VAX 4000

Last updated

The VAX 4000 is a discontinued family of low-end minicomputers developed and manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation (later Compaq) using microprocessors implementing the VAX instruction set architecture (ISA). The VAX 4000 succeeded the MicroVAX family, and shipped with the OpenVMS operating system. It was the last family of low-end VAX systems, as the platform was discontinued by Compaq.

Contents

VAX 4000 Model 300

A VAX 4000-300 (on the left) and an R400X expansion chassis. VAX 4000-300 en R400X.jpg
A VAX 4000-300 (on the left) and an R400X expansion chassis.

The VAX 4000 Model 300, code-named "Pele", was introduced on 9 July 1990 at DECworld in Boston, Massachusetts, replacing the MicroVAX 3800 and 3900. [1] [2] It used the time-sharing KA670-AA CPU module containing a 35.71 MHz (28 ns cycle time) Rigel chip set with a 128 KB external secondary cache protected by ECC built from 84 ns SRAM. It supported one to four MS670-BA (32 MB) or MS670-CA (64 MB) memory modules for 32 to 256 MB of memory. Q-bus was used for expansion. The Model 300 could be upgraded to a Model 400, Model 500 or Model 600 by replacing the backplane, CPU and memory module(s).

VAX 4000 Model 200

VAX 4000 Model 200, code-named "Spitfire", was introduced in January 1991 as replacement for the MicroVAX 3400. It was positioned beneath the VAX 4000 Model 300. [3] It used the KA660 CPU module containing a 28.57 MHz (35 ns cycle time) SOC microprocessor. It supported 16 to 64 MB of memory.

VAX 4000 Model 500

The VAX 4000 Model 500, code-named "Omega/N", was introduced on 30 October 1991, with availability in December 1991. It succeeded the VAX 4000 Model 300, but the older system remained available as a lower cost alternative. [4] It used the KA680 CPU module containing a 71.43 MHz (14 ns cycle time) NVAX microprocessor with 128 KB of external tertiary cache.

VAX 4000 Model 100

The VAX 4000 Model 100, code-named "Cheetah-Q", is an entry-level VAX 4000 system introduced on 7 July 1992. [5] It used the KA52 CPU module containing a 72 MHz (14 ns cycle time) NVAX microprocessor with 128 KB of external tertiary cache. It supported up to 128 MB of memory.

VAX 4000 Model 400

The VAX 4000 Model 400, code-named "Slow-mega", was a distributed server, positioned as a mid-range VAX 4000 system, introduced on 7 July 1992. [5] It used the KA675 CPU module containing a 63 MHz (16 ns) NVAX microprocessor with uCode patch changes to slow it down beyond the cycle scaling, with 128 KB of external tertiary cache. It supported 16 to 512 MB of memory.

VAX 4000 Model 600

The VAX 4000 Model 600, code-named "Omega/N+", was a distributed server, positioned as a high-end VAX 4000 system, introduced on 7 July 1992. [5] It used the KA690 CPU module containing an 83 MHz (12 ns) NVAX microprocessor with and 512 KB of external tertiary cache.

VAX 4000 Model 100A

The VAX 4000 Model 100A, code-named "Cheetah-Q", was introduced on 12 October 1993. It used the KA52 CPU module containing a 72 MHz (14 ns cycle time) NVAX microprocessor with 128 KB of external tertiary cache. It supported up to 128 MB of memory.

VAX 4000 Model 500A

The VAX 4000 Model 500A, code-named "Omega/N", was introduced on 12 October 1993. It used the KA681 CPU module containing a 71.43 MHz (14 ns cycle time) NVAX microprocessor with 128 KB of external tertiary cache.

VAX 4000 Model 600A

The VAX 4000 Model 600A, code-named "Omega/N+", was introduced on 12 October 1993. It used the KA691 CPU module containing an 83 MHz (12 ns cycle time) NVAX microprocessor with 512 KB of external tertiary cache.

VAX 4000 Model 700A

The VAX 4000 Model 700A, code-named "Legacy", was introduced on 12 October 1993. It used the KA692 CPU module containing a 100 MHz (10 ns cycle time) NVAX microprocessor with 2 MB of external tertiary cache.

VAX 4000 Model 105A

The VAX 4000 Model 105, code named "Cheetah-Q+", was introduced on 12 April 1994. [6] It used the KA53 CPU module containing an 83 MHz (12 ns cycle time) NVAX microprocessor with 128 KB of external tertiary cache. It supported up to 128 MB of memory.

VAX 4000 Model 505A

The VAX 4000 Model 505A, code-named "Omega/N+", was introduced in late August 1994. [7] It used an 83 MHz (12 ns) NVAX microprocessor with 512 KB of external tertiary cache.

VAX 4000 Model 705A

The VAX 4000 Model 705A, code-named "Legacy+", was introduced in late August 1994. [7] It used the KA694 CPU module containing a 111.12 MHz (9 ns cycle time) NVAX microprocessor with 2 MB of external tertiary cache.

