On Wednesday, 12/09/2009 at 06:33 EST, Rob van der Heij <rvdh...@velocitysoftware.com> wrote:
> You're talking about the PCI Crypto cards. Those are different beasts > (that came in at least 4 different shapes and behave like a chpid with > I/O devices). Sir Rob, crypto cards (PCI or otherwise) have never behaved like a chpid with I/O devices. In z-speak, they are "facilities", implying that they are extensions to the CPU and are accessed by special instructions. > Steve was talking about the cryptic instructions implemented in the > CPU itself. The application will have to determine whether those > instructions are available (either through the STFLE that Alan showed, > or by just testing the ice). All those who "test the ice" are destined to fall through and be trapped. You will slide away from the hole and look up at your seriously unsympathetic comrades as your lungs burn for air and your sight dims. Your body will be allowed to stay in the lake to feed the cute little fishies. Eeeewww. To avoid that fate, use STFLE. It is the architected way to decide whether or not to use an instruction. If you find IBM software that is testing the ice, let us know. If you find non-IBM software doing it, report it to the author/vendor. Alan Altmark z/VM Development IBM Endicott
