>>isn't NCQ only available in SATA II, not SATA (I)?
> 
> 
> Yes, it's only available in SATA II.
> 
> 
>>furthermore there were lots of other (SCSI) features (S)ATA still lacks...
> 
> 
> Locking up the SCSI bus because of a unit number conflict?
> Termination problems? ;-)
> 
> The big advantage of SATA over any kind of SCSI or FCAL is that it uses
> P2P connections. As a result devices never have to fight for bandwith.

so does SAS -- plus enterprise class (!) hardware, not consumer-oriented
el cheapo stuff. nobody forces you to buy it. ;)

[followup]

the discussion above was on protocol level, not on topology. though one
should pay attention to the whole picture -- which includes SAS, then.