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From: jca@pnet01.cts.com (John C. Archambeau)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.sysv386
Subject: ESIX and MCA
Message-ID: <5485@crash.cts.com>
Date: 6 Nov 90 19:56:03 GMT
Sender: root@crash.cts.com
Organization: People-Net [pnet01], El Cajon CA
Lines: 29

I'm getting ready to put together a Unix System V/386 System and I need to
make the decision of whether or not to go ISA or MCA with respect to the
system bus.  The only problem I'm faced if going the MCA route is if ESIX
supports MCA.  The machine will be handling a lot of I/O and it very well
justifies going the MCA route.  One of the reasons I'm looking at ESIX is the
availability of NFS and YP (now NIS) since the 386 machine may very well be
put on a network of Suns.  The target machine for ESIX would be an ALR
MicroFlex 3300.  The bulk of the storage would be handled via a MicroNet MCA
SCSI host adaptor and an Imprimis Wren Runner II or a pair of Wren Runners. 
MicroNet claims that their SCSI host adaptor is device driver compatable with
the Adaptec SCSI host adaptors.  Ok, I can buy that since I've dealt with
MicroNet enough times.  Only problem I forsee is how well ESIX supports the
MCA bus.

Other hardware tacked on to the 386 box would be a DigiBoard and a WD ethernet
board.  I will not use anything generic for this configuration.

So what's the verdict from those experienced with ESIX and MCA?  Will it work?
 
     // JCA

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