henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) (11/22/83)
I threw together a test /unix with the DZs replaced by the Emulex DH,
and we tried it out after backups. The Emulex works just fine. Fears
that we might need a new jumper on all the rs232 plugs (the Emulex sees
some modem-control signals that the DZs don't) appear to be incorrect,
unless we alter the software in pursuit of something clever. We ran
a couple of terminals on it, no problem.
We also tried cranking the vc3100 up to 9600 baud and the Ampex up to
19.2kbaud. The Emulex sure can spray characters fast. One problem
that I've been aware of for some time did surface: there is a bug in
the interaction between paging mode and xon/xoff that makes paging
mode unreliable at high speeds (just where it's most needed!). I will
have to fix this. In fact, there are several bits of software work
needed before the Emulex goes into production:
1. Fixing the interaction between xon/xoff and paging.
2. Finding some more space within the kernel for some more tty-control
structures, to bring us up to 64 ports.
3. Tidying up some ugliness in the DH driver stuff.
After that we can switch over to it, dump a whole bunch of DZs, and
start finding out which terminal+line combinations will run at high
speeds. (Lines all the way across the building probably won't run
at 19.2kbaud, nor will a lot of terminals.)
--
Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
{allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry