RE: Supermicro P4SCT+ Marvell 88SX504 controller

On Tue, 22 Feb 2005, EAZNet - Eddie Fry wrote:

> I just talked to Peter at Marvell (I can't pronounce his last name let alone
> know how to spell it).  He is going to check on getting us the information
> we need to move forward with the project.  If I have any luck, whom should I
> forward the doc's to?  Apparently, there is an NDA and some other paperwork.

NDAs are usually fatal for open-source projects, since they disallow
releasing code written using the specification.  If Marvell is willing to
construct the NDA so the driver can be BSD licensed then we might have
something to work with.

>
> Eddie Fry
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Doug White [mailto:dwhite_at_gumbysoft.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 4:15 PM
> To: EAZNet - Eddie Fry
> Subject: RE: Supermicro P4SCT+ Marvell 88SX504 controller
>
> On Tue, 22 Feb 2005, EAZNet - Eddie Fry wrote:
>
> > What about going through Supermicro to get what we need?  Will they work
> > with us to get us what we need from Marvell?
>
> Can't hurt to ask. I got the marvell drivers off a link on Abit's site.
>
> >
> > Eddie
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Doug White [mailto:dwhite_at_gumbysoft.com]
> > Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 11:36 AM
> > To: EAZNet - Eddie Fry
> > Cc: 'Scott Long'; freebsd-current_at_freebsd.org
> > Subject: RE: Supermicro P4SCT+ Marvell 88SX504 controller
> >
> > On Tue, 22 Feb 2005, EAZNet - Eddie Fry wrote:
> >
> > > Hmmm, that sucks.  There are linux drivers.  I wonder if there is a way
> to
> > > get the specs from the linux developers.
> >
> > I see a vendor driver and an "in progress" marker on the libata status
> > page. gjarzik appears to be the only "linux developer" who'd know anything
> > about the hardware.  The vendor driver says:
> >
> > * THIS CODE CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION OF MARVELL.
> >
> > which precludes us from reading it to get the necessary details.
> >
> > > I'm going to put in a call to both
> > > Supermicro and Marvell and see if I can round up:
> > >
> > > Supermicro: a demo board
> > > Marvell: specs, references, and code samples
> > >
> > > Anything else you'll need to get this rolling?
> > >
> > > Eddie
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Scott Long [mailto:scottl_at_freebsd.org]
> > > Sent: Monday, February 21, 2005 4:41 PM
> > > To: EAZNet - Eddie Fry
> > > Cc: freebsd-current_at_freebsd.org
> > > Subject: Re: Supermicro P4SCT+ Marvell 88SX504 controller
> > >
> > > EAZNet - Eddie Fry wrote:
> > > > Soren/others,
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I’d like to offer to donate US$100 to getting the Marvell RAID
> > controller
> > > > working quickly.  I’d rather see this driver implemented than to go
> buy
> > > > another controller.  I’d be more than happy to beta the driver.  I
> need
> > to
> > > > do some testing/configuring on this box before deployment, so testing
> > the
> > > > RAID driver would not be a problem.  However, I am on a timetable…
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Thanks!
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Eddie Fry
> > > >
> > > > EAZNet Internet Services
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > The problem is not with there being no desire to make this hardware
> > > work, it's that Marvell refuses to provide any specs, references, or
> > > code samples that could be used to write an open driver.
> > >
> > > Scott
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

-- 
Doug White                    |  FreeBSD: The Power to Serve
dwhite_at_gumbysoft.com          |  www.FreeBSD.org