus Adapter (HBA)

A host adapter enables connectivity of peripheral units to a computer and provides input/output support and processing. It also has the ability to perform some low-level processing operations, which helps reduce the load on the primary processor. Each computer can have multiple host bust adapters connected to it at the same time. Common examples of host adapters are Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE) adapters, Serial Advanced Technology Attachments (SATA), Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) and Firewire. Moreover, HBAs also include devices that have the capability to support Ethernet and Fire Channel.