Re: [TCLUG:22757] Raid and other storage stories

[<Nick.T.Reinking@supervalu.com>]

I believe such beasts already exist, although I can't remember
the name off the top of my head.

Using DMA like that is pretty smoove, it's a good RAID controller.

Nick





dopp@acm.cs.umn.edu, on 10/17/2000 02:40:20 PM
To: tclug-list@mn-linux.org @ PMDF
cc:  
Subject: Re: [TCLUG:22757] Raid and other storage stories

> 
> My understanding was that the big disadvantage to IDE was that the
> controllers were 'dumb' ie the CPU had to do most of the IO work.  Whereas
> SCSI takes the load off (as well as being faster, with more devices, and
> just plain cooler ;)
> 
> Now with something like the Escalade that does hardware IDE RAID... who's
> doing the IO work?  Is it still the CPU or does the card take over most of
> the responsibility?
> 

The co-processor on the controller is handling _most_ of the I/O.  From
what I read about the controller, it tries to keep load off the CPU by
sending/reading as much data as possible from the main memory.  Well, at
least that's what it sounds like.  Now, if they'de just make a hardware IDE
controller with on-board SIMM or DIMM slots... heh.. What a mutant of a
card that would be :)

Gabe
-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gabe Turner                                    |           X-President,
UNIX Systems Administrator,                    | Assoc. for Computing Machinery
U of M Supercomputing Institute for            |    Univerisity of Minnesota
Digital Simulation and Advanced Computation    |       dopp@acm.cs.umn.edu

"I'm gonna be a monkey.  Monkey, monkey, monkey......"
                                        - Stimpy in "Monkey See, Monkey Don't"
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