Sun Ultra series
Encyclopedia
The original Sun Ultra series was a series of UltraSPARC
-based workstation
s and server
s developed and sold by Sun Microsystems
from 1995 to 2001. The Ultra series introduced the 64-bit
UltraSPARC processor and in later versions, lower-cost PC-derived technology, such as the PCI
and ATA buses (the initial Ultra 1 and 2 models retained the SBus
of their predecessors).
The Ultra workstations and the Ultra Enterprise (later, simply Enterprise) servers replaced the earlier SPARCstation
and SPARCcenter/SPARCserver series respectively. The Ultra/Enterprise series itself was later replaced by the Sun Blade (workstations) and Sun Fire
(servers) ranges.
The Enterprise 220R is an Ultra 60 motherboard in a rackable server chassis with hot-swappable power supplies. Similarly, the Enterprise 420R is an Ultra 80
motherboard in a server chassis.
The Ultra range were sold during the dot com boom, and became one of the biggest selling series of computers ever developed by Sun Microsystems. Many companies and organisations (including Sun Microsystems) still rely on Sun Ultra products.
The Ultra brand was later revived in 2005 with the launch of the Ultra 20, Ultra 40 and Ultra 45 workstations and the Ultra 3 laptop. Confusingly, some of these "Ultra" workstations are not UltraSPARC-based systems, but are based on x86-64
-architecture processors (where Sun uses the term "x64"). However, Sun discontinued the UltraSPARC-based systems on July 2008, effectively ending the production of workstations with an UltraSPARC processor.
UltraSPARC
The UltraSPARC is a microprocessor developed by Sun Microsystems who is now a part of Oracle Corporation and fabricated by Texas Instruments that implements the SPARC V9 instruction set architecture . It was introduced in mid-1995. It was the first microprocessor from Sun Microsystems to implement...
-based 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...
s and 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"...
s developed and sold 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...
from 1995 to 2001. The Ultra series introduced the 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...
UltraSPARC processor and in later versions, lower-cost PC-derived technology, such as the PCI
Peripheral Component Interconnect
Conventional PCI is a computer bus for attaching hardware devices in a computer...
and ATA buses (the initial Ultra 1 and 2 models retained the SBus
SBus
SBus is a computer bus system that was used in most SPARC-based computers from Sun Microsystems and others during the 1990s...
of their predecessors).
The Ultra workstations and the Ultra Enterprise (later, simply Enterprise) servers replaced the earlier 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...
and SPARCcenter/SPARCserver series respectively. The Ultra/Enterprise series itself was later replaced by the Sun Blade (workstations) and Sun Fire
Sunfire
Sunfire is a fictional character, a mutant superhero in the and former member of the X-Men.Sunfire is a temperamental and arrogant Japanese mutant who can generate superheated plasma and fly. Not suited for teamwork, Sunfire was only briefly a member of the X-Men and has kept limited ties to the...
(servers) ranges.
The Enterprise 220R is an Ultra 60 motherboard in a rackable server chassis with hot-swappable power supplies. Similarly, the Enterprise 420R is an Ultra 80
Ultra 80
The Ultra 80 is a fairly large and heavy computer workstation in a tower enclosure from Sun Microsystems. The Ultra 80 was launched in November 1999 and shipped with Solaris 2.5.1...
motherboard in a server chassis.
The Ultra range were sold during the dot com boom, and became one of the biggest selling series of computers ever developed by Sun Microsystems. Many companies and organisations (including Sun Microsystems) still rely on Sun Ultra products.
The Ultra brand was later revived in 2005 with the launch of the Ultra 20, Ultra 40 and Ultra 45 workstations and the Ultra 3 laptop. Confusingly, some of these "Ultra" workstations are not UltraSPARC-based systems, but are based on x86-64
X86-64
x86-64 is an extension of the x86 instruction set. It supports vastly larger virtual and physical address spaces than are possible on x86, thereby allowing programmers to conveniently work with much larger data sets. x86-64 also provides 64-bit general purpose registers and numerous other...
-architecture processors (where Sun uses the term "x64"). However, Sun discontinued the UltraSPARC-based systems on July 2008, effectively ending the production of workstations with an UltraSPARC processor.
