# Explain like I'm a toddler - Data cables

**URL:** https://forum.45homelab.com/t/explain-like-im-a-toddler-data-cables/864
**Category:** Hardware
**Created:** [December 17, 2023, 11:00pm UTC](https://forum.45homelab.com/t/explain-like-im-a-toddler-data-cables/864 "2023-12-17T23:00:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
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### Author: ![pcHome](https://forum.45homelab.com/user_avatar/forum.45homelab.com/pchome/32/1207_2.png) [@pcHome](https://forum.45homelab.com/u/pcHome)
#### Post date: [December 18, 2023, 12:09am UTC](https://forum.45homelab.com/t/explain-like-im-a-toddler-data-cables/864/2 "2023-12-18T00:09:02Z")

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Generally speaking, the backplane would have the connectors for both power and SATA/SAS. The backplane would then connect to either PCIe HBA card or to the motherboard itself.

In this post there was [a picture of the HL-15 with just the backplane installed](https://forum.45homelab.com/t/hl15-high-resolution-images-my-first-impression/667) via @Glitch3dPenguin who only bought the case and backplane (as he shared in the post).

As the Z690 does not have a builtin HBA, do you have a separate PCIe card (for your HBA)?

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