[USB 3.0 to SATA]Seeking advice for bridge board

[czhao]

I am working on an embedded system which acts as a write blocker from USB3.0 to a SATA harddrive. This device is supposed to block all the writing commands to to harddrive.
I have been reading Jan Axelson's USB Massage Storage but it is difficult for me to find out a good solution to my project from that book.
My question is, will a super USB to SATA bridge board suffice? Or will I need some specially smart microcontrollers for firmware programming?
Since it is working as a command filtering device but not simply a USB mass storage device, it sucks when you have to take care both ports (super USB and SATA).

[Jan Axelson]

Looking at the capabilities of the bridge board you're thinking of using should help in answering this. If the bridge board handles the conversion in hardware/embedded code, you'll have to design and program your own bridge.

Jan

[czhao]

Yes. There are quite a few super USB bridge boards around the market nowadays. But when I contacted those manufacturers, I got to know most of those boards are read-only for example, the U3-SATA3-RO bridge board from DATOptic. Have you got any information about any USB 3.0 programmable boards, for instance some programmable microcontrollers like in your book USB MASS STORAGE?

[Jan Axelson]

Since the purpose of the bridge chips is to take the work out of bridging the interfaces, it's not surprising that they're not programmable. So you may have to design and program your own bridge. 

Jan

[czhao]

So to design a new bridge, I guess we need a USB 3.0 support microcontroller which is programmable for firmware development. I saw several USB2.0 samples suggested in your book USB　Mass storage, could you give any advice on the choice of microcontrollers on USB 3.0？

[Jan Axelson]

Cypress has announced an FX3 controller, but I don't know if development boards are available yet. PLX is another source for controllers. I don't have direct experience with either.

In any case, it's an ambitious project due to the speeds involved and the newness of USB 3.0 - the spec is a few years old, but there is a lag in the release of development chips and tools.

Jan

[czhao]

Yes. You are right. Since there are very few USB 3.0 controllers provided in the market, it seems that we do not have too many choices.
Thank you very much for your suggestion. We would try to reach to those companies.