---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash Sun Makes Significant Enhancements To SPARCstation 2, SPARCserver 2 SunFLASH Vol 31 #16 July 1991 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Also Introduces New Graphics Products, New SPARCserver 2 Configurations MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. --July 22, 1991-- Sun Microsystems has increased processor performance and added major enhancements to its popular desktop SPARCstation(TM) 2 and SPARCserver(TM) 2 systems. Enhancements include doubling memory and disk storage, increasing processing power by 15 percent and graphics performance by up to 10 percent. These enhanced systems, along with two new desktops introduced today and Sun's family of servers, are part of a client-server computing environment that increases productivity by enabling every group in an organization to share information by distributing data, resources and processing to any system on the network. Sun's computing family supports both technical and commercial users, performing tasks as diverse as the most sophisticated engineering process to everyday desktop productivity. Sun's entire SPARC(R) line can run more than 3,300 SPARCware(TM) third-party products. Enhancements to SPARCstation 2 Improvements to Sun's high-end SPARCstation 2 graphics workstation include an increase from 16 megabytes to 32 megabytes of main memory and from a 207-megabyte disk to a faster 424-megabyte internal disk on all standard configurations, allowing up to 848 megabytes in the package. As a result of Sun's compilers and new third-party compilers that will be available Kuck and Associates in 45 days, the system now processes at 24.7 SPECmarks. Sun has also shrunk the system's GX accelerator card so that it takes up a single- rather than a double-wide SBus slot, allowing the addition of more add-on options. The SPARCstation 2's additional memory and disk capacity are especially useful in I/O-intensive applications and large-scale simulations, such as electronic design automation and mechanical computer-aided design, where a single image or design can be several megabytes in size. With the addition of new peripherals, the SPARCstation 2 now has a maximum capacity of 128 megabytes of memory and up to 20.8 gigabytes of disk storage for users who require maximum expandability. New Graphics Products - Greater Performance, Flexibility Sun has enhanced the performance of its popular GX accelerator and has also introduced the GXplus(TM), a new graphics product that gives the SPARCstation 2 additional features and flexibility. The SPARCstation 2 GXplus provides higher resolution (1280 by 1024) and double buffering. It also offers all the new and existing capabilities of the GX, such as 8-bit color, accelerated 2-D/3-D wireframe graphics (now 480,000 2-D vectors per second and 310,000 3-D vectors per second), and text and window acceleration. The higher resolution is useful in financial and government applications that require a larger screen area and for applications utilizing a large number of windows. The GXplus's double buffering feature is good for technical applications, such as mechanical computer-aided design, high-end electronic design automation, mapping and geographic information systems. SPARCserver 2 - Gets More Memory, Disk Storage, Options Also enhanced was the SPARCserver 2, with the same added memory and disk capacity as the SPARCstation 2. This server is now available with no monitor, freeing all three SBus slots. They can be used for add-on options such as additional Ethernet cards and serial terminal connections for increased connectivity, or for the new Sun SBus Prestoserve(TM), an NFS(R) system performance accelerator. SBus Prestoserve improves the SPARCserver 2's NFS write performance by up to 85 percent and NFS throughput by up to 140 percent, allowing the SPARCserver 2 to support many more clients and offer better response time. The SPARCserver 2 is also being offered in a new database configuration that includes up to 10.4 gigabytes of disk, a 2.3-gigabyte backup tape drive and SunCD(TM) CD-ROM disk drive in a new, integrated office package. Upgrades, Pricing, Availability Following is a list of the suggested U.S. retail prices and availability information for Sun's new SPARCstation 2 and SPARCserver 2 configurations: System U.S.List Availability Configuration SPARCstation 2 $15,495 Immediate 32MB, 19"mono, 424MB disk SPARCstation 2 $18,495 Immediate 32MB, 16"color, 424MB disk GX accelerator SPARCstation 2GXplus $22,495 Immediate 32 MB, 19"color, 424MB disk GXPlus accelerator SPARCserver 2 $15,195 Immediate 32MB, 424 disk (entry server package) SPARCserver 2 $24,490 Immediate 32MB 19" mono, 1.7GB disk (file server package) 2.3GB tape, SunCD SPARCserver 2 $35,490 Immediate 32MB, 19" mono, 3GB disk, (database package) SunCD, 2.3GB tape, SCSI host adaptor Sun Microsystems is the world's leading supplier of client/server computing solutions, which feature networked workstations and servers that store, process and distribute information. Used for many demanding commercial and technical applications, Sun's products command the largest share of the computer industry's fastest-growing market segment: workstations and servers. The company, founded in 1982 and headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., is a multi-billion dollar corporation doing business worldwide. SPARC is a registered trademark of SPARC International, Inc. SPARCstation, SPARCware and SPARCserver are trademark of SPARC International, Inc., licensed exclusively to Sun Microsystems, Inc. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based on an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. SunOS, DeskSet, OpenWindows, SunNet, GXplus, SunTOPS and SunCD are trademarks and Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, NFS, PC-NFS areregistered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. OPEN LOOK and UNIX are registered trademarks of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. Prestoserve is a trademark of Legato Systems, Inc. All other products or services mentioned in this document are identified by the trademarks or service marks of their respective companies or organizations. For reader inquiries, telephone 1-800-821-464 PR contacts: Carrie Dillon (415) 336-3564 John Loiacono (415) 336-6424 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For information send mail to info-sunflash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. Subscription requests should be sent to sunflash-request@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. Archives are on solar.nova.edu and paris.cs.miami.edu. All prices, availability, and other statements relating to Sun or third party products are valid in the U.S. only. Please contact your local Sales Representative for details of pricing and product availability in your region. Descriptions of, or references to products or publications within SunFlash does not imply an endorsement of that product or publication by Sun Microsystems. John McLaughlin, SunFlash editor, flash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. (305) 776-7770.