BusLogic MDA 32-bit MCA SCSI Controller

Apricot is introducing a new SCSI controller. The card is designed to increase drive subsystem throughput in line with the improvements in CPU and Winchester performance. A number of points should be borne in mind when proposing a machine with this controller or upgrading a system from an Adaptec controller.

1. Only systems running SCO UNIX V/386 3.2v4 can make use of this controller. It is not supported by Apricot running any SCO Xenix versions or SCO UNIX revisions earlier than 3.2v4.0.
   
2. The card is not supported in the middle of the SCSI bus, it must be located at one end of the bus.
   
3. Up to four of the new controllers can be installed in a machine although no more than two should be installed without prior consultation and agreement with UNIX Support.
   
4. All BusLogic cards should be installed separate interrupts SCO UNIX. The I/O locations for the first two cards should be 330h and 334h (identical to the Adaptec).
   
5. The controller should be set to synchronous transfers and should give appreciable performance improvements when used with multiple drives capable of supporting Fast SCSI (enhanced SCSI- II). Currently the only drives able to make use of all the benefits of the card are the 1.3GB and 2.0GB 5.25" format drives and the Maxtor MXT 3.5" drives (520MB, 1.2GB, and 2.0GB) for the FTs series.
   
6. The BusLogic card is only supported in FTs (mark 2 or later) and FTe. It is not currently supported in MCA desktops and should never be installed in VX FT (mark 1) machines.
   
7. Adaptec and BusLogic cards should not be mixed in machines running SCO UNIX, any company upgrading a dual Adaptec installation should replace both cards with BusLogic controllers.
   
8. Apricot is currently reviewing the third party products available for UNIX disk mirroring, duplexing and RAID implementations. The BusLogic card is likely to be the basis of any products Apricot chooses to supply.

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