Add Mode Page for fibre channel features

Gerry Houlder Gerry_Houlder at notes.seagate.com
Wed Jul 10 07:20:41 PDT 1996


* From the SCSI Reflector, posted by:
* Gerry Houlder <Gerry_Houlder at notes.seagate.com>
*
This proposal (document 96-195) will be introduced at the Colorado Springs SCSI 
Working Group meeting (July 16-17). Comments are welcome at the meeting or on 
this reflector.

Date:  July 10, 1996
To: X3T10 Committee
From: Gerry Houlder, Seagate Technology
Subj: Add Mode Page for fibre channel features

With Fibre Channel - Arbitrated Loop (FC-AL) interface, there are 
characteristics implementors desire to customize. This proposal includes 
control bits for interface characteristics of Fibre Channel Private Loop that 
implementors desire to control.

These controls are for characteristics that must be known when the device is 
powered on. They cannot be set during login or a later command. This behavior 
can be met by use of a Mode page with saved values. In fact the parameters will 
have to be saved in flash memory, so there is no wait for device spinup before 
the parameters are available. Therefore, the characteristics below will be 
proposed for inclusion in a Fibre Channel SCSI mode page. The committee needs 
to discuss whether this should be a new mode page or an addition to an existing 
mode page. The committee should also determine if these controls can apply to 
other serial interfaces. The current descriptions are obviously worded for 
Fibre Channel.

Seven bits are needed, as follows:

When Disable Target Initiated Port Enable (DTIPE) bit is one, the target waits 
for an Initiator to send the Loop Port Enable primitive before inserting itself 
into the loop. The target uses the hard address available in the SCA connector 
(or device address jumpers) to determine if primitives are addressed to it.

When DTIPE bit is zero, the target enables its port into the loop without 
waiting for a Loop Port Enable primitive.

When Disable Target Originated Loop Initialization (DTOLI) bit is one, the 
target does not generate the Initializing LIP following insertion into the 
loop. The target will respond to an Initializing LIP when it is received.  The 
target shall generate the Loop Failure LIP if it detects loop failure at its 
input and the Initializing LIP when the loop failure is corrected.

When DTOLI bit is zero, the Target generates the Initializing LIP after it 
enables a port into a loop.

When Allow Login Without Loop Initialization (ALWLI ) bit is one, the target 
shall use the hard address available in the SCA connector (or device address 
jumpers) and accept logins without verifying the address with loop 
initialization.

When ALWLI bit is zero, the target is required to verify its address through 
the Loop Initialization process before a login is accepted.

When Disable Soft Address (DSA) bit is one, the target does not select a soft 
address if there is a conflict for the hard address selection during Loop 
Initialization. In this case the target enters the nonparticipating state. If 
the Target detects loop initialization while in the nonparticipating state, the 
target will again attempt to get its hard address.

When DSA bit is zero, the Target attempts to obtain a soft address during the 
Loop Initialization process. 

When Disable Loop Master (DLM) bit is one, the target does not become loop 
master. The target only repeats LISM frames it receives. This allows the 
initiator to be loop master during loop initialization. 

When DLM bit is zero, the Target may become loop master during in the Loop 
Initialization process.

When Disable Discovery (DDIS) bit is one, the target does not require receipt 
of Address or Port Discovery following loop initialization. The target resumes 
processing of tasks on completion of loop initialization.

When DDIS bit is zero, the target must wait to receive an Address or Port 
Discovery before it resumes processing tasks for that initiator.

When Disable Target Fairness (DTF) bit is one, the target is not required to 
follow the Arbitrated Loop fairness rules for arbitrating and sending frames it 
originates. 

When DTF bit is zero, the target is required to follow the arbitrated loop 
fairness requirements.




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