art@ACC.ARPA (11/26/85)
It's about time for more rummors around the net... After rummaging through the VMS 4.2 fiche over the weekend, I thought that I'd mention a few things I saw. One of the next VAXen, code named SCORPIO, will be released as the VAX-8200. This machine will be based on the new BI bus. The BI will apparently attach a UNIBUS adapter, a BI disk controller and presumably memory. NAUTILUS will have up to four BI buses, but it's not clear what the architecture looks like. There was reference to an Ethernet controller named something like "DELUA". Does anyone know if this is the expected replacement for the DEUNA? There was also a reference to something called "LESI" which may be some type of bus adapter. Anyone have any more info? A conversation a couple of weeks ago brought up a machine called the VAX-8650 which is a faster version of the 8600. Anyone have any info when that might be released? Everytime I mention the RISC machine DEC is supposedly working on, I hit a stone wall. Anyone have any info? Also, there are rummors of a symetric, multiprocessor VAX (tightly coupled, not a cluster). This sounds like major work in VMS, if true. Anyone care to add to, or shoot these down? "Art Berggreen"<Art@ACC.ARPA> ------
medin@ORION.ARPA (Milo S. Medin, NASA ARC Code ED) (11/26/85)
Well, the rumours I have heard confirm everything you have said. The DELUA is supposedly a faster ethernet controller and (hurray!) takes about 1/2 the power of a DEUNA! I'm not sure whether its a single board now, but probably is. The BI machines have been worked on for some time now, they are supposedly fast, but since its new, you'll have to use DEC peripherals on them (Yuk! Hopefully Emulex will have new controllers out for them soon). I've also heard rumours about something called Andromeda. Any details from someone out there who hasnt signed a non-disclosure agreement? Its supposed to be real fast. Of course, everyone's heard about the TITAN right? Its a RISC machine that runs blindingly fast. Not a VAX though, but I hear it runs 4.2 real well. They gave up trying to port VMS to it, so I'm not sure it'll see market... Of course, none of this stuff is official and only heard through other discussions on the net, and no briefings by DEC, so I can't be sure about any of this. DEC tends to be tight-lipped about this sort of stuff. But it all looks quite good. DEC has put a ton of money into developing sophisticated CAD/CAM tools, and its really upped their engineers productivity a lot. You should start to see a bunch of machines being announced in a relatively short period of time. I think DEC stock would be a good investment. Milo PS Maybe they'll even shed themselves of VMS some day and move on to a real operating system... :-)
info-vax@ucbvax.UUCP (12/03/85)
More rumors...
VMS will have "full symmetric processing". Give it a year to 18 months.
Scorpio is small VAX --- desk model fitting between MicroVAX and 780 size,
with >780 performance using BI bus.
You will not be stuck with DEC on the BI bus. Something like 80 third-
party vendors will be working on BI compatible hardware.
8650 seems to be a sure thing. Bigger machine later ("Nautilus") has thing
called "MI bus" --- "Memory Interconnect"?? Any other guesses?
Does this mean more CPU's?
All the above are flagrant rumors, and should not be treated as gospel.
We'll hear all about it at DECUS anyhow.
Gordon Howell (Misty Dragon E.)
engvax!gordon@CIT-VAX.ARPA