1. Identification of Proposed Project 1.1 Title: SCSI-3 Fiber Channel Interface 1.2 Proposer This project is proposed by the X3T9 Technical Committee. For additional information, please contact John B. Lohmeyer, X3T9.2 Chairman, at NCR Corporation, 3718 N. Rock Rd., Wichita, KS 67226 (Phone: 316-636-8703 FAX: 316-636-8889) or Dal Allan, X3T9.2 Vice-Chairman at ENDL, 14426 Black Walnut Ct, Saratoga, CA 95070 (Phone: 408-867-6630 Fax: 408-867-2115). 1.3 Date Submitted: October 15, 1990 1.4 Project Type: Development 2. Justification of Proposed Standard or Technical Report 2.1 Needs X3.131-1986 for SCSI and X3.131-1990 for SCSI-2 have proven to be extremely successful standards for the attachment of a wide range of peripherals to computer systems. As the popularity of the interface has increased, its application area has grown outside the originally intended small systems to encompass larger systems and other diverse environments. The Fiber Channel project of X3T9.3 provides a transport vehicle for a number of interfaces, and is well-suited for the migration of SCSI software and applications to environments where higher performance and longer cable distances are desired. By defining how to implement the SCSI command set on Fiber Channel, X3T9.2 can provide the benefits of serialized transfer and a packetized protocol to enhance performance and broaden the application area of SCSI implementations. 2.2 Recommended Scope of Standard or Technical Report The proposed SCSI-3 Fiber Channel Interface standard should maintain a high degree of compatibility with SCSI-2 while providing documentation for new capabilities including the following candidates: a) Document a packetized protocol. This permits serial transmission which is employed in the Fiber Channel project and it lowers bus overhead when using longer cable lengths. b) Provide a serialized transfer path with smaller cables and connectors. c) Define a method for multiport operations. This will provide means for systems which require continuous operations to provide redundant transfer paths to the same data. The present SCSI-2 physical level does not provide this facility. e) Define other capabilities which fit within the general application scope of implementing SCSI on a serial physical-level attachment that may be proposed during the development phase by the participants in the project. This proposed standard is not intended to address areas above the physical level (such as command sets). It is intended that this proposed standard would be used in conjunction with the command sets defined in SCSI-2 and/or subsequent versions of SCSI. This proposed standard is intended to be an alternative to the draft SCSI-3 Physical Level standard, which retains the parallel transmission physical level. 2.3 Existing Practice in Area of Proposed Standard or Technical Report The proposed project principally involves defining how to packetize the SCSI-2 commands and messages so that the SCSI-2 (and later, the SCSI-3) command sets can be employed over the fiber optic interface provided by the Fiber Channel Project in X3T9.3. 2.4 Expected Stability of Proposed Standard or Technical Report with Respect to Current and Potential Technological Advance The nature of the proposed project is to insure that SCSI has an upward, highly-compatible growth path. This will insure that current investments in SCSI are provided with more stability in the face of technological developments. 3. Description of Proposed Project 3.1 Type of Document (Standard or Technical Report): Standard 3.2 Definition of Concepts and Special Terms (if any): none 3.3 Expected Relationship with Approved X3 Reference Models (e.g., DBMS, OSI) The SCSI-3 Fiber Channel Interface is for use in closed systems. 3.4 Recommended Program of Work The following program of work is planned for the SCSI-3 Fiber Channel Interface standard: o Solicit continuing participation by the present SCSI-2 participants through X3T9.2 procedures and new participants through press releases. Invite comments by end-user organizations and invite proposals from SCSI development organizations and other organizations that may have a contribution to a viable SCSI-3 Fiber Channel Interface standard. o Establish functional requirements for SCSI functional additions along with downward compatibility requirements. o Prepare a draft standard based on proposals submitted and other information gathered during the initial investigation. o Consider the results of SCSI-3 Fiber Channel Interface testing as may be available to the committee through the voluntary efforts of the various participants in X3T9 and its assigned task group. o Submit the draft proposed standard to X3 for further processing. 