AlphaServer
Encyclopedia
AlphaServer was the name given to a series of server computers, produced from 1994 onwards by Digital Equipment Corporation
, and latterly by Compaq
and HP
. As the name suggests, the AlphaServers were based on the DEC Alpha
64-bit
microprocessor
. Supported operating systems for AlphaServers are Tru64 UNIX
(formerly Digital UNIX), OpenVMS
and Windows NT
(on earlier systems, with AlphaBIOS ARC
firmware), while enthusiasts have provided alternative operating systems such as Linux
, NetBSD
, OpenBSD
and FreeBSD
.
Some AlphaServer models were rebadged in white enclosures as Digital Servers for the Windows NT server market. These so-called "white box" models comprised the following:
As part of the roadmap to phase out Alpha-, MIPS
- and PA-RISC
-based systems in favor of Itanium-based systems at HP, the most recent AlphaServer systems reached their end of general availability on 27 April 2007. The availability of upgrades and options was discontinued on 25 April 2008, approximately one year after the systems were discontinued. Support for the most recent AlphaServer systems, the DS15A, DS25, ES45, ES47, ES80 and GS1280 is being provided by HP Services as of 2008. These systems are scheduled to reach end of support sometime during 2012, although HP has stated that this event may be delayed.
The AlphaServer 2100 was briefly sold as the Digital 2100 before the AlphaServer brand was introduced.
The AlphaServer SC was a supercomputer
constructed from a set of individual DS20, ES40 or ES45 servers (called "nodes") mounted in racks. Every node was connected to every other node using a Quadrics
elan3 interconnect and the systems were designed and used primarily for high-performance technical computing
. An AlphaServer SC45 supercomputer was still ranked #6 in the world as late as November 2004.
The AlphaServer GS1280 originally supported a maximum of 16 microprocessors. In October 2003, the number of microprocessors supported was increased to 64 and the supported memory capacity was doubled to 8 GB per microprocessor.
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation was a major American company in the computer industry and a leading vendor of computer systems, software and peripherals from the 1960s to the 1990s...
, and latterly by Compaq
Compaq
Compaq Computer Corporation is a personal computer company founded in 1982. Once the largest supplier of personal computing systems in the world, Compaq existed as an independent corporation until 2002, when it was acquired for US$25 billion by Hewlett-Packard....
and HP
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
. As the name suggests, the AlphaServers were based on the DEC Alpha
DEC Alpha
Alpha, originally known as Alpha AXP, is a 64-bit reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by Digital Equipment Corporation , designed to replace the 32-bit VAX complex instruction set computer ISA and its implementations. Alpha was implemented in microprocessors...
64-bit
64-bit
64-bit is a word size that defines certain classes of computer architecture, buses, memory and CPUs, and by extension the software that runs on them. 64-bit CPUs have existed in supercomputers since the 1970s and in RISC-based workstations and servers since the early 1990s...
microprocessor
Microprocessor
A microprocessor incorporates the functions of a computer's central processing unit on a single integrated circuit, or at most a few integrated circuits. It is a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and...
. Supported operating systems for AlphaServers are Tru64 UNIX
Tru64 UNIX
Tru64 UNIX is a 64-bit UNIX operating system for the Alpha instruction set architecture , currently owned by Hewlett-Packard . Previously, Tru64 UNIX was a product of Compaq, and before that, Digital Equipment Corporation , where it was known as Digital UNIX .As its original name suggests, Tru64...
(formerly Digital UNIX), OpenVMS
OpenVMS
OpenVMS , previously known as VAX-11/VMS, VAX/VMS or VMS, is a computer server operating system that runs on VAX, Alpha and Itanium-based families of computers. Contrary to what its name suggests, OpenVMS is not open source software; however, the source listings are available for purchase...
and Windows NT
Windows NT
Windows NT is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft, the first version of which was released in July 1993. It was a powerful high-level-language-based, processor-independent, multiprocessing, multiuser operating system with features comparable to Unix. It was intended to complement...
(on earlier systems, with AlphaBIOS ARC
Advanced RISC Computing
Advanced RISC Computing is a specification promulgated by a defunct consortium of computer manufacturers , setting forth a standard MIPS RISC-based computer hardware and firmware environment....
firmware), while enthusiasts have provided alternative operating systems such as Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, NetBSD
NetBSD
NetBSD is a freely available open source version of the Berkeley Software Distribution Unix operating system. It was the second open source BSD descendant to be formally released, after 386BSD, and continues to be actively developed. The NetBSD project is primarily focused on high quality design,...
