Motorola Computer Group Unveils PowerPC-based PowerStack II Series Optimized for Microsoft Windows NT; Motorola Offers Commercial System Price/Performance Advantages for the Enterprise.ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 17, 1996--Motorola Computer Group (MCG) today announced its next generation of PowerStack systems. Six new systems comprise the new PowerStack II series and bring to the enterprise market powerful workstations and servers that allow customers to benefit from the performance advantages of the PowerPC platform See PPCP. (architecture, standard) PowerPC Platform - (PPCP, PReP - PowerPC Reference Platform, formerly CHRP - Common Hardware Reference Platform) An open system standard, designed by IBM, intended to ensure compatibility among PowerPC-based systems built by different , Microsoft's latest Windows NT (Windows New Technology) A 32-bit operating system from Microsoft for Intel x86 CPUs. NT is the core technology in Windows 2000 and Windows XP (see Windows). Available in separate client and server versions, it includes built-in networking and preemptive multitasking. 4.0 and AIX (Advanced Interactive eXecutive) IBM's Unix-based operating system which runs on its Intellistation workstations and pSeries, p5, iSeries and i5 server families. operating systems Operating systems can be categorized by technology, ownership, licensing, working state, usage, and by many other characteristics. In practice, many of these groupings may overlap. . Combined with an industry-leading five-year warranty, the new PowerStack II series offers an exceptional price/performance alternative for the enterprise computing Refers to information technology in the larger company. See enterprise data and enterprise networking. market. "We are confident these new high-performance Windows NT/PowerPC based systems, coupled with our five-year warranty, will fulfill the enterprise market need for competitively priced, quality computer systems," stated Dennis Schneider, vice president and director of worldwide marketing, Motorola Computer Group. "These new PowerStack II servers also compliment our StarMax line of Mac-compatible systems, also announced today, by providing the enterprise market with a complete client/server solution." "We believe Windows NT 4.0 on the PowerPC-based PowerStack II series of workstations and servers offers an attractive solution for our enterprise customers," said Richard Tong, vice president marketing and training, Desktop Business Systems Division at Microsoft. "Businesses and customers will undoubtedly benefit from the high-performance advantages of Windows NT 4.0 and the PowerPC platform." Key PowerStack II Product Features Designed to meet the needs of a broad range of customers from Fortune 2000 companies to small businesses, the PowerStack II series offers a high level of integration, functionality and performance at an affordable price. The new line of computer systems are based on the robust PowerPC 603ev- and 604e-166 MHz (MegaHertZ) One million cycles per second. It is used to measure the transmission speed of electronic devices, including channels, buses and the computer's internal clock. A one-megahertz clock (1 MHz) means some number of bits (16, 32, 64, etc. and 200 MHz microprocessors. These microprocessors provide higher performance and lower power for the volume desktop market than today's fastest Pentium and Pentium Pro The sixth generation of the Intel x86 family of CPU chips. The term may refer to the chip or to a PC that uses it. Introduced in 1995 as the successor to the Pentium, models from 150 MHz to 200 MHz were released. desktop processors. The PowerStack II series systems are designed to optimize performance of the Windows NT 4.0 and AIX operating systems. The PowerStack II series combines industry-standard hardware features and key PowerPC functionality, such as raw processing speed See MHz. and high-level imaging and multimedia capabilities, to provide a complete, reliable systems solution for the enterprise market. The PowerStack II series consists of a range of workstations starting with the entry-level Pro2000 and Pro3000, which deliver exceptional value to sophisticated business users requiring outstanding performance in today's networked corporate environment. The mid-range Pro4000 offers industry leading price/performance to traditional workstation users who require high performance, 2/3D graphics, data integrity and network connectivity. The high-end Pro6000 and the dual-processor Pro6200 workstations are designed to meet the needs of the most demanding users by providing maximum performance, multi-processing and scalability at an exceptional price/performance value. The Pro2000 and Pro3000 workstations use a robust PowerPC 603ev or 604e-200 MHz microprocessor and includes 256 KB L2 cache (Level 2 cache) A memory bank built into the CPU chip, packaged within the same module or built on the motherboard. The L2 cache feeds the L1 cache, and its memory is slower than L1 memory. The L2 cache feeds the L1 cache, which feeds the processor. memory. The workstations have 32MB of non-parity RAM See non-parity memory. , EIDE (Enhanced IDE) An extension to the IDE interface that supports the ATA-2 and ATAPI standards. ATA-2 (Fast ATA) provides faster transfer rates (see IDE for details) and allows for multiple channels, each connecting two devices. Interface, standard Ethernet and 2.5 GB EIDE disk. The systems also come equipped with Cirrus Logic (company) Cirrus Logic - A manufacturer of integrated circuits including the Advanced RISC Machine and display interface processors and cards for use as Windows accelerators (requiring dedicated driver software). http://cirrus.com/. or Matrox Millenium Graphics. The Pro4000, Pro6000 and Pro6200 workstations use a robust 604e-166 or 200 MHz microprocessor. These systems have standard SCSI interface SCSI interface - SCSI adaptor , a 2 GB SCSI SCSI in full Small Computer System Interface Once common standard for connecting peripheral devices (disks, modems, printers, etc.) to small and medium-sized computers. SCSI has given way to faster standards, such as Firewire and USB. hard drive, integrated 10/100 Ethernet and graphics capabilities include Matrox Millenium or Accel PRO. The PowerStack II family also includes a range of high-performance servers starting with the Net4000, which delivers uncompromising quality