---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash Sun's HOTTEST Volume 2 Number 4 SunFLASH Vol 42 #5 June 1992 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is the text of a newsletter, "Sun's Hottest", that is being mailed to Sun customers. It is an excellent summary of recent products and news. -johnj ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- C O N T E N T S Nothing is as powerful as freedom Applications: the only performance that matters Growing up vs. growing old The future is not an option When you put all this innovation together, what do you get? Multiprocessing on the desktop SuperSPARC: superscalar, super performance Quick upgrades with SPARC modules SuperCache for super-fast access ISDN today Speak into the microphone Speakerbox: sensational sound Leading-edge networking Solaris CD Best desktop "pizza box" yet Advanced power supply: cool and quiet Introducing SPARCstation 10 and SPARCserver 10 The platform for applications The platform for growth The platform for innovation Keep on upgrading Upgrade to SPARCstation 10 Upgrades to multiprocessing SPARCserver systems Multiprocessing workstation on a board In Short Low-priced SPARCstations Solaris 1.0.1 AnswerBook 424-MB configurations of SPARCstation IPX 5-GB 8mm tape Your SPARCstation runs MS-DOS and Windows ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nothing is as powerful as freedom ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can accomplish great things when you're not limited by your environment. That's why Sun has always delivered only open systems--running the UNIX[R] operating environment--that let you work effectively with whatever other systems you need to achieve your goals. And it's why we're committed to giving you the applications, growth path, and innovative technology you need to push the limits--to reap the rewards that only freedom can bring. Applications: the only performance that matters The real performance test for a computer is how fast your applications run to make you more productive. Sun[TM] systems pass the test. That's because at Sun, "balanced performance" is not just a buzzword. It's a reality that combines a mature operating system with a fast CPU, plus industry-leading disk, I/O subsystem, memory, bus, and windowing system technologies to ensure the highest throughput for your applications. And speaking of your applications, you're assured of finding exactly the ones you need among the more than 4000 SPARC[R] software solutions that are available today. The fact is, more applications are available for Sun systems than for any other UNIX platform. Even while you run your applications on a Sun system, you probably need to work with other applications running on different systems, too. No problem. Sun platforms let you run MS-DOS[R] and Windows[R] applications (see the story on the back cover), connect to IBM[R] mainframes, and basically fit in comfortably to your existing and evolving environment. Freedom reigns. Growing up vs. growing old When you want to move up, you don't want to leave behind what you already have. Sun engineers design our systems to be very accommodating. For example, upgradability is built in to your existing Sun system, making it easy for you to move up whenever the time comes. If you're working on a Sun SPARC system, you can expand its already powerful capabilities in a variety of ways: add more memory, disk capacity, or SBus devices from Sun or third parties, and on newer systems add SPARC modules for faster performance or even multiprocessing. And since SPARC systems are scalable--binary-compatible from notebooks to supercomputers--you can run your applications on any of these SCD-compliant machines without a recompile. Since you don't have to develop and support multiple versions of the same applications, you save lots of time and money. Freedom pays. The future is not an option Sun has always seen the wisdom of building the future into our systems. That's why we incorporated Ethernet on the motherboard of our systems a decade ago, when other vendors offered it only as an option. And it's why today, by building ISDN capabilities into our new systems, we're once again ahead of the pack in anticipating the future. Always an innovator, Sun has licensed our technology from the very beginning, with the belief that putting our technology in other people's hands would spawn a wide array of affordable, innovative products. We were right--even though other vendors didn't see it that way and were busy keeping their technologies proprietary. Now they're busy playing catch-up. The fact is, freedom works--always did, always will. When you put all this innovation together, what do you get?... Multiprocessing on the desktop Multiprocessing provides better performance for multiple applications running simultaneously because each process is assigned to its very own CPU. SuperSPARC: superscalar, super performance The most powerful SPARC chip ever, the SuperSPARC[TM] microprocessor features a superscalar design. Superscalar architecture enables multiple instructions per cycle. The result? New levels of SPARC performance with the assurance of SPARC compatibility. Quick upgrades with SPARC modules With our MBus architecture, the processors reside on daughter cards, called SPARC modules, which plug into the system board. Simply add or swap SPARC modules to quickly and easily upgrade to higher performance levels. To get multiprocessing, just plug in an additional SPARC module. SuperCache for super-fast access Coupled with SuperSPARC on the SPARC module, SuperCache[TM] memory minimizes the number of accesses to main memory. You get better performance for your large applications. ISDN today Built-in ISDN supports low-cost, high-speed, wide-area networking as well as integrated telephony, audio, video, fax, and other emerging technologies, paving the way for a variety of exciting