Opus Systems Introduces Crescendo 5T; TurboSPARC Upgrade Significantly Boosts SPARCstation 5 Performance.CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 20, 1997--Opus Systems today introduced the Crescendo cres·cen·do n. pl. cres·cen·dos or cres·cen·di 1. Abbr. cr. Music a. A gradual increase, especially in the volume or intensity of sound in a passage. b. 5T, a powerful upgrade module that provides TurboSPARC performance for Sun Microsystems Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: JAVA[3]) is an American vendor of computers, computer components, computer software, and information-technology services, founded on 24 February 1982. SPARCstation 5 systems. Based on the recently introduced 170 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. TurboSPARC processor from Fujitsu Microelectronics, Inc., Crescendo 5T boosts SPARCstation 5 performance by as much as two- to three-fold, at a fraction of the cost of a new SPARCstation system. The 170 MHz TurboSPARC processor has been benchmarked at 143 SPECint92 and 119 SPECfp92. The Crescendo 5T upgrade module replaces the SPARCstation's original processor and adds up to 1 MB of secondary cache See L2 cache. (memory management) secondary cache - (Or "second level cache", "level two cache", "L2 cache") A larger, slower cache between the primary cache and main memory. to offer significant performance improvements, while maintaining Solaris operating system operating system (OS) Software that controls the operation of a computer, directs the input and output of data, keeps track of files, and controls the processing of computer programs. and software application compatibility. Beyond the performance increase offered by the new processor, the Crescendo 5T also includes an industry-first power management facility which shuts down the CPU CPU in full central processing unit Principal component of a digital computer, composed of a control unit, an instruction-decoding unit, and an arithmetic-logic unit. during idle periods to increase system reliability, reduce CPU heating, prolong CPU life, and save on power. "The Crescendo 5T upgrade modules offers some very attractive advantages to the SPARCstation 5 user community," noted Craig C. Forney, Opus opus (ō`pəs) [Lat.,=work], in music, term used in cataloging a composer's works, designating either a single composition or a group published together or considered a unit. Systems president. "It's easy to install, offers dramatic performance improvements over the original SPARCstation 5 performance, enhances the return on investment in the installed equipment base, and does not require any software modifications or Solaris relicensing." The Crescendo 5T Package The Crescendo 5T comes in a PCB PCB: see polychlorinated biphenyl. PCB in full polychlorinated biphenyl Any of a class of highly stable organic compounds prepared by the reaction of chlorine with biphenyl, a two-ring compound. module that includes the TurboSPARC processor and up to 1 MB of secondary cache. The PCB is connected to the SPARCstation motherboard Also called the "system board," it is the main printed circuit board in an electronic device, which contains sockets that accept additional boards. In a desktop computer, the motherboard contains the CPU, chipset, PCI bus slots, AGP slot, memory sockets and controller circuits for the through a 321-pin connector that plugs into the MicroSPARC II processor socket on the motherboard. Power Management Capability The Crescendo 5T features a sophisticated power management capability which directs the CPU to shut down when idle. The Crescendo 5T's heat-reducing capability is designed to allow the TurboSPARC processor, with its faster speeds, to be installed into earlier-generation SPARCstation chassis. By reducing CPU heat generation, the power management capability increases system reliability, reduces power consumption, and prolongs the life of the CPU. TurboSPARC Architecture The TurboSPARC is a highly-integrated SPARC (Scalable Performance ARChitecture) A family of RISC CPUs from Sun that runs mostly under Sun's Solaris, but also under Linux and BSD operating systems. After development began in the mid-1980s by David Patterson of the University of California at Berkeley and Bill microprocessor that runs under Version 8 of the SPARC architecture and is completely compatible with SunOS and Solaris. It is designed to double or triple the performance of MicroSPARC II-based SPARCstation 5 systems. The TurboSPARC uses a nine-stage pipeline and 16 KB of instruction cache and 16 KB of data cache, and up to 1 MB of secondary cache. Crescendo 5T Upgrade Package The Crescendo 5T installation kit includes the TurboSPARC-based upgrade board, installation tool kit, and installation guide. The Crescendo 5T is user upgradeable when being installed into socketed versions of SPARCstation 5 systems; for non-socketed versions, Opus Systems provides installation services. Pricing and Availability The product will begin shipping February 1, 1997. The Crescendo 5T is priced at $1,995 for quantity one; quantity pricing is available. About Opus Systems Opus Systems is the market leader in providing products that integrate Unix workstation capabilities into PC environments, without compromising either environment. The company is building upon its SPARC and Unix expertise to provide advanced daughterboards and graphics boards to enhance the performance of SPARC-based systems. Opus products are distributed through select OEMs, ISVs and systems integrators. Opus Systems is located at 10050 Bubb Road, Cupertino, CA 95014. Phone 408/342-1060, Fax 408/342-1061, http://www.opus.com . -0- Note to Editors: Solaris and SPARCstation are trademarks of Sun Microsystems Inc. TurboSPARC is a trademark of SPARC International See SPARC. , licensed exclusively to Fujitsu Microelectronics Inc. SPARC is a registered trademark of SPARC International. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. CONTACT: Opus Systems Barbara Watanabe, 408/342-1060 barbara@opus.com or Dave & Bairey Communications Fiona Hughes, 510/672-9547 fiona@dbcomm.com |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion