/* * IDE ATAPI streaming tape driver. * * This driver is a part of the Linux ide driver. * * The driver, in co-operation with ide.c, basically traverses the * request-list for the block device interface. The character device * interface, on the other hand, creates new requests, adds them * to the request-list of the block device, and waits for their completion. * * The block device major and minor numbers are determined from the * tape's relative position in the ide interfaces, as explained in ide.c. * * The character device interface consists of the following devices: * * ht0 major 37, minor 0 first IDE tape, rewind on close. * ht1 major 37, minor 1 second IDE tape, rewind on close. * ... * nht0 major 37, minor 128 first IDE tape, no rewind on close. * nht1 major 37, minor 129 second IDE tape, no rewind on close. * ... * * The general magnetic tape commands compatible interface, as defined by * include/linux/mtio.h, is accessible through the character device. * * General ide driver configuration options, such as the interrupt-unmask * flag, can be configured by issuing an ioctl to the block device interface, * as any other ide device. * * Our own ide-tape ioctl's can be issued to either the block device or * the character device interface. * * Maximal throughput with minimal bus load will usually be achieved in the * following scenario: * * 1. ide-tape is operating in the pipelined operation mode. * 2. No buffering is performed by the user backup program. * * Testing was done with a 2 GB CONNER CTMA 4000 IDE ATAPI Streaming Tape Drive. * * Here are some words from the first releases of hd.c, which are quoted * in ide.c and apply here as well: * * | Special care is recommended. Have Fun! * * Possible improvements. * * 1. Support for the ATAPI overlap protocol. * * In order to maximize bus throughput, we currently use the DSC * overlap method which enables ide.c to service requests from the * other device while the tape is busy executing a command. The * DSC overlap method involves polling the tape's status register * for the DSC bit, and servicing the other device while the tape * isn't ready. * * In the current QIC development standard (December 1995), * it is recommended that new tape drives will *in addition* * implement the ATAPI overlap protocol, which is used for the * same purpose - efficient use of the IDE bus, but is interrupt * driven and thus has much less CPU overhead. * * ATAPI overlap is likely to be supported in most new ATAPI * devices, including new ATAPI cdroms, and thus provides us * a method by which we can achieve higher throughput when * sharing a (fast) ATA-2 disk with any (slow) new ATAPI device. */