, OpenBSD
OpenBSD
OpenBSD is a Unix-like computer operating system descended from Berkeley Software Distribution , a Unix derivative developed at the University of California, Berkeley. It was forked from NetBSD by project leader Theo de Raadt in late 1995...
and FreeBSD
FreeBSD
FreeBSD is a free Unix-like operating system descended from AT&T UNIX via BSD UNIX. Although for legal reasons FreeBSD cannot be called “UNIX”, as the direct descendant of BSD UNIX , FreeBSD’s internals and system APIs are UNIX-compliant...
.
Some AlphaServer models were rebadged in white enclosures as Digital Servers for the Windows NT server market. These so-called "white box" models comprised the following:
- Digital Server 3300/3305: rebadged AlphaServer 800
- Digital Server 5300/5305: rebadged AlphaServer 1200
- Digital Server 7300/7305/7310: rebadged AlphaServer 4100
As part of the roadmap to phase out Alpha-, MIPS
MIPS architecture
MIPS is a reduced instruction set computer instruction set architecture developed by MIPS Technologies . The early MIPS architectures were 32-bit, and later versions were 64-bit...
- and PA-RISC
PA-RISC
PA-RISC is an instruction set architecture developed by Hewlett-Packard. As the name implies, it is a reduced instruction set computer architecture, where the PA stands for Precision Architecture...
-based systems in favor of Itanium-based systems at HP, the most recent AlphaServer systems reached their end of general availability on 27 April 2007. The availability of upgrades and options was discontinued on 25 April 2008, approximately one year after the systems were discontinued. Support for the most recent AlphaServer systems, the DS15A, DS25, ES45, ES47, ES80 and GS1280 is being provided by HP Services as of 2008. These systems are scheduled to reach end of support sometime during 2012, although HP has stated that this event may be delayed.
Avanti Family
Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz |
B-cache | Chipset | Max. Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
200 | 4/100 | Mustang | 1 | 21064 (EV4) |
100 | 512 KB | 21071 | 8 to 384 MB | 1 PCI 1 or 2 PCI/ISA 1 ISA |
Desktop | ? | ? |
4/166 | 166 | ? | ? | |||||||||
4/233 | 21064A (EV45) |
233 | ? | ? | ||||||||
400 | 4/166 | Mustang S | 1 | 21064 (EV4) |
166 | 512 KB | 21071 | 8 to 384 MB (6x 72-pin SIMMs, 3 banks) |
2 PCI 1 PCI/ISA 3 ISA |
Mini-tower | ? | ? |
4/233 | 21064A (EV45) |
233 | ? | ? | ||||||||
300 | 4/266 | Melmac | 1 | 21064A (EV45) |
266 | 2 MB | ? | 512 MB (8x 72-pin SIMMs, 2 banks) |
1 PCI 1 PCI/ISA 1 ISA |
Desktop or rackmount |
? | ? |
Sable Family
Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz |
B-cache | Chipset | Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2100 | 4/200 | Sable | 1, 2, 3 or 4 | 21064 (EV4) |
200 | 1 MB / CPU | ? | 2 GB (1 GB if 4 CPU) |
3 PCI, 8 EISA |
Pedestal or rack | ? | ? |
4/233 | Sable45 | 21064A (EV45) |
233 | 1 MB / CPU | ? | ? | ? | |||||
4/275 | 275 | 4 MB / CPU | ? | ? | ? | |||||||
5/250 | Gamma-Sable | 21164 (EV5) |
250 | 4 MB / CPU | ? | ? | ? | |||||
5/300 | 291 | ? | ? | ? | ||||||||
5/375 | 21164A (EV56) |
375 | ? | ? | ? | |||||||
2000 | 4/200 | Demi-Sable | 1 or 2 | 21064 EV4 |
190 | 1 MB / CPU | ? | 640 MB | 3 PCI, 7 EISA, 1 PCI/EISA |
Pedestal | ? | ? |
4/233 | Demi-Sable45 | 21064A (EV45) |
233 | 1 MB / CPU | ? | 1 GB | 3 PCI, 7 EISA |
? | ? | |||
4/275 | 275 | 4 MB / CPU | ? | ? | ? | |||||||
5/250 | Demi-Gamma | 21164 (EV5) |
250 | 4 MB / CPU | ? | ? | ? | |||||
5/300 | 291 | ? | ? | ? | ||||||||
5/375 | 21164A (EV56) |
375 | 4 or 8 MB / CPU | ? | ? | ? | ||||||
The AlphaServer 2100 was briefly sold as the Digital 2100 before the AlphaServer brand was introduced.
