## Physical Device Driver Reference

[prev][next][parent][TOC]

### Adapters

Adapters are defined as devices that convert from one bus protocol to another. For example, a SCSI adapter converts the host bus protocol (for example, ISA, EISA, or PCI), to SCSI bus protocols. The system bus (for example, ISA, EISA, or PCI) is represented in the Resource Manager as an adapter, converting from the CPU-internal bus protocols to a standard host- bus protocol.

In some cases, adapters may not directly correspond to physical packaging. An example of this could be a CD-ROM port on a multifunction sound board that is represented as a separate adapter. However, it is generally encouraged to try to "align" adapters with the physical packaging of the system to help end-users to identify their hardware easily.