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Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/ide/ide-tape.txt')
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diff --git a/Documentation/ide/ide-tape.txt b/Documentation/ide/ide-tape.txt new file mode 100644 index 000000000000..658f271a373f --- /dev/null +++ b/Documentation/ide/ide-tape.txt @@ -0,0 +1,146 @@ +/* + * IDE ATAPI streaming tape driver. + * + * This driver is a part of the Linux ide driver. + * + * The driver, in co-operation with ide.c, basically traverses the + * request-list for the block device interface. The character device + * interface, on the other hand, creates new requests, adds them + * to the request-list of the block device, and waits for their completion. + * + * Pipelined operation mode is now supported on both reads and writes. + * + * The block device major and minor numbers are determined from the + * tape's relative position in the ide interfaces, as explained in ide.c. + * + * The character device interface consists of the following devices: + * + * ht0 major 37, minor 0 first IDE tape, rewind on close. + * ht1 major 37, minor 1 second IDE tape, rewind on close. + * ... + * nht0 major 37, minor 128 first IDE tape, no rewind on close. + * nht1 major 37, minor 129 second IDE tape, no rewind on close. + * ... + * + * The general magnetic tape commands compatible interface, as defined by + * include/linux/mtio.h, is accessible through the character device. + * + * General ide driver configuration options, such as the interrupt-unmask + * flag, can be configured by issuing an ioctl to the block device interface, + * as any other ide device. + * + * Our own ide-tape ioctl's can be issued to either the block device or + * the character device interface. + * + * Maximal throughput with minimal bus load will usually be achieved in the + * following scenario: + * + * 1. ide-tape is operating in the pipelined operation mode. + * 2. No buffering is performed by the user backup program. + * + * Testing was done with a 2 GB CONNER CTMA 4000 IDE ATAPI Streaming Tape Drive. + * + * Here are some words from the first releases of hd.c, which are quoted + * in ide.c and apply here as well: + * + * | Special care is recommended. Have Fun! + * + * + * An overview of the pipelined operation mode. + * + * In the pipelined write mode, we will usually just add requests to our + * pipeline and return immediately, before we even start to service them. The + * user program will then have enough time to prepare the next request while + * we are still busy servicing previous requests. In the pipelined read mode, + * the situation is similar - we add read-ahead requests into the pipeline, + * before the user even requested them. + * + * The pipeline can be viewed as a "safety net" which will be activated when + * the system load is high and prevents the user backup program from keeping up + * with the current tape speed. At this point, the pipeline will get + * shorter and shorter but the tape will still be streaming at the same speed. + * Assuming we have enough pipeline stages, the system load will hopefully + * decrease before the pipeline is completely empty, and the backup program + * will be able to "catch up" and refill the pipeline again. + * + * When using the pipelined mode, it would be best to disable any type of + * buffering done by the user program, as ide-tape already provides all the + * benefits in the kernel, where it can be done in a more efficient way. + * As we will usually not block the user program on a request, the most + * efficient user code will then be a simple read-write-read-... cycle. + * Any additional logic will usually just slow down the backup process. + * + * Using the pipelined mode, I get a constant over 400 KBps throughput, + * which seems to be the maximum throughput supported by my tape. + * + * However, there are some downfalls: + * + * 1. We use memory (for data buffers) in proportional to the number + * of pipeline stages (each stage is about 26 KB with my tape). + * 2. In the pipelined write mode, we cheat and postpone error codes + * to the user task. In read mode, the actual tape position + * will be a bit further than the last requested block. + * + * Concerning (1): + * + * 1. We allocate stages dynamically only when we need them. When + * we don't need them, we don't consume additional memory. In + * case we can't allocate stages, we just manage without them + * (at the expense of decreased throughput) so when Linux is + * tight in memory, we will not pose additional difficulties. + * + * 2. The maximum number of stages (which is, in fact, the maximum + * amount of memory) which we allocate is limited by the compile + * time parameter IDETAPE_MAX_PIPELINE_STAGES. + * + * 3. The maximum number of stages is a controlled parameter - We + * don't start from the user defined maximum number of stages + * but from the lower IDETAPE_MIN_PIPELINE_STAGES (again, we + * will not even allocate this amount of stages if the user + * program can't handle the speed). We then implement a feedback + * loop which checks if the pipeline is empty, and if it is, we + * increase the maximum number of stages as necessary until we + * reach the optimum value which just manages to keep the tape + * busy with minimum allocated memory or until we reach + * IDETAPE_MAX_PIPELINE_STAGES. + * + * Concerning (2): + * + * In pipelined write mode, ide-tape can not return accurate error codes + * to the user program since we usually just add the request to the + * pipeline without waiting for it to be serviced. In case an error + * occurs, I will report it on the next user request. + * + * In the pipelined read mode, subsequent read requests or forward + * filemark spacing will perform correctly, as we preserve all blocks + * and filemarks which we encountered during our excess read-ahead. + * + * For accurate tape positioning and error reporting, disabling + * pipelined mode might be the best option. + * + * You can enable/disable/tune the pipelined operation mode by adjusting + * the compile time parameters below. + * + * + * Possible improvements. + * + * 1. Support for the ATAPI overlap protocol. + * + * In order to maximize bus throughput, we currently use the DSC + * overlap method which enables ide.c to service requests from the + * other device while the tape is busy executing a command. The + * DSC overlap method involves polling the tape's status register + * for the DSC bit, and servicing the other device while the tape + * isn't ready. + * + * In the current QIC development standard (December 1995), + * it is recommended that new tape drives will *in addition* + * implement the ATAPI overlap protocol, which is used for the + * same purpose - efficient use of the IDE bus, but is interrupt + * driven and thus has much less CPU overhead. + * + * ATAPI overlap is likely to be supported in most new ATAPI + * devices, including new ATAPI cdroms, and thus provides us + * a method by which we can achieve higher throughput when + * sharing a (fast) ATA-2 disk with any (slow) new ATAPI device. + */ |