Mikasa Family
Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz |
B-cache | Chipset | Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1000 | 4/200 | Mikasa | 1 | 21064 Alpha 21064 The Alpha 21064 is a microprocessor developed and fabricated by Digital Equipment Corporation that implemented the Alpha instruction set architecture . It was introduced as the DECchip 21064 before it was renamed in 1994. The 21064 is also known by its code name, EV4... (EV4) |
200 | 2 MB | ? | 512 MB | 2 PCI, 1 PCI/EISA, 7 EISA |
Pedestal or rackmount |
? | ? |
4/233 | Mikasa+ | 21064A Alpha 21064 The Alpha 21064 is a microprocessor developed and fabricated by Digital Equipment Corporation that implemented the Alpha instruction set architecture . It was introduced as the DECchip 21064 before it was renamed in 1994. The 21064 is also known by its code name, EV4... (EV45) |
233 | ? | ? | 1995 | ? | |||||
4/266 | 266 | ? | 1 GB (20x 72-pin SIMMs, 4 banks) |
? | ? | |||||||
5/300 | Mikasa-Pinnacle | 21164 Alpha 21164 The Alpha 21164, also known by its code name, EV5, is a microprocessor developed and fabricated by Digital Equipment Corporation that implemented the Alpha instruction set architecture . It was introduced in January 1995, succeeding the Alpha 21064A as Digital's flagship microprocessor... (EV5) |
300 | ? | ? | ? | ||||||
Each bank contained of five SIMMs. The initial four SIMMs were used for data, the fifth SIMM was used for ECC. |
||||||||||||
Noritake Family
Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz |
B-cache | Chipset | Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1000A | 4/233 | Noritake | 1 | 21064A Alpha 21064 The Alpha 21064 is a microprocessor developed and fabricated by Digital Equipment Corporation that implemented the Alpha instruction set architecture . It was introduced as the DECchip 21064 before it was renamed in 1994. The 21064 is also known by its code name, EV4... (EV45) |
233 | 2 MB | ? | 1 GB (20x 72-pin SIMMs, 4 banks) |
7 PCI 2 ISA |
Pedestal or rackmount |
? | ? |
4/266 | 266 | ? | ? | ? | ||||||||
5/300 | Noritake-Pinnacle | 21164 Alpha 21164 The Alpha 21164, also known by its code name, EV5, is a microprocessor developed and fabricated by Digital Equipment Corporation that implemented the Alpha instruction set architecture . It was introduced in January 1995, succeeding the Alpha 21064A as Digital's flagship microprocessor... (EV5) |
300 | ? | ? | ? | ||||||
5/333 | 333 | ? | ? | ? | ||||||||
5/400 | Noritake-Primo | 21164A Alpha 21164 The Alpha 21164, also known by its code name, EV5, is a microprocessor developed and fabricated by Digital Equipment Corporation that implemented the Alpha instruction set architecture . It was introduced in January 1995, succeeding the Alpha 21064A as Digital's flagship microprocessor... (EV56) |
400 | ? | ? | ? | ||||||
5/500 | 500 | 8 MB | ? | 1997-04-14 | ? | |||||||
800 | 5/333 | Corelle | 1 | 21164A (EV56) |
333 | 2 MB | ? | 2 GB (8x ECC EDO DIMMs, 2 banks) |
3 PCI 2 EISA 1 PCI-X/EISA |
Mini-tower (can be converted to rackmount) | 1997-04-14 | ? |
5/400 | 400 | ? | ? | |||||||||
5/500 | 500 | ? | 1997-10-27 | ? | ||||||||
5 modules per bank, 5th module used for ECC, later 1000A 5/500 systems have 16 slots, 4 modules with ECC per bank |
||||||||||||
Rawhide Family
Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz |
B-cache / CPU | Chipset | Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4000 | 5/300 | Wrangler/Durango | Up to two | 21164 Alpha 21164 The Alpha 21164, also known by its code name, EV5, is a microprocessor developed and fabricated by Digital Equipment Corporation that implemented the Alpha instruction set architecture . It was introduced in January 1995, succeeding the Alpha 21064A as Digital's flagship microprocessor... (EV5) |
300 | 2 MB | ? | 4 GB | 8-16 PCI (including 3 shared PCI/EISA) |
Pedestal/rackmount | 1996-09-04 | ? |
5/400 | 21164A (EV56) |
400 | 4 MB | ? | ? | |||||||
5/466 | 466 | 4 MB | ? | ? | ? | |||||||
5/533 | 533 | 4 MB | ? | 1997-10-27 | ? | |||||||
5/600 | 600 | 8 MB | ? | ? | ? | |||||||
4100 | 5/300E | Dodge | Up to four | 21164 (EV5) |
300 | None | Custom | 32 MB to 8 GB | 5 PCI, 3 PCI/EISA |
Pedestal/rackmount | ? | ? |
5/300 | 300 | 2 MB | ? | ? | ||||||||
5/400 | 21164A (EV56) |
400 | 4 MB | ? | ? | |||||||
5/466 | 466 | ? | ? | |||||||||
5/533 | 533 | ? | ? | |||||||||
5/600 | 600 | 8 MB | ? | ? | ||||||||
1200 | 5/400 | Tincup | Up to two | 21164A (EV56) |
400 | 4 MB / proc. | ? | 4 GB | 4 PCI-X, 1 PCI, 1PCI-X/EISA |
Pedestal | 1997-10-27 | ? |
5/533 | 533 | ? | ? | |||||||||
Turbolaser Family
Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz |
B-cache / CPU | Chipset | Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8200 | 5/300 | TurboLaser | 2 to 6 | EV5 | 300 | 4 MB | Custom ASICs |
12 GB | 132 PCI slots, 8 EISA slots |
19" rack | 1995-04-11 | ? |
5/350 | 350 | ? | ? | |||||||||
5/440 | EV56 | 437 | 4 MB | ? | ? | |||||||
5/625 | 612 | ? | ? | |||||||||
8400 | 5/300 | TurboLaser | Up to 14 | EV5 | 300 | 4 MB | Custom ASICs |
28 GB | 144 PCI, 8 EISA, XMI |
Cabinet | 1995-04-11 | ? |
5/350 | 350 | ? | ? | |||||||||
5/440 | EV56 | 437 | 4 MB | ? | ? | |||||||
5/625 | 612 | ? | ? | |||||||||
GS60 | 6/525 | TL6 | 2 to 8 | EV6 | 525 | 4 MB | ? | 12 GB | 132 PCI, 8 EISA |
19" rack | 1998-10-19 | ? |
6/700 | EV67 | 700 | 8 MB | ? | 1999-11-11 | ? | ||||||
GS60E | 6/525 | TL6 | 2 to 6 (later 8) |
EV6 | 525 | 4 MB | ? | 12 GB | 132 PCI, 8 EISA |
19" rack | 1999-07-19 | ? |
6/700 | EV67 | 700 | 8 MB | ? | 1999-11-11 | ? | ||||||
GS140 | 6/525 | TL6 | 2 to 14 | EV6 | 525 | 4 MB | ? | 28 GB | 144 PCI, 8 EISA, 24 XMI |
Cabinet | 1998-10-19 | ? |
6/700 | EV67 | 700 | 8 MB | ? | 1999-11-11 | ? | ||||||
Lynx Family
Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz |
B-cache | Chipset | Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000A | Demi-Lynx (EV45), Demi-Gamma-Lynx (EV5) |
Up to two | EV45, EV5 or EV56 | 233, 250, 275, 300, 375, 400 | ? | ? | ? | ? | Pedestal | ? | ? | |
2100A | 4/275 | Lynx | Up to 4 | 21064A (EV45) |
275 | 4 MB | ? | 2 GB, 1 GB for 4 CPU | 8 PCI, 3 EISA |
Pedestal | ? | ? |
5/250 | Gamma-Lynx | 21164 (EV5) |
250 | 4 MB | ? | ? | ? | |||||
5/300 | 300 | ? | ? | ? | ||||||||
5/375 | 375 | 8 MB | ? | ? | ? | |||||||
Tsunami Family
Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz |
B-cache | Chipset | Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DS10 | 6/466 | WebBrick | 1 | EV6 | 466 | 2 MB | ? | 2 GB | 3 PCI-X, 1 PCI |
desktop | 1999-05-10 | ? |
67/600 | EV67 | 600 | 2 MB | ? | ? | ? | ||||||
