Message Signaled Interrupts

["J. J. Farrell" <jjf@hal.com>]

Does anyone know the status of Operating System Support for
Message Signaled Interrupts? I'm looking at a device which
will be used exclusively in servers based on the Intel 870
chipset using next-generation IA-64 and IA-32 processors
running shrink-wrapped "PC Server" OSes. These systems are
capable of making effective use of MSI, but will the OSes do so?

I would prefer this device to use MSI and not support the old
interrupt pin method.

Both the "Developer's Interface Guide for IA-64 Servers" and
the "Hardware Design Guide Version 3.0 for Microsoft Windows
2000 Server" recommend that PCI devices should support MSI,
with a warning that this will later become a requirement, but
neither say anything about the OSes using it!

I am primarily interested in Windows 2000 Server, Solaris,
and Linux.

If anyone knows the status for these OSes, or knows how I might
find out, I'd be most grateful for the information.

Many Thanks,
		jjf