VAX 4000 Model 106A

The VAX 4000 Model 106A, code-named "Cheetah-Q++", used the KA54 CPU module containing a 100 MHz (10 ns cycle time) NVAX microprocessor with 512 KB of external tertiary cache. It was replaced by the VAX 4000 Model 108.

VAX 4000 Model 108

The VAX 4000 Model 108, code-named "Cheetah-Q++", was introduced on 8 October 1996 to replace the VAX 4000 Model 106A. [8] It was discontinued on 30 September 2000, with the last systems shipped on 31 December 2000. [9] It used the KA57 CPU module containing a 100 MHz (10 ns cycle time) NVAX microprocessor with 512 KB of external tertiary cache. It supported up to 256 Mb of memory with SIMMs using an industry standard form factor, double that of the previous model. The change from a proprietary SIMM to an industry standard SIMM was to lower costs, which also included reducing the size of the enclosure and more provisions for disks.

VAX 4000 Model 50

The VAX 4000 Model 50, code-named "VAXbrick", was an upgrade for MicroVAX 3x00 or VAX 4000 Model 200. It used the KA600 CPU module containing a NVAX microprocessor.

Notes

  1. ↑ Markoff, John (16 July 1990). "Digital Finally Follows a Trend". The New York Times .
  2. ↑ "DEC packs VAX 4000 with support RISCs to outdo IBM AS/400". Computer Business Review. 1990-07-09.
  3. ↑ "DEC ADDS BABY VAX 4000 MODEL 200, SUPPORTS DSSI DISKS ON VAX 6000".
  4. ↑ "DEC STRESSES APPLICATIONS PORTABILITY, BETTER PRICE-PERFORMANCE THAN RISC WITH NEW VAXES".
  5. 1 2 3 "Digital Equipment Corp launches new VMS Release as OpenVMS, unleashes 13 PreAlpha Vaxes". Computer Business Review. 1992-07-07.
  6. ↑ "DEC ANNOUNCEMENTS"
  7. 1 2 "DEC rushes to rescue of VAX users with four new models". Computer Business Review. 23 August 1994.
  8. ↑ "DEC upgrades low-end VAXes to see it through the decade". Computer Business Review. 9 October 1996.
  9. ↑ Lipcon, Jesse (16 August 2000). "A letter from Jesse Lipcon". Vax Systems. Compaq Computer Corporation. Archived from the original on 2000-08-15.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pentium II</span> Intel microprocessor

The Pentium II brand refers to Intel's sixth-generation microarchitecture ("P6") and x86-compatible microprocessors introduced on May 7, 1997. Containing 7.5 million transistors, the Pentium II featured an improved version of the first P6-generation core of the Pentium Pro, which contained 5.5 million transistors. However, its L2 cache subsystem was a downgrade when compared to the Pentium Pros. It is a single-core microprocessor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DECstation</span> DEC brand of computers

The DECstation was a brand of computers used by DEC, and refers to three distinct lines of computer systems—the first released in 1978 as a word processing system, and the latter two both released in 1989. These comprised a range of computer workstations based on the MIPS architecture and a range of PC compatibles. The MIPS-based workstations ran ULTRIX, a DEC-proprietary version of UNIX, and early releases of OSF/1.

SPARC64 is a microprocessor developed by HAL Computer Systems and fabricated by Fujitsu. It implements the SPARC V9 instruction set architecture (ISA), the first microprocessor to do so. SPARC64 was HAL's first microprocessor and was the first in the SPARC64 brand. It operates at 101 and 118 MHz. The SPARC64 was used exclusively by Fujitsu in their systems; the first systems, the Fujitsu HALstation Model 330 and Model 350 workstations, were formally announced in September 1995 and were introduced in October 1995, two years late. It was succeeded by the SPARC64 II in 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VAXstation</span> Family of DEC workstation computers

The VAXstation is a discontinued family of workstation computers developed and manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation using processors implementing the VAX instruction set architecture. VAXstation systems were typically shipped with either the OpenVMS or ULTRIX operating systems. Many members of the VAXstation family had corresponding MicroVAX variants, which primarily differ by the lack of graphics hardware.

DECsystem was a line of server computers from Digital Equipment Corporation. They were based on MIPS architecture processors and ran DEC's version of the UNIX operating system, called ULTRIX. They ranged in size from workstation-style desktop enclosures to large pedestal cabinets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NVAX</span> CMOS microprocessor by Digital Equipment Corporation

The NVAX is a CMOS microprocessor developed and produced by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) that implemented the VAX instruction set architecture (ISA). A variant of the NVAX, the NVAX+, differed in the bus interface and external cache supported, but was otherwise identical in regards to microarchitecture. The NVAX+ was designed to have the same bus as the DECchip 21064, allowing drop-in replacement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CVAX</span> Microprocessor chipset

The CVAX is a microprocessor chipset developed and fabricated by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) that implemented the VAX instruction set architecture (ISA). The chipset consisted of the CVAX 78034 CPU, CFPA floating-point accelerator, CVAX clock chip, and the associated support chips, the CVAX System Support Chip (CSSC), CVAX Memory Controller (CMCTL), and CVAX Q-Bus Interface Chip (CQBIC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MicroVAX</span> Family of low-cost minicomputers

The MicroVAX is a discontinued family of low-cost minicomputers developed and manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). The first model, the MicroVAX I, was introduced in 1983. They used processors that implemented the VAX instruction set architecture (ISA) and were succeeded by the VAX 4000. Many members of the MicroVAX family had corresponding VAXstation variants, which primarily differ by the addition of graphics hardware. The MicroVAX family supports Digital's VMS and ULTRIX operating systems. Prior to VMS V5.0, MicroVAX hardware required a dedicated version of VMS named MicroVMS.

