ATT SVR4 and SCSI

[Joe R. Doupnik]

In article <91171.172643NPOPE at GTRI01.GATECH.EDU>, NPOPE at GTRI01.GATECH.EDU writes:
> ok, last time I posted about this subject (ATT SVR4 and SCSI controllers),
> I found out that the Adaptec 1542B just plain won't work.  I got mixed
> answers about the WD7000FASST.  What's the scoop?  will it work, if so
> with which hard disks, if not why not and what will?
> 
> thanks in advance
> 
> 
>           Nick G. Pope (Georgia Institute Of Technology)
> Office Of Information Technology - Technical Support - IBM Support Dept.
> ** The veiws presented here are my own and do not reflect those of OIT **
-----------------------
Nick,
	Ok, here is some straight scoop. AT&T SVR4 v2.1 supports neither
Adaptec * nor the WD 7000 FASST SCSI controllers. The only SCSI controllers
permitted are an oem version of the WD 7000 non-FASST and an unspecified
DPT board. But I'm running that Unix on the FASST board with a non-AT&T
apporved drive. Huh?
	I got drivers from Columbia Data Products on a non-disclosure basis.
I also got a floppy bootable Microport Unix with FASST driver built in. That
let me boot to the SCSI disk and rebuild with the CDP drivers. Not for
beginners, right?
	The lesson people have been learning the hard way on the Unix
peripheral situation is: most of the vendors want to sell their iron, and
Unix is the baited hook, not the other way round. Support for competing
varieties of peripherals (disk controllers, tape drives, lan adapters,
video display adapters, etc) is nearly non-existant; one combination is
(very nearly) all one will get. So, discuss your complete systems plans,
main frame style, with Unix vendors before committing money. Be sure to
discuss service with the vendors too because with some you may find it
does not exist unless both software and hardware are from them (selling
iron again). In this (Unix) area no detail is too small for hopeful
assumptions.
	There are many comments on the net about various vendors so I'd
pause for a couple of weeks to monitor the list for hints.
	Joe Doupnik