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/or in the system error log /usr/adm/messages due to errors in device operation; see syslogd(8) for more information. 

This section contains both devices which may be configured into the system, “4” entries, and network related information, “4N”, “4P”, and “4F” entries; The networking support is introduced in intro(4N). 

NEWS DEVICE SUPPORT

This section describes the hardware supported on the Sony NEWS.  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; c.f. 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 either the IOP, HB or VME and, if found, enable the software support for it.  If a IOP/HB/VME device does not respond at autoconfiguration time it is not accessible at any time afterwards.  To enable a IOP/HB/VME device which did not autoconfigure, the system will have to be rebooted. 

The autoconfiguration system is described in autoconf(4).  A list of the supported devices is given below. 

SEE ALSO

intro(4), intro(4N), autoconf(4), config(8). 

Building Berkeley UNIX Kernels with Config (SMM:2)

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.  (Beware, however, that we promise the software works ONLY with the hardware indicated on the appropriate manual page.) Occasionally, new devices of a similar type may be added simply by creating appropriate table entries in the driver. 

dlLeased Line (LAPB) network interface
drumPaging device
dxX.25 packet switch network interface
enEthernet controller
fbBitmap display frame buffer interface
fdFloppy disk driver
fn100 Mb/s FDDI interface
g3faxFAX Board interface
gpibGpib interface
ibImage Board interface
icmpInternet control message protocol
ifGeneral properties of network interfaces
inetInternet protocol family
ipInternet protocol
irImage reader interface
isISDN (2B+D) network interface
keyboardkeyboard interface
kmemMain memory
lbpLaser Beam Printer
loSoftware loopback network interface
lpCentronics compatible parallel line printer interface
mdMemory disk driver
memMain memory
mouseMouse interface
mtioNEWS−OS magtape interface
nsipSoftware network interface encapsulating ns packets in ip packets
nullData sink
ptyPseudo terminal driver
rawscsiRaw scsi interface
rawetherethernet interface
rdRemote disk driver
sbNEWS built-in audio interface
sbeNEWS expansion audio interface
sdSCSI disk device driver
stSCSI tape drive interface
tbLine discipline for digitizing devices
ttyGeneral terminal interface
vmememVME memory interface
vvcrsVTR controller driver

NEWS-OSRelease 4.2.1R