FIELD GUIDESource-led reference
Port & Cable

Family terminology

Storage connector names and aliases

Identify storage and media connector families before reasoning about protocol generation, lane count, power delivery or device compatibility.

31canonical connector forms
106alias entries
5documented shape labels
31engineering profiles

Canonical names and common aliases

Canonical connectorCommon names / abbreviationsShape labelEngineering
SATA 7-pin data connectorSATA data · SATA 7 pin · Serial ATAkeyedEngineering reference →
M.2 card edge interfaceM2 · M.2 · M key · B key · NGFFcard-edgeEngineering reference →
Full-size SD card formSD card · SD slot · full size SDcard-edgeEngineering reference →
microSD card formmicro SD · microSD card · TF cardcard-edgeEngineering reference →
eSATA 7-pin data connectorexternal SATA · e SATA · 7 pin eSATAkeyedEngineering reference →
CompactFlash Type I card interfaceCF card · Compact Flash · 50 pin CompactFlashcard-edgeEngineering reference →
CFast card interfaceCFast 2.0 · CFast card · CFast 1.1card-edgeEngineering reference →
CFexpress Type A card interfaceCFexpress A · CF express type A · Type A camera cardcard-edgeEngineering reference →
CFexpress Type B card interfaceCFexpress B · CF express type B · Type B camera cardcard-edgeEngineering reference →
XQD card interfaceXQD memory card · XQD G seriescard-edgeEngineering reference →
SATA 15-pin power connectorSATA power · 15 pin SATA power · Serial ATA powerbladeEngineering reference →
Slimline SATA connectorSlimline SATA · Slim SATA · SATA slimlinebladeEngineering reference →
SAS SFF-8482 drive connectorSFF-8482 · SAS drive connector · 29 pin SASbladeEngineering reference →
SlimSAS connector familySlimSAS · SFF-8654 · slim SASrectangularEngineering reference →
U.2 / U.3 SFF-8639 68-position drive connectorU.2 · U.3 · SFF-8639 · 68 pin U.2bladeEngineering reference →
Micro SATA connectorMicro SATA · uSATA · micro Serial ATAbladeEngineering reference →
Mini-SAS internal SFF-8087 connectorSFF-8087 · Mini-SAS internal · Mini SAS 8087rectangularEngineering reference →
Mini-SAS external SFF-8088 connectorSFF-8088 · Mini-SAS external · Mini SAS 8088rectangularEngineering reference →
Mini-SAS HD internal SFF-8643 connectorSFF-8643 · Mini-SAS HD internal · Mini SAS HD 8643rectangularEngineering reference →
Mini-SAS HD external SFF-8644 connectorSFF-8644 · Mini-SAS HD external · Mini SAS HD 8644rectangularEngineering reference →
OCuLink SFF-8611 / SFF-8612 connector familyOCuLink · SFF-8611 · SFF-8612 · PCIe OCuLinkrectangularEngineering reference →
PCI Express x16 164-position card-edge connectorPCIe x16 · PCI Express x16 slot · 164-position PCIe · x16 card edgecard-edgeEngineering reference →
MCIO / SFF-TA-1016 connector familyMCIO · Mini Cool Edge IO · SFF-TA-1016 · Mini Cool Edge I/OribbonEngineering reference →
SFF-TA-1002 1C 56-contact connectorSFF-TA-1002 1C · EDSFF 1C · 1C 56-contact · 1C connectorcard-edgeEngineering reference →
SFF-TA-1002 2C 84-contact connectorSFF-TA-1002 2C · EDSFF 2C · 2C 84-contact · 2C connectorcard-edgeEngineering reference →
SFF-TA-1002 4C 140-contact connectorSFF-TA-1002 4C · EDSFF 4C · 4C 140-contact · 4C connectorcard-edgeEngineering reference →
SFF-TA-1002 4C+ 168-contact connectorSFF-TA-1002 4C+ · EDSFF 4C+ · 4C plus 168-contact · 4C+ connectorcard-edgeEngineering reference →
PCI Express x1 36-position card-edge connectorPCIe x1 · PCI Express x1 slot · 36-position PCIe · x1 card edgecard-edgeEngineering reference →
PCI Express x4 64-position card-edge connectorPCIe x4 · PCI Express x4 slot · 64-position PCIe · x4 card edgecard-edgeEngineering reference →
PCI Express x8 98-position card-edge connectorPCIe x8 · PCI Express x8 slot · 98-position PCIe · x8 card edgecard-edgeEngineering reference →
Mini PCI Express / mSATA 52-position socketMini PCIe · Mini PCI Express · mSATA socket · 52-position mini cardcard-edgeEngineering reference →

Related comparison paths

SD versus microSDCompare physical card forms; verify capacity, bus and speed class separately.Internal SATA data versus eSATAExternal data cabling does not establish the device power arrangement.CompactFlash versus CFastSimilar names refer to different card families.CFexpress Type A versus Type BRecord the type letter and supported reader, not just the family name.XQD versus CFexpress Type BA shared form factor does not establish device or firmware support.SATA, Slimline SATA and Micro SATAWhich physical SATA-family variant does the exact device specify?Mini-SAS internal SFF-8087 versus Mini-SAS HD SFF-8643Is the internal storage connector legacy Mini-SAS SFF-8087 or Mini-SAS HD SFF-8643? Connector-family identity is only the first layer; implementation-specific electrical and protocol requirements still need exact documentation.Mini-SAS external SFF-8088 versus Mini-SAS HD SFF-8644Is the external storage connector SFF-8088 or the higher-density SFF-8644 form? Connector-family identity is only the first layer; implementation-specific electrical and protocol requirements still need exact documentation.OCuLink versus SlimSASWhich compact cabled storage/PCIe connector family is documented by the host and cable? Connector-family identity is only the first layer; implementation-specific electrical and protocol requirements still need exact documentation.PCIe x16 card edge versus MCIO cabled interconnectIs the host interface a card-edge slot or an MCIO/SFF-TA-1016 cabled interconnect family? Connector-family identity is only the first layer; implementation-specific electrical and protocol requirements still need exact documentation.SFF-TA-1002 1C versus 2C connectorsIs the documented SFF-TA-1002 variation 1C/56-contact or 2C/84-contact? Contact count distinguishes these forms but does not establish device protocol or host support.SFF-TA-1002 4C versus 4C+ connectorsIs the documented variation 4C/140-contact or 4C+/168-contact? The family label alone is not enough to establish the exact connector or implementation.

Open the full Storage family reference →

Common searches routed here

Mini-SAS, SlimSAS, OCuLink and MCIO namesResolve common server and storage interconnect names and SFF identifiers before checking lane count or protocol implementation.CompactFlash, CFast, XQD and CFexpress typesDistinguish removable-media families and physical forms before checking a camera or reader.EDSFF 1C vs 2C vs 4C vs 4C+Identify the represented SFF-TA-1002 physical variation while keeping implementation-specific logical assignment and device support separate.PCIe x1 vs x4 vs x8 vs x16 slot sizeSeparate PCIe mechanical slot/card-edge form from active lanes, generation, bifurcation and exact platform support.Mini PCIe vs mSATA vs M.2Keep the shared Mini PCIe/mSATA socket family distinct from M.2 and from device-specific electrical implementation.How many contacts do SD and microSD cards have?Identify the conventional first row without assuming every SD generation has the same contact count.
Discovery is not a compatibility verdict.

These discovery surfaces route and reorganize facts already represented in the atlas. They do not add electrical ratings, universal pinouts, measured tolerances, exact-device support, wiring approval or an end-to-end compatibility result.