> IMHO, fibre attach (FCP) satisfies the need for fixed-block devices > for z/Linux. ...
No, not quite. Not until z/VM (both CMS and CP) and VSE can do SCSI/FP from IPL to shut down. IF that happens, I figure it will be another five years down the dusty road. I'm not yet sure that it will happen at all. > Removing the DASD emulation layer from the I/O in z/Linux also > reduces CPU utilization. Another important point, yes! And if it were just for that point, then FCP alone might suffice. > BTW, there is an interesting preliminary abstract for an upcoming article > about SCSI IPL on zSeries in the IBM Journal for Research and Development: > > http://www.research.ibm.com/journal/abstracts/rd/483/banzhaf.html Interesting indeed! Got anything (preliminary) other than the abstract? Please understand the position I'm pushing: SCSI/FP is great. It's just that FBA-on-channel continues to have value. We need a fixed-block storage protocol that all OS can share. (And I leave the rejection of FBA by MVS for the MVS folk to consider.) -- R;
