binary format list log parameters and ascii list log parameters

Ralph Weber roweber at IEEE.org
Wed Aug 17 14:06:21 PDT 2011


* From the T10 Reflector (t10 at t10.org), posted by:
* Ralph Weber <roweber at ieee.org>
*
The "one parameter" claim would be true if T10 had never
sanctioned log parameters that contain multiple value fields
(e.g., the General Access Statistics and Performance log
parameter described in table 326 of SPC-4 r31).
However, the claim is history now.
All the best,
.Ralph
On 8/17/2011 2:02 PM, Gerry Houlder wrote:
> The FORMAT & LINKING field applies separately to each parameter. Each 
> parameter within a page can set this value differently, to reflect the 
> type of data in that parameter. Each parameter is supposed to be one 
> "thing". Unfortunately we have sometimes defined "parameters" that 
> have a number of different fields in it. The intended use is that each 
> of these fields should be a different parameter but its too late to 
> enforce that now.
>
> Your choice is to either split the parameters into two (or more) 
> parameters, with the ASCII part in one and the binary part in the 
> other; or just leave things as they are and expect the host to know 
> that it can't trust the FORMAT & LINKING field to be a correct 
> description of all of the fields in the parameter.
>
> On Wed, Aug 17, 2011 at 1:17 PM, Ballard, Curtis C (StorageWorks) 
> <curtis.ballard at hp.com > wrote:
>
>     * From the T10 Reflector (t10 at t10.org <mailto:t10 at t10.org>),
>     posted by:
>     * "Ballard, Curtis C (StorageWorks)" <curtis.ballard at hp.com
>     >
>     *
>     This question came up because SMC-3 leveraged a log page which has
>     parameters that are not entirely ASCII but sets the FORMAT AND
>     LINKING field to 01b, ASCII format list.	We're trying to figure
>     out whether to change to match what we think the FORMAT AND
>     LINKING should be and be inconsistent with existing
>     implementations that may be able to be leveraged but set the field
>     differently or leave the field as is.
>
>     The implication is that the ASCII format list log parameter value
>     is all ASCII but I can't find anything in SPC-4 (r31) that says
>     what the PARAMETER VALUE field of an ASCII format list log
>     parameter contains. The closest statement I found is the
>     definition but that is never referenced from any of the text
>     describing the log parameter so it is a bit tricky to find and
>     even that doesn't really say the PARAMETER VALUE is ASCII data, it
>     just says the parameter 'contains' ASCII data.
>
>     "3.1.11 ASCII format list log parameter: a log parameter that
>     contains ASCII data in a list format. See 7.3.2.2.2.4"
>
>     Table 301 specifies the log parameter type as indicated by the
>     FORMAT AND LINKING field.
>
>     "01b --- ASCII format list --- 7.3.2.2.2.4"
>
>     Section 7.3.2.2.2.4 is only defining the parameter control byte
>     and doesn't define what is allowed to be in the PARAMETER VALUE
>     field of an ASCII format log parameter.
>
>     The best reference I can find in that section is:
>
>     "any log parameter that is defined to be an ASCII format (see
>     4.4.1) list log parameter"
>
>     But section 4.4.1 never defines what it means to be an "ASCII
>     format".	That section is all about ASCII data fields and the
>     sentence with that reference is about a log parameter, not a data
>     field.  Table 299 defines the log parameter as containing fields
>     and bits that aren't ASCII so it isn't clear what the reference is
>     intending to clarify.
>
>     I think this paragraph should reference back to 3.1.11 after
>     'parameter' and probably not reference 4.4.1.
>
>     The table that says how to fill in the FORMAT AND LINKING field
>     sends you back to table 301 and we start all over again.
>
>     I believe that the intent was probably something like "the
>     PARAMETER VALUE field of a ASCII format list log parameter is an
>     ASCII data field (see 4.4.1)" but I can't prove that from the text
>     I have.
>
>     Curtis Ballard
>     Hewlett Packard
>
>     -----Original Message-----
>     From: owner-t10 at t10.org <mailto:owner-t10 at t10.org>
>     [mailto:owner-t10 at t10.org <mailto:owner-t10 at t10.org>] On Behalf Of
>     Ralph Weber
>     Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2011 10:46 AM
>     To: T10 Reflector
>     Subject: Re: binary format list log parameters and ascii list log
>     parameters
>
>     * From the T10 Reflector (t10 at t10.org <mailto:t10 at t10.org>),
>     posted by:
>     * Ralph Weber <roweber at ieee.org >
>     *
>     Is it fair to assume that the difference between ASCII data
>     and binary data is not of interest to the SMC working group?
>
>     All the best,
>
>     .Ralph
>
>     On 8/17/2011 11:20 AM, Kevin D Butt wrote:
>     > The SMC working group has a question.  SPC-4 describes binary format
>     > list log parameters and ascii list log parameters.  The only
>     > difference we can find is in the value in the FORMAT AND LINKING
>     > field.	We can find no specified behavior differences.	What are the
>     > functional differences besides the parameter control byte?
>     >
>     > Thanks,
>     >
>     > Kevin D. Butt
>     > SCSI & Fibre Channel Architect, Tape Firmware
>     > Data Protection & Retention
>     > MS 6TYA, 9000 S. Rita Rd., Tucson, AZ 85744
>     > Tel: 520-799-5280
>     > Fax: 520-799-2723 (T/L:321)
>     > Email address: kdbutt at us.ibm.com 
>     > http://www-03.ibm.com/servers/storage/
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