3.5 Resources - Individuals and Organizations Competent in Subject Matter The current membership of X3T9.2 includes representatives from all parts of the computer industry from semiconductor chip manufacturers to large mainframe system manufacturers as well as Government agencies. The members of X3T9.2 have expressed their desire to participate and cooperate in the development of this proposed standard. There are sufficient resources to complete the development of this standard without delaying work on other standards. 3.6 Recommended X3 Development Technical Committees (Existing or New) It is recommended that the development work be done in task group X3T9.2 which was responsible for developing the SCSI-1 and SCSI-2 standards. 3.7 Anticipated Frequency and Duration of Meetings Task group X3T9.2 meets for two days bi-monthly. Specific task ad hoc groups are called as may be required for one to three days between the regular meetings but their results are not binding. 3.8 Target Date for dpANS to X3 (Milestone 10): April 1992 3.9 Estimated Useful Life of Standard or Technical Report It is anticipated that this standard will have a life of over 10 years. 4. Implementation Impacts 4.1 Impact on Existing User Practices and Investments The proposed SCSI-3 Fiber Channel Interface standard will provide an upward growth path complementary to the existing practices and investments. It is likely that any isolated negative impacts would occur in any case through non- standard evolution or revolution. 4.2 Impact on Supplier Products and Support The proposed SCSI-3 Fiber Channel Interface standard will provide an upward growth path complementary to the existing practices and investments. It is likely that any isolated negative impacts would occur in any case through non- standard evolution or revolution. 4.3 Techniques and Costs for Compliance Verification The committee will consider the results of SCSI-3 Fiber Channel Interface testing as may be available to the committee through the voluntary efforts of the various participants in X3T9 and its assigned task group. With this method all costs are borne by the organizations of the various participants and have for the most part been mainly an adjunct of their normal development costs. 4.4 Legal Considerations No new legal considerations are expected that are not already attendant with SCSI and in accordance with accepted X3 patent policies. 5. Closely Related Standards Activities 5.1 Existing Standards X3.131-1986 Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) X3.131-1990 Small Computer System Interface (SCSI-2) 5.2 X3 Standards Development Projects The Fiber Channel Project (755-D) is under way in X3T9.3. This standard will define the physical interface and transmission protocols, but does not include command sets. An objective of the Fiber Channel Project is to provide a fiber-optic physical level for IPI, HIPPI, and SCSI. The SCSI Fiber Channel Interface project would define how to map the SCSI command sets onto the Fiber Channel Interface. A project (685-D) has been approved to develop an SCSI-3 standard which includes the SCSI-3 Physical Level plus the SCSI command sets. This whole- interface-in-one-document structure was fine for SCSI-1 when the entire document was 212 pages. SCSI-2 is close to 600 pages and it has become increasingly difficult to manage such a large document. X3T9.2 wishes to break SCSI-3 into several documents with the SCSI-3 Fiber Channel Interface being the second such document. The first was a proposal (SCSI-3 Physical Level) to define an improved version of the parallel, copper Physical Level first described in X3.131-1986. Additional project proposals are anticipated to revise SCSI command sets and/or to add new command sets. These project proposals may be submitted as X3T9 gains better visibility into the requirements for such standards. For the present time, X3T9 wishes to keep the 685-D project open, but expects to submit a revised project proposal to limit the scope of 685-D. Specifically, it is not yet clear whether the command sets should remain in one standard or be split into two or more standards. 5.3 X3/SPARC Study Groups: none 5.4 Other Related Domestic Standards Efforts: none 5.5 ISO Standards Development Projects IS 9316 (SCSI-1) has been published. DP 10288 (SCSI-2) is in development in ISO JTC1/SC25 WG4. 5.6 Other Related International Standards Development Projects ECMA SCSI (ECMA-111:1985). This is partly equivalent to ANSI SCSI-1 (X3.131- 1986). There are no current development activities within ECMA on SCSI. 5.7 Recommendations for Coordinating Liaison: none 5.8 Recommendations for Close Liaison: none