LinuxLibre:ATM AMBASSADOR

Reference at LinuxLibre log

ATM_AMBASSADOR - Madge Ambassador, Collage PCI 155 Server
drivers/atm/ambassador.c: disabled non-Free firmware-loading machinery
drivers/atm/ambassador.c: removed blobs
firmware/atmsar11.HEX: removed blobs
firmware/Makefile: dropped firmware/atmsar11.fw

What is the purpose of the device?

ATM Network card (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asynchronous_Transfer_Mode)

 The Collage 155 PCI Server Adapter offers ATM connectivity for backbone corporate servers, 
 providing the bandwidth to support data-intensive and multimedia applications. Based upon 
 Madges own silicon technology for on-board Segmentation and Reassembly (SAR), the Collage 
 155 PCI Server adapter combines high throughput with industry-leading low CPU utilization. 
 Simple installation and configuration tools reduce implementation and support costs. 

 Features include:

 * Fully ATM standards compliant for guaranteed interoperability
 * High throughput and low server CPU utilization
 * Token Ring and Ethernet LAN Emulation, Classical IP and Winsock 2.0 support
 * Multimode Fiber or UTP Cat 5 interfaces

source: http://www.chipweb.de/atm/index.php?menu=2&id2=59

Who needs it?

(which computer models use this device or which niche users usually buy such peripherals?)

How critical it is to get free support for it?

(Is it a very popular device that requires us to prioritize efforts?)

What is(are) the processor architecture(s) of this device?

Unknown.

Who is working on a free firmware implementation?

Nobody.

Links to online documentation

(i.e. datasheets, developer's guides, official or non-official specifications, etc)

• http://stason.org/TULARC/pc/network-cards/M/MADGE-NETWORKS-LTD-ATM-COLLAGE-155-PCI-VER-1.html

Where are the non-free firmware images made available?

(usually here we would want an url to the manufacturer's firmware download webpage)

What makes them non-free?

(describe clearly the specific reasons for it being considered non-free)

 File: firmware/atmsar11.fw 
 Licence: Allegedly GPLv2+, but no source visible. Marked:
 
   Madge Ambassador ATM Adapter microcode.
   Copyright (C) 1995-1999  Madge Networks Ltd.
 
   This microcode data is placed under the terms of the GNU General
   Public License. The GPL is contained in /usr/doc/copyright/GPL on a
   Debian system and in the file COPYING in the Linux kernel source.
 
   We would prefer you not to distribute modified versions without
   consultation and not to ask for assembly/other microcode source.

What else do we know about this device?

(any further info that might help the creation of free firmware for it)

• The driver source code (drivers/atm/ambassador.c) cointains lots of comments describing the interactions between the driver and the microcode.