Ultra workstations (1995-2001)
Model | Code | Codename | Processor(s) | Processor MHz |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ultra 1 Ultra 1 The Ultra 1 is a family of Sun Microsystems workstations based on the 64-bit UltraSPARC microprocessor. It was the first model in the Sun Ultra series of Sun computers, which succeeded the SPARCstation series. It launched in 1995 and shipped with Solaris 2.5... |
A11 | Neutron | UltraSPARC UltraSPARC The UltraSPARC is a microprocessor developed by Sun Microsystems who is now a part of Oracle Corporation and fabricated by Texas Instruments that implements the SPARC V9 instruction set architecture . It was introduced in mid-1995. It was the first microprocessor from Sun Microsystems to implement... I |
143, 167 |
Ultra 1E | A12 | Electron | UltraSPARC I | 143, 167, 200 |
Ultra 2 | A14 | Pulsar | Up to two UltraSPARC I or II | 143, 167, 200, 300, 400 |
Ultra 30 | A16 | Quark | UltraSPARC II | 250, 300 |
Ultra 3000 | A17 | Duraflame | Up to six UltraSPARC I or II | 167, 250, 336, 400 |
Ultra 4000 | A18 | Campfire | Up to 14 UltraSPARC I or II | 167, 250, 336, 400 |
Ultra 450 | A20 | Tazmo | Up to four UltraSPARC II | 400 |
Ultra 5 | A21 | Otter | UltraSPARC IIi | 270, 333, 360, 400 |
Ultra 10 | A22 | Sea Lion | UltraSPARC IIi | 300, 333, 360, 440 |
Ultra 60 Ultra 60 The Ultra 60 is a fairly large 45.0 cm and heavy computer workstation in a tower enclosure from Sun Microsystems. The Ultra 60 was launched in November 1999 and shipped with Solaris 7... |
A23 | Deuterium | Up to two UltraSPARC II | 300, 360 or 450 (400 works, but is unsupported) |
Ultra 80 Ultra 80 The Ultra 80 is a fairly large and heavy computer workstation in a tower enclosure from Sun Microsystems. The Ultra 80 was launched in November 1999 and shipped with Solaris 2.5.1... |
A27 | Quasar | Up to four UltraSPARC II | 450 |
Entry-level
Model | Code | Codename | Processor(s) | Processor MHz |
---|---|---|---|---|
UltraServer 1 Ultra Enterprise 1 |
A11 | Neutron | UltraSPARC I | 143 or 167 |
UltraServer 1E Ultra Enterprise 1E |
A12 | Electron | UltraSPARC I | 143, 167, 200 |
UltraServer 2 Ultra Enterprise 2 |
A14 | Pulsar | Up to two UltraSPARC I or II | 143, 167, 200, 300 |
Ultra Enterprise 150 | E150 | Dublin | UltraSPARC I | 167 |
Enterprise Ultra 5S | A21 | Otter | UltraSPARC IIi | 270, 333, 360, 400 |
Enterprise Ultra 10S | A22 | Sea Lion | UltraSPARC IIi | 300, 333, 360, 440 |
Enterprise 450 | A25 | Tazmax | Up to four UltraSPARC II | 250, 300, 400, 480 |
Enterprise 250 | A26 | Javelin | Up to two UltraSPARC II | 250, 300, 400 |
Enterprise 420R | A33 | Quahog | Up to four UltraSPARC II | 450 |
Enterprise 220R | A34 | Razor | Up to two UltraSPARC II | 360, 450 |
Mid-range and high-end
Model | Code | Codename | Processor(s) | Processor MHz |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ultra Enterprise 3000 | E3000 | Duraflame | Up to six UltraSPARC I or II | 167, 250, 336, 400, 464* |
Ultra Enterprise 4000 | E4000 | Campfire | Up to 14 UltraSPARC I or II | 167, 250, 336, 400, 464* |
Ultra Enterprise 5000 | E5000 | Campfire | Up to 14 UltraSPARC I or II | 167, 250, 336, 400, 464* |
Ultra Enterprise 6000 | E6000 | Sunfire | Up to 30 UltraSPARC I or II | 167, 250, 336, 400, 464* |
Enterprise 3500 | E3500 | Duraflame+ | Up to eight UltraSPARC I or II | 167, 250, 336, 400, 464 |
Enterprise 4500 | E4500 | Campfire+ | Up to 14 UltraSPARC I or II | 167, 250, 336, 400, 464 |
Enterprise 5500 | E5500 | Campfire+ | Up to 14 UltraSPARC I or II | 167, 250, 336, 400, 464 |
Enterprise 6500 | E6500 | Sunfire+ | Up to 30 UltraSPARC I or II | 167, 250, 336, 400, 464 |
Enterprise 10000 | E10000 | Starfire | four to 64 UltraSPARC II | 250, 336, 400, 466 |
- = available as upgrade option only
UltraSPARC
Model | Code | Codename | Processor(s) | Processor freq. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ultra 3 | A60/A61 | ? | UltraSPARC IIi or IIIi | 550 MHz, 650 MHz, 1.28 GHz |
Ultra 45 | A70 | Chicago | Up to two UltraSPARC IIIi | 1.6 GHz |
Ultra 25 | A89 | South Side | UltraSPARC IIIi | 1.34 GHz |
x86
Model | Code | Codename | Processor(s) | Processor freq. |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ultra 20 | A63 | Marrakesh | AMD Opteron Dual Core 144, 148 or 180 | 1.8, 2.2, 2.6, 3.0 GHz |
Ultra 40 | A71 | Sirius | Up to two AMD Opteron Dual Core 246, 254 or 280 | 2.0, 2.4, 2.8 GHz |
Ultra 40 M2 | A83 | Munich | AMD Opteron Dual Core 2000 Series | 1.8, 2.2, 2.6, 2.8, 3.0 GHz |
Ultra 20 M2 | A88 | Munich | AMD Opteron Dual Core 1200 series | 1.8, 2.2, 2.6, 2.8, 3.0 GHz |
Ultra 24 Ultra 24 The Ultra 24 is a family of computer workstations by Sun Microsystems based on the Intel Core 2 processor. It is the first Sun workstation with an Intel processor since the Sun386i from 1988, and the first to bear the Ultra brand name to do so.... |
B21 | Ursa | Intel Core 2 Intel Core 2 Core 2 is a brand encompassing a range of Intel's consumer 64-bit x86-64 single-, dual-, and quad-core microprocessors based on the Core microarchitecture. The single- and dual-core models are single-die, whereas the quad-core models comprise two dies, each containing two cores, packaged in a... Duo/Quad/Quad Extreme |
2.0, 2.2, 2.4, 2.66, 3.0, 3.16 GHz |
Ultra 27 | B27 | Volo | Intel Xeon Quad Core 3500 series | 2.66, 2.93, 3.20, 3.33 GHz |