Linux Kernel in a Nutshell

Name

I2O — I2O support

The Intelligent Input/Output (I2O) architecture allows hardware drivers to be split into two parts: an operating-system-specific module called the OSM and an hardware-specific module called the HDM. The OSM can talk to a whole range of HDM's, and ideally the HDM's are not OS-dependent. This allows for the same HDM driver to be used under different operating systems if the relevant OSM is in place. In order for this to work, you need to have an I2O interface adapter card in your computer. This card contains a special I/O processor (IOP), allowing high speeds because the CPU does not have to deal with I/O.

If you say yes here, you will get a choice of interface adapter drivers and OSMs and will have to enable the correct ones.