SMC-3 Read Element Status - Incomplete descriptors
Kevin D Butt
kdbutt at us.ibm.com
Tue Sep 26 11:59:27 PDT 2006
Formatted message: <A HREF="r0609260_f.htm">HTML-formatted message</A>
SMC-3r02, 6.10.1 READ ELEMENT STATUS introduction, 2nd paragraph on page
321, reads:
<<
The NUMBER OF ELEMENTS field specifies the maximum number of element
descriptors to be created by the device server for this command. The value
specified by this field is not the range of element addresses to be
considered for reporting but rather the number of defined elements to
report. If the ALLOCATION LENGTH field is not sufficient to transfer all
the element descriptors, the device server shall transfer all those
descriptors whose complete contents fit within the allocation field and
this shall not be considered an error.
>>
There has been confusion by at least one vendor about the meaning of
<<
If the ALLOCATION LENGTH field is not sufficient to transfer all the
element descriptors, the device server shall transfer all those
descriptors whose complete contents fit within the allocation field and
this shall not be considered an error.
>>
It seems obvious that the intent is that only complete descriptors shall
be returned. If the data is truncated due to an incomplete descriptor
this shall not be considered an error. I propose that this text be
modified to:
If the ALLOCATION LENGTH field is not sufficient to transfer all the
element descriptors, the device server shall transfer all those
descriptors that completely fit within the allocation field and shall not
transfer any partial descriptors. This shall not be considered an error.
Thanks,
Kevin D. Butt
SCSI & Fibre Channel Architect, Tape Firmware
MS 6TYA, 9000 S. Rita Rd., Tucson, AZ 85744
Tel: 520-799-2869 / 520-799-5280
Fax: 520-799-2723 (T/L:321)
Email address: kdbutt at us.ibm.com
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