albers@ka3ovk.uucp (Jon Albers) (10/03/89)
I have seen people mentioning the DPT disk-cacheing controller, and it sounds interesting -- who makes it? Where can I get some information about it? Will it work with EDSI drives? I would like to install it in a Compaq 386/33 with 2 320MB EDSI drives, am I going to see better performance than with just the Compaq controller? Does SCO/Should SCO UNIX V know about this controller? Jon -- | Jon Albers, IRS, Computer Services, Site Support and Installation(CS:M:S:P) | | UUCP:(media|teemc|tcsc3b2|ki4pv)!ka3ovk!albers ARPA: JALBERS@SIMTEL20 | | We all always looking for Trailblazer PEP connections... | | ka3ovk: Compaq 386/25 Model 300 SCO XENIX-386 Sys V ver 2.3.1 |
davef@lakesys.lakesys.com (Dave Fenske) (10/04/89)
Re: the DPT controller. The DPT presents an ST-506 interface to the operating system. It is totally transparent as far as DOS, Xenix, Unix, Pick, etc. are concerned. The *ONLY* snag is that if the hard disks you are using happen to be either RLL or ESDI, they must be reformmated to use with the DPT. As far as the OS goes, NO changes are required! DF p.s. the DPT controller is manufactured by Distributed Processing Technologies.:x
cpcahil@virtech.UUCP (Conor P. Cahill) (10/05/89)
In article <1989Oct3.151752.13639@ka3ovk.uucp>, albers@ka3ovk.uucp (Jon Albers) writes: > I have seen people mentioning the DPT disk-cacheing controller, and it sounds > interesting -- who makes it? It's made by Distributed Processing Technologies, Inc (I think). > Where can I get some information about it? I bought mine from Tangent computer Inc (1-800-223-6677). > Will > it work with EDSI drives? Yes. > I would like to install it in a Compaq 386/33 with > 2 320MB EDSI drives, am I going to see better performance than with just the > Compaq controller? I don't know what compaq uses for a controller, but depending upon the amount of disk cache that you buy (you can get up to 12 meg) you should gain a significant performance gain. > Does SCO/Should SCO UNIX V know about this controller? It doesn't have to know. The controller appears as a standard ST-506 and will present a "logical" disk layout (#heads, #cyls, #secs/trk) to allow most any drive to work with the os. The low level format is menu driven, reads the manufacturers bad block table from the disk so you don't have to re-enter it, and allows you to configure how the disk appears to the os (although it automatically selects the most efficient/compatible numbers and asks you if you want to use them). I have the DPT with 2 1/2 meg of cache and am real pleased with it's performance. -- +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Conor P. Cahill uunet!virtech!cpcahil 703-430-9247 ! | Virtual Technologies Inc., P. O. Box 876, Sterling, VA 22170 | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
bruce@mdi386.UUCP (Bruce A. McIntyre) (10/05/89)
In article <1989Oct3.151752.13639@ka3ovk.uucp>, albers@ka3ovk.uucp (Jon Albers) writes: > I have seen people mentioning the DPT disk-cacheing controller, and it sounds > interesting -- who makes it? Where can I get some information about it? Will > it work with EDSI drives? I would like to install it in a Compaq 386/33 with > 2 320MB EDSI drives, am I going to see better performance than with just the > Compaq controller? Does SCO/Should SCO UNIX V know about this controller? > | Jon Albers, IRS,Computer Services, Site Support and Installation(CS:M:S:P)| > | UUCP:(media|teemc|tcsc3b2|ki4pv)!ka3ovk!albers ARPA: JALBERS@SIMTEL20 | > | ka3ovk: Compaq 386/25 Model 300 SCO XENIX-386 Sys V ver 2.3.1 | Since SCO sees the DPT as a standard ST501 interface, there is nothing that you have to do special. The remapping, even between ESDI and ST501, is done by the DPT controller. Yes, you will see a dramatic difference between the Compaq controller and the DPT, especially if you add additional cache memory to the DPT controller above the 512k on board. I have used it here, and am very happy with it. It's response time is just excellent. I haven't measured its total data throughput, but since my needs here are primarily short bursts, that doesn't seem to be a problem. I used it because there are 15 people using the machine (16mhz 386) to do wordprocessing, spreadsheets, communications, and accounting... bruce -- ========================================================================= Bruce A. McIntyre, McIntyre Designs, Inc. VOICE(215)322-1895 143 Bridgetown Pike, Langhorne, Pa. 19047 DATA (215)357-2915 {wells|lgnp1}!mdi386!bruce bruce@mdi386 tbit+