Compaq Smart Array 3200 Controller as a SCSI Controller

[Dave Wade]

Ali,
Its been a long time, but I think the answer is no. A tape is not a disk and
uses a different SCSI command set to a disk. For example you can't rewind a
disk.

I found a SmartArray 3200 manual here:-

http://index-of.es/Tutorials/Proliant%201600/SmartArray3200.pdf

and in the Q&A it says :-

Q. Does the Smart Array 3200 Controller support SCSI tape drives and CD-ROM
drives?
A. No; the Smart Array 3200 Controller only supports Wide-Ultra2
SCSI,Wide-Ultra SCSI-3, Fast-Wide SCSI-2, and Fast SCSI-2 hard drives.

So I would say not. 

I know you can define a JBOD but a JBOD is not passed through as a physical
disk. In most RAID controllers you can still carve up a JBOD into multiple
LUNS. 
The devices the OS sees are "logical abstractions" of the devices the RAID
controller sees and need to be be mapped to the physical devices in the
controller.   

Dave
G4UGM


> -----Original Message-----
> From: cctalk <cctalk-bounces at classiccmp.org> On Behalf Of Ali via cctalk
> Sent: 14 July 2020 18:47
> To: 'General Discussion: On-Topic and Off-Topic Posts'
> <cctalk at classiccmp.org>
> Subject: Compaq Smart Array 3200 Controller as a SCSI Controller
> 
> This may be a bit too new for this list but I thought what the heck -
maybe
> one of you Compaq/DEC/HP guys would know:
> 
> Is there any reason a Smart Array controller can't be used as a simple
SCSI
> controller? I.E. No array, just using it to drive a tape library? TIA!
> 
> -Ali
> 
>