Sequent Extends Leadership in Large-System Solutions; Delivers Three-Node Cluster to New Oracle Enterprise Center.BEAVERTON, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 13, 1994--Sequent Computer Systems Inc., in a move that extends its commitment to successful large-system solutions, Tuesday announced the sale and installation of a three-node cluster of Sequent Symmetry systems to support research and testing at Oracle Corporation's new Enterprise Systems Center, located in Redwood Shores, Calif. The installation -- a clustered configuration of three Symmetry 5000 SE60 systems with a total of 48 processors and 500 gigabytes of storage -- is the largest system in Oracle's Worldwide Enterprise Center. The Symmetry three-node cluster provides a full-scale test environment that allows Oracle and selected industry partners to more effectively research, design, test and deliver large-scale solutions. Sequent will help develop and implement strategies to enhance the availability and reliability of enterprise-class systems for on-line transaction processing (database) On-Line Transaction Processing - (OLTP) The processing of transactions by computers in real time. and decision support applications. Until now, most businesses that use large systems have tested new configurations on their existing equipment, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Mike Prince, chief information officer for Burlington Coat Factory Burlington Coat Factory Warehouse Corporation is a national department store retailer focusing on clothing and shoes, with over 360 stores in 42 states (as of 2006). In early 2007, the first location to be opened in Canada will be at the Vaughan Mills mall in Toronto. , which runs its business on Sequent and Oracle systems. Prince said the new Enterprise Systems Center will allow users of enterprise-class systems to cost-effectively test the feasibility of configuration changes before committing to them. "This will significantly reduce the downtime traditionally involved in migrating to new environments," said Prince. "It will also increase the productivity of the migration effort by letting companies essentially prove the reliability of a particular environment before committing to it." The large-systems value of the Enterprise Systems Center will provide significant research information for the Massive Open Systems Environment Standard (MOSES Moses (mō`zĭs), Hebrew lawgiver, probably b. Egypt. The prototype of the prophets, he led his people in the 13th cent. B.C. out of bondage in Egypt to the edge of Canaan. ) consortium, a user organization focused on systems management issues for large-scale critical open systems. "The MOSES group has made great progress to date in setting standards for managing large systems," said Prince, who is also chairman of MOSES. "Access to the Enterprise Systems Center will push that work along even faster." The Enterprise Systems Center will accomplish the following: -0- -- Provide customers with valuable performance information for emerging technologies -- Provide proof-of-concept performance testing Performance Testing covers a broad range of engineering or functional evaluations where a material, product, or system is not specified by detailed material or component specifications: Rather, emphasis is on the final measurable performance characteristics. for online transaction processing See transaction processing and OLCP. and decision support solution usage models -- Conduct stress testing Determining the durability of a system by pushing it to its limits. Stress testing a network is performed by transmitting excessive numbers of packets or attempting to break in illegally. of RASUI (reliability, availability, supportability, usability and installability) principles -- Simulate the performance of hardware, 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. or application software upgrades -0- Paul O'Mara, vice president and general manager of Sequent's Enterprise Division, said the new center will provide another critical benefit to customers who want to seize the value of open systems. "The ability to investigate and simulate fully integrated large-scale solutions will help refine the systems recommended to customers and provide assurance that they will indeed perform optimally," he said. "The Oracle and Sequent alliance, which continues to deliver breakthrough gains in high-end SMP (Symmetric MultiProcessing) A multiprocessing architecture in which multiple CPUs, residing in one cabinet, share the same memory. SMP systems provide scalability. As business increases, additional CPUs can be added to absorb the increased transaction volume. solutions, is all about making customers successful. The Enterprise Systems Center is just one more example of our joint commitment to achieving that goal." "The goal of the Enterprise Systems Center is to discover and distribute valuable information regarding the reliability, availability and supportability of open systems technology to all our joint customers," said Beatriz Infante in·fan·te n. A son of a Spanish or Portuguese king other than the heir to the throne. [Spanish and Portuguese, both from Latin , vice president of the open systems division at Oracle. "Sequent's clustered systems, running Oracle7, provide both the high-end scalability and availability required by our most demanding customers. The Enterprise Systems Center and Sequent's participation underscore our joint commitment to deliver effective open solutions to meet the largest and most complex corporate requirements." Sequent and Oracle have worked together for more than half a decade to develop technology that leverages the combined benefits of parallel database capability and SMP platforms and operating systems. Among the jointly developed technologies available today are Oracle Parallel Server A version of the Oracle database system designed for massively parallel processors (MPPs). It allows multiple CPUs to access a single database. (database) Oracle Parallel Server , which allows users on clustered systems to work on a single, shared database, and Oracle Parallel Query Option, which enhances decision support operations by breaking complex queries into tasks that can be executed in parallel by shared-memory multiprocessors. Oracle uses Sequent systems as the development platform for its database management systems and applications software. The companies also leverage each other's offerings for their own businesses: Oracle's worldwide enterprise includes some 100 large Symmetry systems running business-critical applications, and Sequent is a showcase site for Oracle, basing its financial and manufacturing operations on the Oracle database and applications. The partnership results have been substantial. Sequent has more than 300 Oracle Financials customers in 21 countries, many of which represent Oracle's largest application sites. Sequent Computer Systems Inc. (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :SQNT SQNT Sequent Computer Systems (stock symbol) ), based in Beaverton, Ore., is a leading architect and provider of open client/server systems for commercial computer applications in online transaction processing, decision support and messaging. Sequent provides professional consulting and educational services to ensure successful system solutions. The company develops and markets scalable computing systems that support enterprise-wide applications and information services See Information Systems. : the Symmetry series running on the UNIX operating system Noun 1. UNIX operating system - trademark for a powerful operating system UNIX, UNIX system operating system, OS - (computer science) software that controls the execution of computer programs and may provide various services and the WinServer family running on the Microsoft Windows NT operating system. Sequent is the market share leader in large UNIX systems (over $700,000) according to InfoCorp. Since the launch of its symmetric multiprocessor family of systems in 1984, Sequent has installed more than 6,000 large-scale systems worldwide. -0- Note to Editors: Sequent, Symmetry and WinServer are registered trademarks of Sequent Computer Systems Inc. Oracle and Oracle Financials are registered trademarks and Oracle7 is a trademark of Oracle Corp. UNIX UNIX Operating system for digital computers, developed by Ken Thompson of Bell Laboratories in 1969. It was initially designed for a single user (the name was a pun on the earlier operating system Multics). is a registered trademark in the United States and other countries, licensed exclusively through X/Open Ltd. Microsoft is a registered trademark and Windows NT is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. CONTACT: Sequent Computer Systems Inc.
Mike Green or Helen Connor, 503/626-5700
Waggener Edstrom
Wendy Hughson or Doug Duffield, 503/245-0905
Oracle Corp.
Pattie Adams, 415/506-4176
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