applications. We really mean it when we say we've built in the future. (We did it with Ethernet a decade ago, and a few years from now, you won't be able to imagine a workstation without ISDN.) Speak into the microphone You can record voice and music in multimedia applications, such as voice mail and voice annotation, with the microphone that comes bundled with every workstation. Speakerbox: sensational sound The speakerbox enables 16-bit CD-quality audio. Connectors let you add headphones and additional speakers. Leading-edge networking A compact motherboard is packed with state-of-the-art features for leading-edge networking: ISDN, twisted-pair Ethernet, AUI Ethernet, programmable bi-directional parallel port, and synchronous and asynchronous serial ports. Solaris CD The Solaris[R] software environment is the industry's first solution for shrink-wrapped distributed computing applications. Designed to take advantage of future technology, it gives you everything you need to stay a step ahead today: the SunOS[TM] UNIX operating system, industry-standard ONC[TM] networking, the OpenWindows[TM] windowing environment, the intuitive OPEN LOOK[R] graphical user interface, and DeskSet[TM] productivity tools. Best desktop "pizza box" yet We've packed a whole lot more power into our popular, compact pizza box form factor. Advanced power supply: cool and quiet The new power supply was designed to efficiently cool the system while keeping down the noise level in your office. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Next-generation platforms from Sun -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Introducing SPARCstation 10 and SPARCserver 10 When people think of desktop systems in 1995, they'll think of the SPARCstation[TM] 10 and SPARCserver[TM] 10 systems. To meet your specific needs today, each comes in uniprocessor and multiprocessor models, with and without SuperCache, and featuring different clock speeds. The platform for applications With the SPARCstation 10 and SPARCserver 10, Sun has introduced the industry's first high-volume multiprocessing desktops. Multiprocessing puts you at an entirely new level of performance. Whether you're running single or multiple applications, you get the fastest application performance possible. At the heart of the platform is the SuperSPARC processor, which can execute up to three instructions concurrently, increasing integer and floating-point performance for compute-intensive applications. Add this (as our new platform does) to outstanding I/O throughput (which, among other things, features a 10-megabyte-per-second SCSI-2 bus), a high-speed memory subsystem, and our very friendly OPEN LOOK user interface, and watch your applications fly. And keep in mind, there are more than 4000 SPARC software solutions to choose from, more than for any other UNIX platform. The platform for growth Designed with the most popular features as standard equipment, the SPARCstation 10 and SPARCserver 10 also provide ample room for expansion. The platform's MBus, where the CPU resides, gives you the flexibility to get just the right amount of computing power you need now--then grow the system as your needs change. It's simple and cost-effective to add multiprocessing and more memory--up to an enormous 512-MB of memory right on your desktop. And four SBus slots give you maximum expandability options--choose from hundreds of Sun and third-party products, including graphics accelerators, network devices, digital signal processors, printer interfaces, video cards, and more. The platform for innovation The innovations we built in to our new workstation and server enable you to innovate as well. For example, if you're a software developer, you'll appreciate the advanced capabilities our new platform gives you to incorporate multiprocessing, telephony, and multimedia into your current applications. And if you're an application user, you'll find you're able to accomplish much more in much less time with the new SuperSPARC module and multiprocessing on your desktop. Plus, with advanced technologies--such as multimedia and ISDN--already built in, the new Sun platform lets you take advantage of new applications as soon as they become available. Keep on upgrading Sun is committed to giving you the machines you need for today and making it easy for you to upgrade as your needs evolve. Our upgrade paths help protect your investments in hardware, software, and training. Upgrade to SPARCstation 10 The new SPARCstation 10 is Sun's top-of-the-line desktop. If you're a SPARCstation 1, SPARCstation 1+, SPARCstation IPX[TM], or SPARCstation 2 user, you can easily upgrade to one of the SPARCstation 10 models. SPARCstation 10 upgrades are chassis-level swaps that let you keep your current monitor, disks, frame buffer, most SBus cards, and your keyboard and mouse. If you're a Sun-3[TM] or Sun386i[TM] user, Sun offers attractive prices on upgrading to a SPARCstation 10. Upgrades to multiprocessing SPARCserver systems The SPARCserver 600MP Series is now available with SuperSPARC modules with SuperCache. If you're one of the thousands who have already made our SPARCserver 600MP Series the number-one multiprocessing UNIX server platform in the industry, you can now upgrade to the latest SPARCserver 600MP products easily and cost-effectively: swap your current SPARC module for an affordable new SuperSPARC module. SuperSPARC delivers up to three times the single process compute performance, and 50% better NFS[R] throughput than the SPARCserver 600MP Model 140. If you currently use a SPARCserver 400 or SPARCserver 300 model, you can upgrade to the SPARCserver 600MP Series with simple, cost-effective board and memory exchanges that let you preserve your investment in peripherals. And if you're a Sun-3/X60, Sun-3/X80 or Sun-4[TM]/2X0 user, you can significantly improve performance and productivity by upgrading to