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diff --git a/Documentation/scsi/FlashPoint.txt b/Documentation/scsi/FlashPoint.txt new file mode 100644 index 000000000..5b5f29cb9 --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/scsi/FlashPoint.txt @@ -0,0 +1,163 @@ +The BusLogic FlashPoint SCSI Host Adapters are now fully supported on Linux. +The upgrade program described below has been officially terminated effective +31 March 1997 since it is no longer needed. + + + + MYLEX INTRODUCES LINUX OPERATING SYSTEM SUPPORT FOR ITS + BUSLOGIC FLASHPOINT LINE OF SCSI HOST ADAPTERS + + +FREMONT, CA, -- October 8, 1996 -- Mylex Corporation has expanded Linux +operating system support to its BusLogic brand of FlashPoint Ultra SCSI +host adapters. All of BusLogic's other SCSI host adapters, including the +MultiMaster line, currently support the Linux operating system. Linux +drivers and information will be available on October 15th at +http://sourceforge.net/projects/dandelion/. + +"Mylex is committed to supporting the Linux community," says Peter Shambora, +vice president of marketing for Mylex. "We have supported Linux driver +development and provided technical support for our host adapters for several +years, and are pleased to now make our FlashPoint products available to this +user base." + +The Linux Operating System + +Linux is a freely-distributed implementation of UNIX for Intel x86, Sun +SPARC, SGI MIPS, Motorola 68k, Digital Alpha AXP and Motorola PowerPC +machines. It supports a wide range of software, including the X Window +System, Emacs, and TCP/IP networking. Further information is available at +http://www.linux.org and http://www.ssc.com/. + +FlashPoint Host Adapters + +The FlashPoint family of Ultra SCSI host adapters, designed for workstation +and file server environments, are available in narrow, wide, dual channel, +and dual channel wide versions. These adapters feature SeqEngine +automation technology, which minimizes SCSI command overhead and reduces +the number of interrupts generated to the CPU. + +About Mylex + +Mylex Corporation (NASDAQ/NM SYMBOL: MYLX), founded in 1983, is a leading +producer of RAID technology and network management products. The company +produces high performance disk array (RAID) controllers, and complementary +computer products for network servers, mass storage systems, workstations +and system boards. Through its wide range of RAID controllers and its +BusLogic line of Ultra SCSI host adapter products, Mylex provides enabling +intelligent I/O technologies that increase network management control, +enhance CPU utilization, optimize I/O performance, and ensure data security +and availability. Products are sold globally through a network of OEMs, +major distributors, VARs, and system integrators. Mylex Corporation is +headquartered at 34551 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont, CA. + + #### + +Contact: + +Peter Shambora +Vice President of Marketing +Mylex Corp. +510/796-6100 +peters@mylex.com + + ANNOUNCEMENT + BusLogic FlashPoint LT/BT-948 Upgrade Program + 1 February 1996 + + ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENT + BusLogic FlashPoint LW/BT-958 Upgrade Program + 14 June 1996 + +Ever since its introduction last October, the BusLogic FlashPoint LT has +been problematic for members of the Linux community, in that no Linux +drivers have been available for this new Ultra SCSI product. Despite its +officially being positioned as a desktop workstation product, and not being +particularly well suited for a high performance multitasking operating +system like Linux, the FlashPoint LT has been touted by computer system +vendors as the latest thing, and has been sold even on many of their high +end systems, to the exclusion of the older MultiMaster products. This has +caused grief for many people who inadvertently purchased a system expecting +that all BusLogic SCSI Host Adapters were supported by Linux, only to +discover that the FlashPoint was not supported and would not be for quite +some time, if ever. + +After this problem was identified, BusLogic contacted its major OEM +customers to make sure the BT-946C/956C MultiMaster cards would still be +made available, and that Linux users who mistakenly ordered systems with +the FlashPoint would be able to upgrade to the BT-946C. While this helped +many purchasers of new systems, it was only a partial solution to the +overall problem of FlashPoint support for Linux users. It did nothing to +assist the people who initially