Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!samsung!sdd.hp.com!ucsd!ucbvax!van-bc! From: lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca (Larry Phillips) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.hardware Subject: Re: Multiple SCSI controllers Message-ID: <1638@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca> Date: 26 May 90 20:48:09 GMT Lines: 38 Return-Path: To: van-bc!rnews In <90146.174753BRANDON@ncsuvm.ncsu.edu>, BRANDON@ncsuvm.ncsu.edu writes: > I was wondering if I could have multiple SCSI host controllers on the >same cable run. I have 2 amigas with SCSI controllers and one disk drive. >Currently, I am using the parallel port network from the Software Distillery >to have both computers access the same drive. Yes, provided that both controllers (their drivers as well as hardware) support arbitration. > It would seem to me that there should be nothing wrong with having one >disk drive and two host controllers on one SCSI "network" from a hardware >point of view. From the software end, I realize that I would have to have >separate partitions on the disk to write to, as there would be no way to >coordinate write requests from both machines. That's the big problem. You can never wrote to the 'other' partition. I keep meaning to sit down and figure a scheme that would be safe, to allow some sort of completely shared disk, at the partition level. It seems to me that you could come up with a way to have each machine write only to its own partition, and to set up a couple of partitions to act as 'message ports', with a daemon to look at the files on the message partitions from each machine. > Has anyone attempted this? As all I need to do this is two header >connectors and a few feet of ribbon cable, I'm tempted to try it just to test >the other SCSI controller. Not yet, but it sounds like it would be worthwhile. I may just try it before I get rid of my other machine. -larry -- The raytracer of justice recurses slowly, but it renders exceedingly fine. +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | // Larry Phillips | | \X/ lphillips@lpami.wimsey.bc.ca -or- uunet!van-bc!lpami!lphillips | | COMPUSERVE: 76703,4322 -or- 76703.4322@compuserve.com | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+