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diff --git a/Documentation/scsi/FlashPoint.txt b/Documentation/scsi/FlashPoint.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 5b5f29cb9f8b..000000000000 --- a/Documentation/scsi/FlashPoint.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,163 +0,0 @@ -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 |