- IDE Interface
- EIDE Master/Slave
There are many common interfaces to connect a storage device to a computer. We have discussed Universal Serial Bus (USB) and FireWire in section 2.2.1 Connecting Peripherals. Another common interface not yet discussed is Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE). An IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) is the interface that enables data to transfer between storage devices and the chipset. IDE is designed specifically as disk interface whereas USB and FireWire can interface with other devices besides storage devices such as digital cameras and printers.
Below is a diagram illustrating the disk controller, the IDE interface, and the storage devices with respect to other components in a computer system. Note that the functionality of the disk controller is often integrated into the chipset. 
Figure 1 Disk controller interface and storage devices
