Sun386i
Encyclopedia
The Sun386i was a hybrid UNIX
workstation
/PC compatible computer system produced by Sun Microsystems
, launched in 1988. It was based on the Intel 80386 microprocessor
but shared many features with the contemporary Sun-3
series systems.
IC called BABE ("Bus Adapter Between Ethernet"). Floppy disk
, SCSI
, RS-232
and Centronics
parallel interfaces were also provided, as were four ISA
slots (one 8-bit, three 16-bit) and four proprietary 32-bit "local" bus slots. The latter were used for RAM and frame buffer cards.
Two type of RAM card were available, a 4 or 8MB card, and the "XP Cache" card, incorporating up to 8MB with an 82385 cache controller and 32 kB of cache SRAM. Up to two memory cards could be installed, to give a maximum RAM capacity of 16MB.
Mass storage options were either 91 or 327 MB internal SCSI hard disk
s and a 1.4 MB 3.5 in floppy drive. A storage expansion box that holds two more disks could be mounted to the top of the chassis.
Frame buffer options included the 1024x768 or 1152x900-pixel monochrome BW2 card, the 8-bit color CG3 with similar resolutions, or the accelerated 8-bit color CG5, otherwise known as the Roadracer or GXi framebuffer. This used the TI TMS34010 graphics processor and had a resolution of 1152x900. In addition, one could install a "SunVGA" accelerator card in the ISA expansion slot that would allow a DOS session to display a full VGA window on the desktop.
The 386i introduced the Sun Type 4 keyboard, a hybrid of the earlier Type 3 and PC/AT
layouts. This was later used for the SPARCstation
line of workstations.
was the native operating system
of the 386i. SunOS releases 4.0, 4.0.1 and 4.0.2 supported the architecture. A beta version of SunOS 4.0.3 for the 386i also existed but was not generally available, except possibly to the U.S. government
. Included with SunOS were the SunView
GUI
and VP/ix MS-DOS
emulator. This ran as a SunOS process and thus allowed multiple MS-DOS session to be run simultaneously, a major selling point of the Sun386i. Unix long file names were accessed using a mapping to DOS 8.3 filenames, the file names being modified to include a tilde and to be unique as far as possible. This system is similar to, but predates, that used for long file names in Microsoft's VFAT. Special drive letters were used including H: for the user's home directory and D: for the current working directory when the DOS shell was started. The C: drive corresponded to a file in the Unix file system which appeared to DOS as a 20 MByte hard disk. This was used especially for the installation of copy-protected software; files in this virtual drive were inaccessible to Unix programs.
The Sun386i version of SunOS included many features not found in the versions then shipped with Sun-3 workstations (and later with then-new SPARC workstations), in addition to VP/ix. These additions focused on ease of use for end users who were likely not to be UNIX experts, and included enhanced desktop tools (which, for the first time at Sun, used color by default) and an "out of box experience" that was painless and administrator-free, targeted to bring a system onto the network ("box to mail") in fifteen minutes. It used the pioneering Dynamic RARP network protocol. At the time, and for a few years afterwards until DHCP later became standard, no other vendors' workstations (or PCs) were as easy to install on TCP/IP networks.
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
workstation
Workstation
A workstation is a high-end microcomputer designed for technical or scientific applications. Intended primarily to be used by one person at a time, they are commonly connected to a local area network and run multi-user operating systems...
/PC compatible computer system produced by Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
, launched in 1988. It was based on the Intel 80386 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...
but shared many features with the contemporary Sun-3
Sun-3
Sun-3 was the name given to a series of UNIX computer workstations and servers produced by Sun Microsystems, launched on September 9th, 1985. The Sun-3 series were VMEbus-based systems similar to some of the earlier Sun-2 series, but using the Motorola 68020 microprocessor, in combination with the...
series systems.
Hardware
Unlike the Sun-3 models, the Sun386i had a PC-like motherboard and "mini-tower"-style chassis. Two variants were produced, the Sun386i/150 and the Sun386i/250 with a 20 or 25 MHz CPU respectively. The motherboard included the CPU, 80387 FPU, 82380 timer/DMA/interrupt controller and a custom EthernetEthernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
IC called BABE ("Bus Adapter Between Ethernet"). Floppy disk
Floppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
, 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...
