Adaptec 1742A User Manual

Contents

Mailbox InAn area in main memory assigned by the host microcomputer soft-ware for communication with the host adapter. The host adapterplaces status and pointer information in entries in the Mailbox In(MBI) to indicate to the host microcomputer what operations havebeen completed or what information must be obtained from thehost microcomputer.Mailbox OutAn area in main memory assigned by the host microcomputer soft-ware for communication with the host adapter. The microcom-puter software places commands and pointer information inentries in the Mailbox Out (MBO) to indicate what operationsshould be started by the host adapter.ManagerThe component of a driver which is specific to a particular boardarchitecture and presents a standard ASPI pass-through inter-face for use by the peripheral-specific component of the driver,known as a module.MBISee Mailbox In.MBOSee Mailbox Out.Multi-tasking OperationThe execution of commands in such a way that more than onecommand is in progress at the same time, allowing the system totake advantage of overlapping activities by using resources thatare temporarily not required for other operations. More than oneprogram or more than one portion of a program may be operatingin parallel.PC-ATA family of small computers sold by IBM, also called the PersonalComputer/AT family of computers. The name is trademarked byIBM.adaptec AHA-1740A/1742A/1744GL-6