System and method for applying initialization power to SCSI devices

摘要

A computer is provided having a SCSI subsystem and multiple SCSI devices connected to that subsystem. Those devices involve electromechanical motors which require a greater amount of current during times needed to spin-up the motor-driven devices to a steady-state velocity than current needed to maintain that velocity. Each SCSI device includes an inquiry page indicating attributes of that device and whether that device supports fast spin-up. If a device supports fast spin-up, firmware within the computer is activated during ROM POST operations forwards a command to begin a spin-up operation on one SCSI device before the prior device has completed its spin-up operation. In this manner devices which support fast spin-up can concurrently spin-up to their constant velocity value so as to minimize the initialization process of the computer system subsequent to reset or boot-up of the system. Any devices which do not support fast spin-up, as indicated in their inquiry page, can thereafter be spun-up in sequence one after the other to complete the boot-up process for the entire computer system employing numerous SCSI disk drives or tape back-up units.