, RS-232
RS-232
In telecommunications, RS-232 is the traditional name for a series of standards for serial binary single-ended data and control signals connecting between a DTE and a DCE . It is commonly used in computer serial ports...
and Centronics
Centronics
Centronics Data Computer Corporation was a pioneering American manufacturer of computer printers, now remembered primarily for the parallel interface that bears its name.-The beginning:Centronics began as a division of Wang Laboratories...
parallel interfaces were also provided, as were four ISA
Industry Standard Architecture
Industry Standard Architecture is a computer bus standard for IBM PC compatible computers introduced with the IBM Personal Computer to support its Intel 8088 microprocessor's 8-bit external data bus and extended to 16 bits for the IBM Personal Computer/AT's Intel 80286 processor...
slots (one 8-bit, three 16-bit) and four proprietary 32-bit "local" bus slots. The latter were used for RAM and frame buffer cards.
Two type of RAM card were available, a 4 or 8MB card, and the "XP Cache" card, incorporating up to 8MB with an 82385 cache controller and 32 kB of cache SRAM. Up to two memory cards could be installed, to give a maximum RAM capacity of 16MB.
Mass storage options were either 91 or 327 MB internal SCSI hard disk
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...
s and a 1.4 MB 3.5 in floppy drive. A storage expansion box that holds two more disks could be mounted to the top of the chassis.
Frame buffer options included the 1024x768 or 1152x900-pixel monochrome BW2 card, the 8-bit color CG3 with similar resolutions, or the accelerated 8-bit color CG5, otherwise known as the Roadracer or GXi framebuffer. This used the TI TMS34010 graphics processor and had a resolution of 1152x900. In addition, one could install a "SunVGA" accelerator card in the ISA expansion slot that would allow a DOS session to display a full VGA window on the desktop.
The 386i introduced the Sun Type 4 keyboard, a hybrid of the earlier Type 3 and PC/AT
AT keyboard
The AT keyboard was a keyboard with 84 keys introduced with the IBM PC/AT computer. It succeeded the 83-key PC/XT keyboard and therefore did not have many of the features seen on modern keyboards such as arrow keys and dual ctrl and alt keys. It was later replaced with the 101-key Enhanced keyboard...
layouts. This was later used for the SPARCstation
SPARCstation
The SPARCstation, SPARCserver and SPARCcenter product lines were a series of SPARC-based computer workstations and servers in desktop, deskside and rack-based form factor developed and sold by Sun Microsystems...
line of workstations.
Software
The Sun386i's firmware was similar to the Sun-3's "PROM Monitor". A 386 port of SunOSSunOS
SunOS is a version of the Unix operating system developed by Sun Microsystems for their workstation and server computer systems. The SunOS name is usually only used to refer to versions 1.0 to 4.1.4 of SunOS...
was the native operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
of the 386i. SunOS releases 4.0, 4.0.1 and 4.0.2 supported the architecture. A beta version of SunOS 4.0.3 for the 386i also existed but was not generally available, except possibly to the U.S. government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
. Included with SunOS were the SunView
SunView
SunView was a windowing system from Sun Microsystems developed in the early 1980s. It was included as part of SunOS, Sun's UNIX implementation; unlike later UNIX windowing systems, much of it was implemented in the system kernel...
GUI
Gui
Gui or guee is a generic term to refer to grilled dishes in Korean cuisine. These most commonly have meat or fish as their primary ingredient, but may in some cases also comprise grilled vegetables or other vegetarian ingredients. The term derives from the verb, "gupda" in Korean, which literally...
and VP/ix MS-DOS
MS-DOS
MS-DOS is an operating system for x86-based personal computers. It was the most commonly used member of the DOS family of operating systems, and was the main operating system for IBM PC compatible personal computers during the 1980s to the mid 1990s, until it was gradually superseded by operating...
emulator. This ran as a SunOS process and thus allowed multiple MS-DOS session to be run simultaneously, a major selling point of the Sun386i. Unix long file names were accessed using a mapping to DOS 8.3 filenames, the file names being modified to include a tilde and to be unique as far as possible. This system is similar to, but predates, that used for long file names in Microsoft's VFAT. Special drive letters were used including H: for the user's home directory and D: for the current working directory when the DOS shell was started. The C: drive corresponded to a file in the Unix file system which appeared to DOS as a 20 MByte hard disk. This was used especially for the installation of copy-protected software; files in this virtual drive were inaccessible to Unix programs.
The Sun386i version of SunOS included many features not found in the versions then shipped with Sun-3 workstations (and later with then-new SPARC workstations), in addition to VP/ix. These additions focused on ease of use for end users who were likely not to be UNIX experts, and included enhanced desktop tools (which, for the first time at Sun, used color by default) and an "out of box experience" that was painless and administrator-free, targeted to bring a system onto the network ("box to mail") in fifteen minutes. It used the pioneering Dynamic RARP network protocol. At the time, and for a few years afterwards until DHCP later became standard, no other vendors' workstations (or PCs) were as easy to install on TCP/IP networks.