purchased a FlashPoint for a supported +operating system and then later decided to run Linux, or those who had +ended up with a FlashPoint LT, believing it was supported, and were unable +to return it. + +In the middle of December, I asked to meet with BusLogic's senior +management to discuss the issues related to Linux and free software support +for the FlashPoint. Rumors of varying accuracy had been circulating +publicly about BusLogic's attitude toward the Linux community, and I felt +it was best that these issues be addressed directly. I sent an email +message after 11pm one evening, and the meeting took place the next +afternoon. Unfortunately, corporate wheels sometimes grind slowly, +especially when a company is being acquired, and so it's taken until now +before the details were completely determined and a public statement could +be made. + +BusLogic is not prepared at this time to release the information necessary +for third parties to write drivers for the FlashPoint. The only existing +FlashPoint drivers have been written directly by BusLogic Engineering, and +there is no FlashPoint documentation sufficiently detailed to allow outside +developers to write a driver without substantial assistance. While there +are people at BusLogic who would rather not release the details of the +FlashPoint architecture at all, that debate has not yet been settled either +way. In any event, even if documentation were available today it would +take quite a while for a usable driver to be written, especially since I'm +not convinced that the effort required would be worthwhile. + +However, BusLogic does remain committed to providing a high performance +SCSI solution for the Linux community, and does not want to see anyone left +unable to run Linux because they have a Flashpoint LT. Therefore, BusLogic +has put in place a direct upgrade program to allow any Linux user worldwide +to trade in their FlashPoint LT for the new BT-948 MultiMaster PCI Ultra +SCSI Host Adapter. The BT-948 is the Ultra SCSI successor to the BT-946C +and has all the best features of both the BT-946C and FlashPoint LT, +including smart termination and a flash PROM for easy firmware updates, and +is of course compatible with the present Linux driver. The price for this +upgrade has been set at US $45 plus shipping and handling, and the upgrade +program will be administered through BusLogic Technical Support, which can +be reached by electronic mail at techsup@buslogic.com, by Voice at +1 408 +654-0760, or by FAX at +1 408 492-1542. + +As of 14 June 1996, the original BusLogic FlashPoint LT to BT-948 upgrade +program has now been extended to encompass the FlashPoint LW Wide Ultra +SCSI Host Adapter. Any Linux user worldwide may trade in their FlashPoint +LW (BT-950) for a BT-958 MultiMaster PCI Ultra SCSI Host Adapter. The +price for this upgrade has been set at US $65 plus shipping and handling. + +I was a beta test site for the BT-948/958, and versions 1.2.1 and 1.3.1 of +my BusLogic driver already included latent support for the BT-948/958. +Additional cosmetic support for the Ultra SCSI MultiMaster cards was added +subsequent releases. As a result of this cooperative testing process, +several firmware bugs were found and corrected. My heavily loaded Linux +test system provided an ideal environment for testing error recovery +processes that are much more rarely exercised in production systems, but +are crucial to overall system stability. It was especially convenient +being able to work directly with their firmware engineer in demonstrating +the problems under control of the firmware debugging environment; things +sure have come a long way since the last time I worked on firmware for an +embedded system. I am presently working on some performance testing and +expect to have some data to report in the not too distant future. + +BusLogic asked me to send this announcement since a large percentage of the +questions regarding support for the FlashPoint have either been sent to me +directly via email, or have appeared in the Linux newsgroups in which I +participate. To summarize, BusLogic is offering Linux users an upgrade +from the unsupported FlashPoint LT (BT-930) to the supported BT-948 for US +$45 plus shipping and handling, or from the unsupported FlashPoint LW +(BT-950) to the supported BT-958 for $65 plus shipping and handling. +Contact BusLogic Technical Support at techsup@buslogic.com or +1 408 +654-0760 to take advantage of their offer. + + Leonard N. Zubkoff + lnz@dandelion.com |