On Mon, Jul 23, 2007 at 09:31:25PM -0500, Jonathan A. Kollasch wrote:
> > 
> > >
> > > They support NCQ and ATAPI already.  On the other hand, I'm not sure if
> > > this would allow for SMART and whatnot to be used.
> > >
> > > Anyone think porting these would be a good idea?
> > >
> > > Or, would writing a proper SATA framework be much better?
> > 
> >  Well, ATA and SATA use the same command set.  Only the transport is 
> >  different.  You also have the problem of what to do with SATA-I controllers 
> >  That basically behave like a legacy WDC-type controller.
> >
> > 
> 
> ATAPI should just be a matter of writing new glue code for the
> non-WDC-type controllers.

Yes. Doing it for AHCI should be a matter of a few lines, but I lack
the hardware to test it.

> 
> I guess SATA port multipliers could eventually be supported by
> wedging some sort of new piece into the ATA stack somewhere.
> 
> Also, hot-swap could probably be fit in somehow too.

Yes, I had all of this in mind when I wrote the AHCI support, and the
ATA part already more or less supports it (wdc is the problem, but for
non-wdc controller it shouldn't be too hard). I have hot-plug capable hardware
with ACHI controllers, but I didn't have the time to get my hands on this yet
(nor in NCQ).

-- 
Manuel Bouyer <bouyer@antioche.eu.org>
     NetBSD: 26 ans d'experience feront toujours la difference
--