SPARCserver 600MP through an enclosure exchange. Once you've upgraded to the SPARCserver 600MP Series, you can beef up your memory to 1 GB, do backups with our new 5-GB tape drive, or connect more peripherals with our new SCSI-2 interface. And you can keep taking advantage of improvements to the SPARC module through future module upgrades, making the step to successive generations even easier. If you're currently working on SPARCserver 2, a simple box swap will put our new SPARCserver 10 in your workgroup. In addition to these new upgrades, our other upgrade programs are still available to help you make the move to a SPARC system platform. Multiprocessing workstation on a board Why reinvent the wheel? Instead, take advantage of the SPARCengine[R] 10 board and spend your time developing your product rather than debugging and integrating the computing platform. SPARCengine 10, the CPU motherboard from the SPARCstation 10, is a highly integrated computing platform for creating embedded applications. Featuring the identical hardware and software as the high-volume SPARCstation 10--and supporting all SPARCstation 10 peripherals--SPARCengine 10 lets you leverage Sun's latest technologies to design and deliver products with unique, innovative features. The board has the I/O flexibility, software applications, graphics capabilities, and expandability you need for your embedded applications. In Short Sun is now offering lower-priced configurations of all our SPARCstation desktops: SPARCstation 2, SPARCstation IPX, SPARCstation IPC[TM], and SPARCstation ELC[TM] systems. We've also lowered the price of our entry midrange server, the SPARCserver 630MP system--already the industry's best server value--and are offering SPARCserver 670MP and SPARCserver 690MP systems with richer configurations at no additional charge. And because we've lowered prices on some of our most popular memory, disk and monitor products, you can expand existing systems very cost-effectively. Check it out with your sales representative. In its new release, System Software AnswerBook[TM] is called Solaris 1.0.1 AnswerBook. Bringing more than 20,000 pages of system software documentation to your screen, the Solaris 1.0.1 AnswerBook CD includes OpenWindows Version 3 (OWV3) Full Developer's Set, OWV3 End User Manuals, the Desktop SPARC Owner's Sets, and much, much more. If you're currently using the System Software AnswerBook, an upgrade to Solaris 1.0.1 AnswerBook is available. Two new 424-MB configurations of the best-selling SPARCstation IPX are now available: one with 16-inch and one with 19-inch GX color. Both provide twice the storage capacity and faster disk access than the 207-MB configurations, which continue as Sun's lowest-priced accelerated graphics workstations. The new 5-GB 8mm tape drive for all SPARCstation and SPARCserver systems delivers twice the capacity and twice the data transfer rate performance as the 2.3-GB 8mm tape drive--for the same price, and with full 2.3-GB format compatibility. A new Multi-Tape Backup Tray holds up to four of the new tape drives. Combined with the existing 8mm tape expansion slot in a data center rack, the tray lets you get up to 25-GB of unattended backup capacity on a SPARCserver 690MP. Your SPARCstation runs MS-DOS and Windows The SunSelect[TM] SunPC[TM] product family lets you run thousands of the leading MS-DOS and Microsoft[R] Windows applications (plus your in-house applications) in a window on your SPARCstation system. Copy and paste text between MS-DOS and UNIX windows, access network printers and CD drives from the SunPC window, and share the UNIX filesystem--all for easy interoperation and reduced costs. The SunPC product family gives you the flexibility to choose just the level of power and functionality you need. By itself, SunPC software gives you the power of a complete 286 PC with 80287 floating-point emulation and VGA graphics. Get even more PC power by adding the SunPC Accelerator SX--an SBus accelerator with a 16-MHz 486SX CPU that is ideal for running applications that require high-performance or SuperVGA graphics--or the 25-MHz SunPC Accelerator DX, the most powerful 486-based SBus accelerator available for SunPC software, ideal for your most demanding applications. Credits: Lance Lawson, Software Product Marketing Programs Manager; Geoff Clevenger, Marcom Manager; Carl Swirsding, Marcom Manager, Europe; Diane Merrick, Marcom Manager, International; Bill Shinnick, Editor; Devin Ivester, Design; Harding & Associates Design Group, Production; Kathy Cooper Parker, Writer; Ironwood Lithographers, Inc., Printing; Marketing Response Systems, U.S. Mailing. We welcome your comments and suggestions. Please send electronic mail to comments@joes.Corp.Sun.COM * 1992, Sun Microsystems, Inc. Sun, Sun Microsystems, the Sun logo, SuperCache, Solaris, SunOS, ONC, OpenWindows, DeskSet, IPX, Sun-3, Sun386i, NFS, Sun-4, IPC, ELC, AnswerBook, SunSelect, and SunPC are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. All SPARC trademarks, including the SCD Compliant logo, are trademarks or registered trademarks of SPARC International, Inc. SPARCstation, SPARCserver, and SPARCengine are licensed exclusively to Sun Microsystems, Inc. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based upon an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX and OPEN LOOK are registered trademarks of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. Microsoft, MS-DOS and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. PostScript is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc. IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corp. All other product or service names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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, paris.cs.miami.edu, uunet.uu.net, src.doc.ic.ac.uk and ftp.adelaide.edu.au 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.