INTRO

Section: Devices and Network Interfaces (4)
Updated: tahoe
Index Return to Main Contents

BSD mandoc
 

NAME

intro - introduction to special files and hardware support  

DESCRIPTION

This section describes the special files, related driver functions, and networking support available in the system. In this part of the manual, the SYNOPSIS section of each configurable device gives a sample specification for use in constructing a system description for the config(8) program. The DIAGNOSTICS section lists messages which may appear on the console and in the system error log /var/log/messages due to errors in device operation.  

CCI DEVICE SUPPORT

Software support for these devices comes in two forms. A hardware device may be supported with a character or block device driver or it may be used within the networking subsystem and have a network interface driver Block and character devices are accessed through files in the file system of a special type; see physio(4) and mknod(8). Network interfaces are indirectly accessed through the interprocess communication facilities provided by the system; see socket(2).

A hardware device is identified to the system at configuration time and the appropriate device or network interface driver is then compiled into the system. When the resultant system is booted, the autoconfiguration facilities in the system probe for the device on the VERSAbus and, if found, enable the software support for it. If a VERSAbus device does not respond at autoconfiguration time it is not accessible at any time afterwards. To enable a VERSAbus device which did not autoconfigure, the system will have to be rebooted.

The autoconfiguration system is described in autoconf(4).  

SEE ALSO

autoconf(4), netintro(4), config(8)  

LIST OF DEVICES

The devices listed below are supported in this incarnation of the system. Devices are indicated by their functional interface. If second vendor products provide functionally identical interfaces they should be usable with the supplied software. Bf Sy (Beware however that we promise the software works ONLY with the hardware indicated on the appropriate manual page.) Ef

ace    ACC 10 Mb/s Ethernet controller
cons    Tahoe console interface
cy      Cypher tape drive interface
dr      Ikon DR-11W controller
enp     3Com 10 Mb/s Ethernet controller
ik      Evans and Sutherland PS300 interface through an Ikon DR-11W
        controller
vd      CCI vd mass storage disk controller
vx      CCI vioc terminal multiplexor

 

HISTORY

The section 4 appeared in BSD 4.2


 

Index

NAME
DESCRIPTION
CCI DEVICE SUPPORT
SEE ALSO
LIST OF DEVICES
HISTORY

This document was created by man2html, using the manual pages.
Time: 06:48:27 GMT, May 19, 2025