Compaq SystemPro
Encyclopedia
The SystemPro from Compaq
was arguably the first true PC
based server. It had a support for Intel's latest 486
chip, a 32-bit bus, RAID disk and dual-processor support well before its main rivals.
486, was one of the first two commercially available computer systems containing the new EISA
bus. The SystemPro was also one of the first PC-style systems specifically designed as a network server
, and as such was built from the ground up to take full advantage of the EISA bus. It included such features as multiprocessing
(the original systems were asymmetric
-only), hardware RAID
, and bus-mastering network cards. All models of SystemPro used a full-height tower configuration, with eight internal hard drive
bay
s.
processors, but early in 1990 33 MHz 486
processors became an option (the processors were housed on proprietary daughterboard
s). Because the system was asymmetric, 386 and 486 processors could be mixed. Single processor configurations were also available.
The only operating system which fully supported the SystemPro's asymmetric multiprocessing was a custom version of SCO Unix
, sold by Compaq. However, when running OS/2
, certain applications (notably Sybase
SQL Server) could be offloaded to the second processor, and later, Novell NetWare
SFT-III was able to offload its I/O engine. It is worth noting that the original versions of Windows NT
(3.1) included a hardware abstraction layer specifically for the SystemPro; despite NT's symmetric multiprocessing
design, this HAL could offload some kernel tasks to the second CPU. This made Windows NT 3.1 the only version of Windows to support multiprocessor 386-based machines.
(including RAID 5) available on a PC-based system. The original RAID card, called the IDA (Intelligent Drive Array) used a proprietary form of IDE
, supporting up to 4 drives internally. At its release, the largest drive available was 210 MB. Two IDA cards could be installed, allowing all 8 hard drive bays to be filled (each IDA controller array would appear as a separate logical drive to the operating system, however), providing a grand total of 1.2 GB using RAID 5, or 1.6 GB using non-redundant striping (RAID 0). Another option called the IDA Expansion Array provided support for up to 7 drives in a single array (housed in an external tower chassis looking virtually identical to the SystemPro itself), using an early (and very proprietary) form of differential SCSI
. Note that all hard drives in the SystemPro or the Expansion Array were internally mounted drives; hot swapping
was not an option.
line, which introduced hot swappable drives and the rack mount
chassis now popular in data center
s. However, the SystemPro is notable for having established the PC-based server market, and setting a high watermark for the servers that followed.
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....
was arguably the first true PC
IBM PC compatible
IBM PC compatible computers are those generally similar to the original IBM PC, XT, and AT. Such computers used to be referred to as PC clones, or IBM clones since they almost exactly duplicated all the significant features of the PC architecture, facilitated by various manufacturers' ability to...
based server. It had a support for Intel's latest 486
Intel 80486
The Intel 80486 microprocessor was a higher performance follow up on the Intel 80386. Introduced in 1989, it was the first tightly pipelined x86 design as well as the first x86 chip to use more than a million transistors, due to a large on-chip cache and an integrated floating point unit...
chip, a 32-bit bus, RAID disk and dual-processor support well before its main rivals.
Innovative features
The SystemPro, along with the simultaneously released Compaq DeskproCompaq Deskpro
The Compaq Deskpro was a line of business-oriented personal computers manufactured by Compaq, discontinued after the merger with Hewlett-Packard...
486, was one of the first two commercially available computer systems containing the new EISA
Extended Industry Standard Architecture
The Extended Industry Standard Architecture is a bus standard for IBM PC compatible computers...
bus. The SystemPro was also one of the first PC-style systems specifically designed as a network server
Server (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
, and as such was built from the ground up to take full advantage of the EISA bus. It included such features as multiprocessing
Multiprocessing
Multiprocessing is the use of two or more central processing units within a single computer system. The term also refers to the ability of a system to support more than one processor and/or the ability to allocate tasks between them...
(the original systems were asymmetric
Asymmetric multiprocessing
Asymmetric multiprocessing, or AMP, was a software stopgap for handling multiple CPUs before symmetric multiprocessing, or SMP, was available.Multiprocessing is the use of more than one CPU in a computer system...
-only), hardware RAID
RAID
RAID is a storage technology that combines multiple disk drive components into a logical unit...
, and bus-mastering network cards. All models of SystemPro used a full-height tower configuration, with eight internal hard drive
Hard disk
A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the...
bay
Drive bay
A drive bay is a standard-sized area for adding hardware to a computer. Most drive bays are fixed to the inside of a case, but some can be removed....
s.
Multiprocessing
At its initial release in November 1989, the SystemPro supported up to two 33 MHz 386Intel 80386
The Intel 80386, also known as the i386, or just 386, was a 32-bit microprocessor introduced by Intel in 1985. The first versions had 275,000 transistors and were used as the central processing unit of many workstations and high-end personal computers of the time...
processors, but early in 1990 33 MHz 486
Intel 80486
The Intel 80486 microprocessor was a higher performance follow up on the Intel 80386. Introduced in 1989, it was the first tightly pipelined x86 design as well as the first x86 chip to use more than a million transistors, due to a large on-chip cache and an integrated floating point unit...
processors became an option (the processors were housed on proprietary daughterboard
Daughterboard
A daughterboard, daughtercard or piggyback board is a circuit board meant to be an extension or "daughter" of a motherboard , or occasionally of another card...
s). Because the system was asymmetric, 386 and 486 processors could be mixed. Single processor configurations were also available.
