Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2015 10:43:31 -0500 From: Justin Hibbits <jrh29@alumni.cwru.edu> To: Roger Leigh <rleigh@codelibre.net> Cc: FreeBSD PowerPC ML <freebsd-ppc@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: Running a PPC system over FireWire from second machine Message-ID: <CAHSQbTAnTGpvTgBJ=kVhR9jTsKGKLbaXJhoqLExnBoJ9LcgALQ@mail.gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <5626B57E.2030608@codelibre.net> References: <5626B57E.2030608@codelibre.net>
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Hi, On Tue, Oct 20, 2015 at 4:43 PM, Roger Leigh <rleigh@codelibre.net> wrote: > I found this > https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/target-mode-firewire-but-not-so-specifically.30997/ > but it's a few years old and possibly incorrect even then. > > What I'd like to do is put a FireWire card in my FreeBSD NAS, and then > export a ZVOL on a specific FireWire port in target mode so that it can be > used as a raw block device on a Mac Mini as its root filesystem. This will > have the advantage of being faster than the internal 2.5" IDE HDD and also > having the ability to take snapshots and backups from the NAS system. > > I was curious to know if this was technically possible, and if so if anyone > had done this and had success? > > Is there any limitation on this if so? Are both 400 and 800 ports > bidirectional in this manner? I have 400-400 and 400-800 cables, so I could > use either on the target (the Mac Mini is 400 only). Before I purchase any > hardware, I want to be certain this would work out. > > > Thanks all, > Roger It should be technically feasible. I've never done this, so can't say for certain, but I did play around with exporting a file over firewire, with minimal success (didn't try too hard, either). The Mac Mini should just see a block device, and perform normal I/O to it, which the target endpoint would handle. I would recommend getting a PCIe dual 800/400 firewire card, and using the 400 port. I did find a minipcie firewire card on amazon, but it's rather expensive at $95 (full sized PCIe is probably cheaper). - Justin
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