Configuring HP-UX For Peripherals

Chapter 1 15

Getting Started

1 Getting Started

Before physically installing a disk drive, tape drive, printer, or other

peripheral device, you must conﬁgure the HP-UX operating system to

communicate with it. Conﬁguring HP-UX for Peripherals provides the

software information needed for system administrators to conﬁgure the

many peripheral devices supported on HP-UX.

Read this chapter for:

• an overview of peripheral conﬁguration

• explanation of I/O convergence

• explanation of loadable drivers

• syntax of device special ﬁle names

• information on associating device special ﬁles with their peripheral

devices, by using lssf and ioscan

Keep this document and the following other documents available for

reference when installing and conﬁguring peripheral devices:

• installation manuals shipped with the device

• HP-UX Managing Systems and Workgroups

• HP-UX Reference

Commands such as mksf, insf, and ioscan (now available on both

Series 700 and 800 systems) make it largely unnecessary to manipulate

the minor number literally. However, if you are conﬁguring a peripheral

for unusual circumstances, you should consult the appendices at the end

of this document.

NOTE Conﬁguring a peripheral device requires that you operate with root

privileges. In consideration for others on the system, exercise caution

when acting as superuser.

NOTE HP Interface Bus (HP-IB) and HP Fiber Link (HP-FL) disks and