DS10L | 6/466 | Slate | 1 | EV6 | 466 | 2 MB | ? | 1 GB | 1 PCI-X | rackmount (1U) | ? | ? |
6/600 | EV67 | 600 | 2 MB | ? | ? | ? | ||||||
DS20 | 6/500 | Goldrush | Up to 2 | 21264 (EV6) | 500 | 4 MB | ? | 4 GB | 5PCI-X, 1 PCI-X/ISA |
pedestal/rackmount | ? | ? |
DS20E | 6/500 | Goldrack | Up to 2 | EV6 | 500 | 4 MB | ? | 4 GB | 5PCI-X, 1 PCI-X/ISA |
pedestal/rackmount | ? | ? |
6/667 | EV67 | 667 | 8 MB | ? | ? | ? | ||||||
68/833 | EV68AL | 833 | 8 MB | ? | 2001-07-16 | ? | ||||||
DS20L | 68/833 | Shark | Up to 2 | EV68AL | 833 | 4 MB | ? | 2 GB | 2 PCI-X | Rackmount (1U) | 2001-07-16 | ? |
ES40 | 6/500 | Clipper | Up to 4 | EV6 | 500 | 4 MB | ? | Model 1: 16 GB Model 2: 32 GB |
Model 1: 6 PCI-X Model 2: 10 PCI-X |
pedestal/rackmount | ? | ? |
6/667 | EV67 | 667 | 8 MB | ? | ? | ? | ||||||
68/833 | EV68AL | 833 | 8 MB | ? | 2001-02-12 | ? | ||||||
Titan Family
Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz |
B-cache | Chipset | Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DS15 | 68/1000 | ? | 1 | EV68CB | 1000 | 2 MB | ? | 4 GB | 4 PCI-X 33 MHz or 2 PCI-X 66 MHz |
Tower | 2003-10-20 | 2007-04-27 |
DS25 | 68/1000 | Granite | Up to 2 | EV68CB | 1000 | 8 MB | ? | 16 GB | 6 PCI-X | Tower | 2002-08-04 | ? |
ES45 | 68/1000 | Privateer | Up to 4 | EV68CB | 1000 | 8 MB | ? | 1: Up to 16 GB 2: Up to 32 GB |
1: AGP 4x, 6 PCI-X 2: 10 PCI-X |
Pedestal/8U rackmount, tower | ? | ? |
68/1250 | 1250 | 16 MB | ? | 2002-08-04 | ? | |||||||
Wildfire Family
Model | Code name | # of CPUs | CPU | CPU MHz | B-cache | Chipset | Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GS80 | Wildfire | Model 4: 2 to 4 Model 8: 2 to 8 |
21264A Alpha 21264 The Alpha 21264 was a Digital Equipment Corporation RISC microprocessor introduced in October, 1996. The 21264 implemented the Alpha instruction set architecture .- Description :... (EV67) |
731 | 4 MB | Custom | Up to 64 GB | 33 MHz PCI-X PCI-X PCI-X, short for PCI-eXtended, is a computer bus and expansion card standard that enhances the 32-bit PCI Local Bus for higher bandwidth demanded by servers. It is a double-wide version of PCI, running at up to four times the clock speed, but is otherwise similar in electrical implementation and... : Up to 16 buses, 56 slots |
Rack | ? | ? |
21264C Alpha 21264 The Alpha 21264 was a Digital Equipment Corporation RISC microprocessor introduced in October, 1996. The 21264 implemented the Alpha instruction set architecture .- Description :... (EV68CB) |
1001 | 4, 8 MB | ? | ? | |||||||
1224 | 4, 8, 16 MB | 2002-08-04 | ? | ||||||||
GS160 | Wildfire | Model 8: 2 to 8 Model 16: 2 to 16 |
21264A (EV67) |
731 | 4 MB | Custom | Up to 128 GB | 33 MHz PCI-X: Up to 32 buses, 112 slots |
Rack(s) | ? | ? |
21264C (EV68CB) |
1001 | 4, 8 MB | ? | ? | |||||||
1224 | 4, 8, 16 MB | 2002-08-04 | ? | ||||||||
GS320 | Wildfire | Model 24: 2 to 24 Model 32: 2 to 32 |
21264A (EV67) |
731 | 4 MB | Custom | Up to 256 GB | 33 MHz PCI-X: Up to 64 buses, 224 slots |
Rack(s) | ? | ? |
21264C (EV68CB) |
1001 | 4, 8 MB | ? | ? | |||||||
1224 | 4, 8, 16 MB | 2002-08-04 | ? | ||||||||
AlphaServer SC
Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz |
B-cache | Chipset | Max. Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SC20 68/833 | ? | 8 to 256 | 21264B EV68AL |
833 | 2 MB | ? | 2 GB/node | 2 PCI-X | Rack(s) | ? | ? |