The only operating system which fully supported the SystemPro's asymmetric multiprocessing was a custom version of SCO Unix
SCO OpenServer
SCO OpenServer, previously SCO UNIX and SCO Open Desktop , is, misleadingly, a closed source version of the Unix computer operating system developed by Santa Cruz Operation and now maintained by the SCO Group....
, sold by Compaq. However, when running OS/2
OS/2
OS/2 is a computer operating system, initially created by Microsoft and IBM, then later developed by IBM exclusively. The name stands for "Operating System/2," because it was introduced as part of the same generation change release as IBM's "Personal System/2 " line of second-generation personal...
, certain applications (notably Sybase
Sybase
Sybase, an SAP company, is an enterprise software and services company offering software to manage, analyze, and mobilize information, using relational databases, analytics and data warehousing solutions and mobile applications development platforms....
SQL Server) could be offloaded to the second processor, and later, Novell NetWare
Novell NetWare
NetWare is a network operating system developed by Novell, Inc. It initially used cooperative multitasking to run various services on a personal computer, with network protocols based on the archetypal Xerox Network Systems stack....
SFT-III was able to offload its I/O engine. It is worth noting that the original versions of 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...
(3.1) included a hardware abstraction layer specifically for the SystemPro; despite NT's symmetric multiprocessing
Symmetric multiprocessing
In computing, symmetric multiprocessing involves a multiprocessor computer hardware architecture where two or more identical processors are connected to a single shared main memory and are controlled by a single OS instance. Most common multiprocessor systems today use an SMP architecture...
design, this HAL could offload some kernel tasks to the second CPU. This made Windows NT 3.1 the only version of Windows to support multiprocessor 386-based machines.
System/Memory Architecture
The system used a state-of-the-art shared memory bus design, called Tri-Flex Architecture, to facilitate its multiprocessing capabilities. The original SystemPro shipped with 4MB 80ns DRAM, expandable up to 256MB using proprietary memory modules.RAID
The SystemPro also offered one of the first implementations of RAIDRAID
RAID is a storage technology that combines multiple disk drive components into a logical unit...
(including RAID 5) available on a PC-based system. The original RAID card, called the IDA (Intelligent Drive Array) used a proprietary form of IDE
AT Attachment
Parallel ATA , originally ATA, is an interface standard for the connection of storage devices such as hard disks, solid-state drives, floppy drives, and optical disc drives in computers. The standard is maintained by X3/INCITS committee...
, supporting up to 4 drives internally. At its release, the largest drive available was 210 MB. Two IDA cards could be installed, allowing all 8 hard drive bays to be filled (each IDA controller array would appear as a separate logical drive to the operating system, however), providing a grand total of 1.2 GB using RAID 5, or 1.6 GB using non-redundant striping (RAID 0). Another option called the IDA Expansion Array provided support for up to 7 drives in a single array (housed in an external tower chassis looking virtually identical to the SystemPro itself), using an early (and very proprietary) form of differential SCSI
SCSI
Small Computer System Interface is a set of standards for physically connecting and transferring data between computers and peripheral devices. The SCSI standards define commands, protocols, and electrical and optical interfaces. SCSI is most commonly used for hard disks and tape drives, but it...
. Note that all hard drives in the SystemPro or the Expansion Array were internally mounted drives; hot swapping
Hot swapping
Hot swapping and hot plugging are terms used to describe the functions of replacing computer system components without shutting down the system...
was not an option.
Market
The SystemPro was marketed for very high-end IT departments — generally those who had scaled up to the top end of LAN hardware, or those who were scaling down from minicomputers — and its pricing was set accordingly. At the time of launch, the "low-end" SystemPro (a single 33-MHz 386 CPU, 4 MB RAM, and two 120-MB hard drives) listed for $15,999 (USD); the same machine with 840 MB of storage (four 210-MB hard drives) listed for $25,999 (USD). A second 386 processor card cost $3,500 (USD), and an additional 32 MB of RAM was $21,999 (USD).Legacy
The SystemPro line continued for several years, ending with the SystemPro XL (the only model that supported symmetric multiprocessing). It was replaced by the Compaq ProliantProliant
ProLiant is a brand of server computers that was originally developed and marketed by Compaq. After Compaq merged into Hewlett-Packard , HP continued to develop and market these servers as HP ProLiant. ProLiant systems lead the x86 server market in terms of units and revenue...
line, which introduced hot swappable drives and the rack mount
19-inch rack
A 19-inch rack is a standardized frame or enclosure for mounting multiple equipment modules. Each module has a front panel that is wide, including edges or ears that protrude on each side which allow the module to be fastened to the rack frame with screws.-Overview and history:Equipment designed...
chassis now popular in data center
Data center
A data center is a facility used to house computer systems and associated components, such as telecommunications and storage systems...
s. However, the SystemPro is notable for having established the PC-based server market, and setting a high watermark for the servers that followed.