CDC 9720-1230 experience - really 7053

[Joseph Thomas]

>>#1:  You cannot use the SUN XD7053, you need a Xylogics 753 certified for
>>the 3.0 transfer rate.  The SUN controllers don't always have drivers
>>which are fast enough for the 3.0 rate.
>
>I'm using a SUN SMD-4 (the 7053) with a CDC 9720-1230 drive and I've never
>had any problems, so the SMD-4 does handle 3 MB/s transfer rates.  I know
>the documentation for the SMD-4 says that it will only support up to 2.4
>transfer rates, but I called SUN technical support and they said it really
>does support 3.0 transfer rates....

Actually, Xylogics ( who designed the board for Sun ) was here talking
with us just at the time the 7053 first became available. Their story is
that the first 7053's shipped/manufactured, only used driver chips which
were rated for the 2.4 rate. The current boards use parts rated for the
full 3.0.

What this really means is that if you got one of the first few 7053's,
your best bet is to try it. It may or may not work at the 3.0 rate.
Anything you get today should be just fine.

(BTW: None of this was give to me in writing, so the truth lies ??? )

Joseph Thomas
Minnesota Supercomputer Center
1200 Washington Ave So.
Minneapolis, MN 55415
(612) 626-1888
jpt at msc.umn.edu