SC40 67/667 | Sierra | 16 to 512 | 21264A EV67 |
667 | 8 MB | ? | 24 GB/node | 10 PCI-X | Rack(s) | ? | ? |
SC40 68/833 | 21264B EV68AL |
833 | ? | ? | ? | ||||||
SC45 68/1250 | Sierra | 16 to 4096 | 21264C EV68CB |
1250 | 16 MB | ? | 32 GB/node | 10 PCI-X | Rack(s) | ? | ? |
The AlphaServer SC was a supercomputer
Supercomputer
A supercomputer is a computer at the frontline of current processing capacity, particularly speed of calculation.Supercomputers are used for highly calculation-intensive tasks such as problems including quantum physics, weather forecasting, climate research, molecular modeling A supercomputer is a...
constructed from a set of individual DS20, ES40 or ES45 servers (called "nodes") mounted in racks. Every node was connected to every other node using a Quadrics
Quadrics
Quadrics was a supercomputer company formed in 1996 as a joint venture between Alenia Spazio and the technical team from Meiko Scientific. They produced hardware and software for clustering commodity computer systems into massively parallel systems. Their highpoint was in June 2003 when six out of...
elan3 interconnect and the systems were designed and used primarily for high-performance technical computing
High-performance technical computing
High Performance Technical Computing refers to the application of high performance computing to technical, as opposed to business or scientific, problems...
. An AlphaServer SC45 supercomputer was still ranked #6 in the world as late as November 2004.
Marvel Family
Model | Code name | # of CPUs |
CPU | CPU MHz | Scache | Chipset | Memory | Expansion | Enclosure | Introduced | Discontinued |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ES47 Tower |
? | 2 | 21364 (EV7) |
1000 | 1.75 MB | On-die | Up to 16 GB | 1 4× AGP 1 133 MHz PCI-X PCI-X PCI-X, short for PCI-eXtended, is a computer bus and expansion card standard that enhances the 32-bit PCI Local Bus for higher bandwidth demanded by servers. It is a double-wide version of PCI, running at up to four times the clock speed, but is otherwise similar in electrical implementation and... 4 66 MHz PCI-X |
Tower | 2003-01-20 | 2007-04-27 |
1150 | 2004-08-16 | ||||||||||
ES47 | Marvel 2P | 2 to 4 | 21364 (EV7) |
1000 | 1.75 MB | On-die | Up to 32 GB | Up to 4 4× AGP 32 PCI-X |
4U or 8U rackmount |
2003-01-20 | 2007-04-27 |
1150 | 2004-08-16 | ||||||||||
ES80 | Marvel 4x2P | 2 to 8 | 21364 (EV7) |
1000 | 1.75 MB | On-die | Up to 64 GB | Up to 8 4× AGP 64 PCI-X |
Rack | 2003-01-20 | 2007-04-27 |
1150 | 2004-08-16 | ||||||||||
GS1280 | Marvel 8P | 2 to 64 | 21364 (EV7) |
1150 | 1.75 MB | On-die | Up to 512 GB | Up to 64 4× AGP 512 PCI-X 192 PCI |
Rack(s) | 2003-01-20 | 2007-04-27 |
21364 (EV7z) |
1300 | 2004-08-16 | |||||||||
The AlphaServer GS1280 originally supported a maximum of 16 microprocessors. In October 2003, the number of microprocessors supported was increased to 64 and the supported memory capacity was doubled to 8 GB per microprocessor.
External links
- HP AlphaServer range
- DIGITAL Product Catalogue Winter 1997, Digital Equipment International, 1997.
- Compaq Alpha System and Model Code Names (at archive.org)
- FreeBSD/alpha 6.1 Hardware Notes
- About NetBSD/alpha
- The OpenBSD/alpha port
- Debian Alpha system types
- Open-Source AlphaServer ES40 Emulator