---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash SMCC INTRODUCES WORLD'S FASTEST UNIX SERVER SunFLASH Vol 47 #15 November 1992 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- SAN JOSE, Calif. -- November 10, 1992 -- Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC) today introduced the industry's most powerful, expandable and affordable high-end UNIX(R) server. It is based on the SPARC(R)/Solaris(R) platform. The SPARCcenter(TM) 2000 server, which offers unprecedented expandability -- up to 20-way multiprocessing -- as well as storage capacity, begins at $95,000. This is at least two to four times less expensive than comparable systems from other vendors. SMCC's new server -- a mainframe-caliber system for datacenter applications -- also delivers expansion options from one-fifth to one-half the price of similar products from other system vendors. "With the SPARCcenter 2000 server, we are aiming at organizations that need the processing power and capacity of a mainframe system, but demand the flexibility of a system that can grow with them," said Larry Hambly, vice president of marketing at SMCC. The SPARCcenter 2000 server features a variety of innovations, including an advanced new multiprocessing bus technology. This system utilizes a single system board design, which can be replicated up to 10 times to easily configure a larger, more powerful system. The basic system board has capacity for up to two SuperSPARC(TM) modules, 64 to 512 megabytes of memory, and provides one high-speed SBus I/O channel with up to four expansion options. It has 4.2 gigabytes of disk storage, which can be increased to more than 100 times this capacity. Its modular design permits expansion in multiple dimensions -- CPU, I/O, memory -- each time a new system board is added. For example, a two-processor entry-level configuration can be upgraded to a 20-way multiprocessing system by simply adding processor modules and system boards to the original package. In its maximum configuration, the system features up to 10 independent SBus I/O channels, providing more than 500 megabytes per second of dedicated I/O throughput. The new Sun(TM) server has higher performance than any other UNIX server available today. In its 20-way configuration, it delivers 2.19 GIPS (giga {billion} instructions per second) and 269 MFLOPS (million floating point operations per second). In just the eight-way configuration, it is the SPECrate world champion, performing at 8,047 SPECrate_int92 and 10,600 SPECrate_fp92. Database performance for an eight-way system is expected to exceed 500 transactions per second(tps). The SPARCcenter 2000 server includes Solaris, the world's highest-volume, 32-bit distributed computing environment. With its multithreaded operating system featuring symmetric multiprocessing, this scalable environment gives companies a robust, super-high-performance solution upon which to build their mission-critical applications. Third-Party Relationships The SPARCcenter 2000 is an ideal platform for several popular software products and services that address the needs of data center users. All the leading relational database products -- from Cincom, Informix, Ingres, Oracle, Software AG and Sybase -- will be available for the SPARCcenter 2000 server. In addition, leading system administration tools available or in development for the Sun platform include the Tivoli Management Environment (TME) from Tivoli Systems and CA-UNICENTER from Computer Associates. Legent Corp. and SMCC recently announced that they have signed an agreement to port Legent's system management tools to the Sun SPARCserver(TM) and SPARCstation(TM). SMCC also offers the industry's best-selling distributed network management solution, SunNet(TM) Manager, from SunConnect. There also are DB2 and Customer Information Control System (CICS) emulators for the SPARCcenter 2000, such as XDB-Server from XDB Systems, VIS/TP from VI Systems and UniKix from Integris. Also recently announced was an agreement between SMCC and Universal Software, which provides IBM System 36 emulation. Universal will port its Open/36 software to the Sun platform. In addition, SMCC has signed an agreement with Storage Technology Corp.(Storage Tek) and Epoch Systems to jointly market mainframe-quality backup and retrieval solutions for the SPARCcenter 2000 server. These products will allow users to back up the SPARCcenter 2000 network on tape silos and libraries provided by Storage Tek, leveraging their existing data center investments in Storage Tek systems. Storage Tek and Epoch Systems, a leading supplier of UNIX system advanced storage management systems, co-developed this backup and storage technology. SMCC has also partnered with Xerox PARC to develop the XDBus(TM), technology making its debut in the SPARCcenter 2000 server. This dual, high-performance bus design uses high-bandwidth, packet-switched technology that provides excellent connectivity, throughput and data consistency for shared memory multiprocessing. These buses work in parallel to provide in excess of 500 megabytes per second of sustained throughput and 640 megabytes per second of peak bandwidth, as well as increased system availability through redundancy. SMCC also introduced Sun Service 2000(SM), a comprehensive service and support package designed to provide SPARCcenter 2000 server users with all the services they need for maximum system availability, including 99 percent guaranteed up-time. Sun Service 2000, which can be tailored to a customer's unique computing environment, delivers a variety of services, including 7-day, 24-hour, around-the-clock support, on-site and system support and on-site consulting and training. SunService 2000 is unique in the industry in that it allows customers to set the priorities of problems, so that they get the response they need -- when they need it. When purchasing a high-end server, leasing options also are important. SMCC is making available an innovative new leasing program that simplifies acquisition. Pricing and Availability The SPARCcenter 2000, which is available initially in configurations from two to eight processors, will be generally available in April,1993. The entry-level configuration, which includes two SuperSPARC processors, 64 megabytes of main memory and 4.2 gigabytes of disk, is priced at $95,000. An eight-processor system, which contains eight SuperSPARC processors, 512 megabytes of main memory and 16.8 gigabytes of disk, is priced at $266,200. System boards, processors, memory and disks will be available in flexible configurations, allowing virtually any configuration to be built using standard components. SMCC is offering upgrade options for current owners of Sun SPARCservers. Owners of the SPARCserver 690 system can upgrade for $65,000; owners of the SPARCserver 490 or 390 systems can upgrade for $70,000. Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation (SMCC), a subsidiary of Sun Microsystems, Inc., is the world's leading supplier of open, client-server computing solutions. SMCC has its headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. ### Sun, Sun Microsystems, Sun Microsystems Computer Corporation, the Sun logo, SunNet, Sun Service 2000, and Solaris are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of Sun Microsystems, Inc. All SPARC trademarks, including the SCD Compliant logo, are trademarks or registered trademarks of SPARC International, Inc. SPARCstation, SPARCcenter, SPARCclassic, microSPARC and SPARCserver are licensed exclusively to Sun Microsystems, Inc. SuperSPARC is a trademark of SPARC International, Inc., and is licensed to Texas Instruments, Inc. Products bearing SPARC trademarks are based on an architecture developed by Sun Microsystems, Inc. UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System Laboratories, Inc. XDBus is a trademark of Xerox Corp. All other product or service names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners. For reader inquiries, telephone 1-800-821-4643. PR contact: Carol Sacks (415) 336-0521. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 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. TRACE: To: sunflash@suntri Errors-to: owner-sunflash@suntri.east.sun.com