The Firefly was a shared memory asymmetric multiprocessor workstation, developed by the Systems Research Center, a research organization within Digital Equipment Corporation. The first version built contained up to seven MicroVAX 78032 microprocessors. The cache from each of the microprocessors kept a consistent view of the same main memory using a cache coherency algorithm, the Firefly protocol. The second version of the Firefly used faster CVAX 78034 microprocessors. It was later introduced as a product by DEC as the VAXstation 3520/3540 codenamed Firefox.

The DEC 4000 AXP is a series of departmental server computers developed and manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation introduced on 10 November 1992. These systems formed part of the first generation of systems based on the 64-bit Alpha AXP architecture and at the time of introduction, ran Digital's OpenVMS AXP or OSF/1 AXP operating systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DEC V-11</span>

The V-11, code-named "Scorpio", is a miniprocessor chip set implementation of the VAX instruction set architecture (ISA) developed and fabricated by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC).

The DEC 7000 AXP and DEC 10000 AXP are a series of high-end multiprocessor server computers developed and manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation, introduced on 10 November 1992. These systems formed part of the first generation of systems based on the 64-bit Alpha AXP architecture and at the time of introduction, ran Digital's OpenVMS AXP operating system, with DEC OSF/1 AXP available in March 1993. They were designed in parallel with the VAX 7000 and VAX 10000 minicomputers, and are identical except for the processor module(s) and supported bus interfaces. A field upgrade from a VAX 7000/10000 to a DEC 7000/10000 AXP was possible by means of swapping the processor boards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VAX 6000</span> Minicomputer by Digital Equipment Corporation

The VAX 6000 is a discontinued family of minicomputers developed and manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) using processors implementing the VAX instruction set architecture (ISA). Originally, the VAX 6000 was intended to be a mid-range VAX product line complementing the VAX 8000, but with the introduction of the VAX 6000 Model 400 series, the older VAX 8000 was discontinued in favor of the VAX 6000, which offered slightly higher performance for half the cost. The VAX 6000 family supports Digital's VMS and ULTRIX operating systems.

The VAX 7000 and VAX 10000 are a discontinued family of high-end multiprocessor minicomputers developed and manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC), introduced in July 1992. These systems use NVAX microprocessors implementing the VAX instruction set architecture, and run the OpenVMS operating system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VAX 8000</span> Family of superminicomputers by Digital Equipment Corporation

The VAX 8000 is a discontinued family of superminicomputers developed and manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) using processors implementing the VAX instruction set architecture (ISA).

The VAXft was a family of fault-tolerant minicomputers developed and manufactured by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) using processors implementing the VAX instruction set architecture (ISA). "VAXft" stood for "Virtual Address Extension, fault tolerant". These systems ran the OpenVMS operating system, and were first supported by VMS 5.4. Two layered software products, VAXft System Services and VMS Volume Shadowing, were required to support the fault-tolerant features of the VAXft and for the redundancy of data stored on hard disk drives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpha 21064</span> Microprocessor

The Alpha 21064 is a microprocessor developed and fabricated by Digital Equipment Corporation that implemented the Alpha instruction set architecture (ISA). It was introduced as the DECchip 21064 before it was renamed in 1994. The 21064 is also known by its code name, EV4. It was announced in February 1992 with volume availability in September 1992. The 21064 was the first commercial implementation of the Alpha ISA, and the first microprocessor from Digital to be available commercially. It was succeeded by a derivative, the Alpha 21064A in October 1993. This last version was replaced by the Alpha 21164 in 1995.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpha 21164</span> Microprocessor

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 (ISA). It was introduced in January 1995, succeeding the Alpha 21064A as Digital's flagship microprocessor. It was succeeded by the Alpha 21264 in 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rigel (microprocessor)</span> Miniprocessor chip set

Rigel was a microprocessor chip set developed and fabricated by Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) that implemented the VAX instruction set architecture (ISA). It was introduced on 11 July 1989 with the introduction of the VAX 6000 Model 400, the first system to feature the chip set. Rigel was also used in the VAX 4000 Model 300 and VAXstation 3100 Model 76. Production Rigel CPUs were rated at 35 to 43 MHz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UltraSPARC III</span> Microprocessor developed by Sun Microsystems

The UltraSPARC III, code-named "Cheetah", is a microprocessor that implements the SPARC V9 instruction set architecture (ISA) developed by Sun Microsystems and fabricated by Texas Instruments. It was introduced in 2001 and operates at 600 to 900 MHz. It was succeeded by the UltraSPARC IV in 2004. Gary Lauterbach was the chief architect.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.