and high performance and is ideal for a wide range of business networking This article needs sources or references that appear in reliable, third-party publications. Alone, primary sources and sources affiliated with the subject of this article are not sufficient for an accurate encyclopedia article. environments. On the high-end, the Net6000 or dual processor Net6200 offers exceptional performance, scalability and expandability to compute in I/O intensive Refers to an application that reads and/or writes a large amount of data. The performance of such an application depends on the speed of the computer's peripheral devices and can cause a computer to become I/O bound. See I/O bound. environments. The Net4000 and Net6000 family of servers uses a PowerPC 604e-166 or 200 MHz and includes 256KB L2 Cache. Standard features include 32MB or 64MB ECC RAM, F&W SCSI-II Interface and 2.0GB SCSI Disk. They also come equipped with 5446 Cirrus Logic Graphics. All configurations in the PowerStack II Series include a standard 8x speed CD-ROM CD-ROM: see compact disc. CD-ROM in full compact disc read-only memory Type of computer storage medium that is read optically (e.g., by a laser). , Standard Ethernet Controller and an industry leading five-year limited systems warranty. All announced PowerStack II products will support Windows NT 4.0 and AIX operating systems. Along with the introduction of the new PowerStack II product lines, significant enhancements have also been made to the PowerStack Series E Servers. The new PowerStack Series EX will support a 604-133 MHz or a 604e-166 MHz PowerPC microprocessor and includes up to 512MB of ECC RAM, a standard fast and wide SCSI-II expansion chasis and optional PCI (1) (Payment Card Industry) See PCI DSS. (2) (Peripheral Component Interconnect) The most widely used I/O bus (peripheral bus). expansion cabinet allowing up to 11 additional PCI slots. The PowerStack Series EX servers will also support Windows NT 4.0 and AIX operating systems and have the same industry leading five-year limited systems warranty. MCGs PowerPC Applications & Systems Solutions Group Accelerates Windows NT Application Availability To reinforce the company's goal of providing complete Microsoft Windows NT/PowerPC solutions, MCG established the PowerPC Applications and Systems Solutions Group. The group was formed to accelerate the availability of key software applications for Windows NT on the PowerPC platform. The group established a porting center in the heart of Silicon Valley to provide technical support, system loaners, and on-site and remote consulting. Applications by industry leaders such as Microsoft, Oracle, Informix, Software AG, Hummingbird and NetManage have already been successfully ported to the PowerPC platform. There are currently several hundred applications available and 1,000 native applications expected to be available in 1997. Pricing and Availability PowerStack II Systems are available through an extensive network of distributors worldwide and the PowerStack II Series EX servers will be available in October. With estimated street prices of $2,495 for the entry level Pro2000 workstation and $4,995 for the dual processor Pro6200, the PowerStack II series offers a range of high-performance systems at exceptional prices. These highly competitive prices and robust performance of the PowerPC underscore MCGs commitment to be the price/performance leader in the marketplace. The PowerStack II series supporting the AIX operating system and local language versions will be announced later this year. About Motorola The Motorola Computer Group is a worldwide hardware and software platform supplier to companies that provide computer solutions. MCG is comprised of three areas of focus: embedded technologies, technical OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) The rebranding of equipment and selling it. The term initially referred to the company that made the products (the "original" manufacturer), but eventually became widely used to refer to the organization that buys the products and systems and commercial systems. MCG's strategy is to deliver high-performance PowerPC platforms and solutions for Mac OS, Windows NT and AIX, operating systems for targeted areas such as graphics-intensive applications, multimedia and the Internet. MCG corporate headquarters, along with regional headquarters for Latin America, are located in Tempe, Arizona. Regional European headquarters are located in Maidenhead Maidenhead, city (1991 pop. 59,809), Windsor and Maidenhead, S central England, on the Thames River. It is a residential town with brewing and milling industries as well as a resort. The 13th-century stone bridge was rebuilt in the 1770s. , United Kingdom and Hamburg, Germany. European channel headquarters are located in Paris, France. Headquarters for MCG's Asia Pacific region are located in Hong Kong. Information about MCG's products is available on the World Wide Web at the location http://www.mot.com/computer. Motorola Inc. (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :MOT) is one of the world's leading providers of wireless communications, semiconductors and advanced electronic systems, components and services. Major equipment businesses include cellular telephone, two-way radio, paging and data communications, personal communications, automotive, defense and space electronics and computers. Motorola semiconductors power communication devices, computers and millions of other products. Motorola's 1995 sales were $27 billion. -0- Note to Editors: Motorola and the Motorola logo are registered trademarks of Motorola, Inc. PowerStack is a trademark of Motorola. PowerPC is a trademark of International Business Machines Corp. and is used by Motorola, Inc. under license from International Business Machines Corp. Pentium and Pentium Pro are registered trademarks of Intel Corp. AIX is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corp. Windows NT is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Mac OS is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Other brand or product names are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders. CONTACT: Motorola Computer Group Bill Wittmann, 602/438-3481 bill_wittmann@finner.phx.mcd.mot.com or Cunningham Communication, Inc. Jennifer Jasper, 408/764-0778 jenniferj@ccipr.com |
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