 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group SCSI - for the bookshelf Major Keary |
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Known universally as scuzzy, the small computer system interface (SCSI) is a standard that provides for connecting peripherals (hard disks, scanners, and so on) to a computer system; SCSI is popular where fast data transfer speeds are required, and enables users "to mix and match devices on one controller rather than needing to install a separate controller for each device" [The Book of SCSI]
Originally introduced as the Shugart Associates Systems Interface (SASI) in 1979, the scuzzy acronym appears to have been the handiwork of ANSI. Shugart Associates had proposed that a standard be published - a process that took several years - and ANSI used the name Small Computer System Interface in X3.131-1986.
Since then SCSI has undergone a number of improvements; SCSI-2 was published in 1994, and SCSI-3 is finding its way through the standards process. The fact that SCSI-3 devices are being offered on the market is not necessarily evidence of a formal standard having been adopted. Those with an interest should check http://www.t10.org for technical documentation and current status.
The best current book on SCSI that I have seen is The Book of SCSI, now in its second edition. It is a thorough reference that should suit both professionals and general users. For professionals the text contains a wealth of technical and programming-related information; for general users the introductory chapters provide a well written and well illustrated explanation of what SCSI does, how it works, and its advantages. I do not recommend it to novice computer users who are not comfortable with exposing the innards of their respective computers. However, if you have a reasonable level of technical competence and a serious interest in SCSI this book is highly recommended.
| Field, Ridge, et al.: The Book of SCSI 2/e ISBN 1-886411-10-7 published by No Starch Press, 397 pp. + index +CD, RRP $110.00 incl. GST |
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Programmer's Guide to SCSI
This title was published in 1998 and is still in print; it covers SCSI-2 and SCSI-3 standards, the
Advanced SCSI Programming Interface (ASPI), and low-level programming with scripts. A companion CD
includes the example code (written in C++) used in the text, and applications that will run under Windows,
Linux, and DOS.
"Slanted towards software development" it has been written for programmers who want to develop software that
will support SCSI peripherals. The authors describe the book as a supplement to the ANSI documentation,
pointing out that information was - at the time of writing the book - scarce. Even now there is dearth of
books on SCSI; even though a large volume of documentation is available online, it tends to be scattered.
Operating systems have advanced since the book was published, but the general picture seems not to have
changed all that much. What I like about it is the plain-language descriptions of how things work at the
software level. If you have a serious interest in programming SCSI devices, this is well worth considering
for your library.
| Brian Sawert et al.: The Programmer's Guide to SCSI ISBN 0-201-18538-5 Published by Addison-Wesley, 292 pp. + CD, RRP $91.50 incl. GST. |
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Reprinted from the August 2002 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
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