The I/O subsystem/spl minus/a candidate for improvement

A computer system can be partitioned into hardware and the software executing on that hardware. The hardware consists of processor(s), memory, and "everything else". The "everything else" we generally combine under the umbrella "I/O, whose job it is to manage the availability of information to and from the processor(s) and memory". That information comes from storage devices, networks, and nonstorage devices. The I/O subsystem is the collection of all three; its influence on performance is a reflection of how well it manages the availability of information to and from all three. The impression today, from both the hardware side and the software side, is that the I/O subsystem can certainly stand improvement. The author considers improvements to the I/O subsystem.<>