rick@soma.bcm.tmc.edu (Rick Gray) (08/18/87)
A discussion has been going on in comp.unix.wizards about multiprocessor UNIX systems on the market. There has been no information posted about Masscomp, although they have had a 2-processor UNIX machine for years, and several different multi-processor models currently. Could someone from the company post appropriate info to that newsgroup? I don't know enough details about the systems so that I wouldn't be likely to make mis-statements. We have several Masscomps, including a 4-CPU 5700. It works; is fast & reliable, but I know little about the details of its design. Following are 3 recent articles on the subject: ***************************************************** >Article 3193 of comp.unix.wizards: >Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards >Subject: Re: Information on BSD 4.[23] on two/multiple processor systems >Summary: Commercially Available Multiprocessor UNIX Systems. >Keywords: BSD 4.[23] Multiple Processor Systems >Organization: Pyramid Technology Corp., Mountain View, CA > o Which systems DO have a dual (or multiple) CPU UN*X? All commercially available UNIX ports that run on multiprocessor systems are proprietary -- they only support the vendors own hardware. The UNIX multi- processor implementations that I am familiar with include, alphabetically: _______________________________________________________________________________ AT&T has a twin-processor version of the 3B20, but I believe it runs a special real-time version of UNIX. Someone from AT&T will certainly elucidate.... Celerity 1260D: a pair of proprietary RISC processors, very roughly 4 VAX MIPS each but with exceptional floating point for the price. Master/Slave, 4.3BSD. Computer Consoles Inc. Power 6/32MP: a pair of proprietary CPUs, 7 MIPS or so each, master/slave. Choice of 4.3BSD or System VR2. Counterpoint: 16Mhz 68020 workstation, up to four CPUs. Symmetric, I think, but this was never was clear to me. System VR3 with Berkeley networking. DEC: I don't have the numbers handy, but DEC has a least one dual processor system that is supported by ULTRIX, master/slave. And of course there are a number of university BSD multiprocessor ports for VAXen. Encore Multimax: up to ten 32332 microprocessors, symmetric, choice of 4.2BSD or System VR3. This machine seems to currently be popular with universities, an honor that changes annually. :-) Elxsi 6400: Up to 10 monster ECL processors, an honest 10 VAX 780 MIPS each. Symmetric. Very usable proprietary operating system called EMBOS, with a dual port UNIX implementated on top. This is not a multiprocessor UNIX, but a very interesting solution to the problem. Gould NPL series: up to 10 12-MIPS proprietary ECL processors, Symmetric, dual port UNIX. I don't know if these are shipping yet. Pyramid 98x and 9000 series: up to two 3.2 MIPS or four 7 MIPS proprietary processors, symmetric, dual port UNIX (System Vr3/4.2BSD + some 4.3BSD). Sequent Balance 8000, Balance 21000, and Symmetry: up to 12 or 30 NSC 32032 microprocessors, and up to 30 Intel 80386 microprocessors, respectively. Fully symmetric, obviously. Partial dual port UNIX (4.2BSD + some System V). The Symmetry has been announced; volume shipments are expected in April '88. _______________________________________________________________________________ An interesting observation is the dominance of *BIG* boxes in the UNIX multi- processor arena; only the Celerity and the Counterpoint would even remotely qualify as "personal" or "workstation" systems. The others are marketed as multiuser systems for a large user base (from 48 to 512 users), where the main purpose of the multiple processors is to support a large number of different tasks, as opposed to subdividing single large tasks. (I don't mean the sub- division of large tasks isn't possible, just that none of these are marketed that way.) My apologies for any omissions or errors; I'm sure the approriate people will flame me appropriately. :-) You can contact the vendors for more info. <csg> ************************************************************************ >Article 3239 of comp.unix.wizards: >Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards >Subject: Re: Information on BSD 4.[23] on two/multiple processor systems >Keywords: BSD 4.[23] Multiple Processor Systems Sequent Computer Systems of Beaverton Oregon makes a 32032 based box, (2-30), based on 4.2 (+ some 4.3 hacks), with SysV calls hacked in if you want them, (dual universe), shared memory, memory mapped disk files, atomic lock memory, etc, etc. This system is load balanced by time slice. And the system works slic (pun intended!). I've been on more versions of unix than I can remember right now and I usually find 2-10 bugs in the first week on a new system. I've been on DYNIX now for ~2 months with exactly one major complaint. (tell you later, or watch real soon on comp.sys.sequent). Their new 4.3'ish os release is due out in days and they are in beta test on a multiple '386 based system, (2-30). My answers with regards to sequent DYNIX 2.1.1. In article <1112@elrond.CalComp.COM> adb@elrond.UUCP writes: > > ... any information on BSD 4.2 or 4.3 support of multiple CPU ... > systems. (More specifically a two CPU system such as a VAX 11/782 or > VAX 8800.) The types of information we are most interested in are: > o To what extent is the 2nd processor utilized? (Is it a true > multi-processor port in that the kernel and user processes can > run on either CPU, or is it the case that the kernel runs on one > and only one of the CPUs?) Symmetric. ie, balanced by time slice. > o Are there any performance measures which compare a two processor > system vs. the single processor version? (Using the same kernel > source on a single processor system vs. a two processor system, > does the two processor version equal 1.3? 1.5? 1.7? 2.0!? times > a single processor system?) All that I have seen and done are nearly linear, upt to about 27/30 on a 30 cpu balance. > o Which systems DO have a dual (or multiple) CPU UN*X? I know that encore offers a multiple 32032 based box but I don't know much about it except that it is SysV'ish. The new NCR broadway is a bunch of 68020's that do load balance by process, (basically network in a box, SysV + proprietary ipc), and the Convergent Technologies systems use a proprietary operating system (CTOS), with a "unix emulator" on top. And then there is "the-network-is-the-computer" SUN... > o What kind of theoretical/practical performance improvement benchmarks > does the 2 CPU system have over the single CPU version? With the exception of locking which is seldom a problem, lock overhead, which is noticable (check iocall results for sequent) but a necessary evil, and process coordination, it is linear. rich. ps, oxtrap is a sequent B8000(6) "lies keep people happy" - I94 west of detroit. ************************************************************************* >Article 3203 of comp.unix.wizards: >Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards >Subject: Information on BSD 4.[23] on two/multiple processor systems Just some errata on the Encore info (we now have four of them): >Encore Multimax: up to ten 32332 microprocessors, symmetric, choice of 4.2BSD >or System VR3. Up to 20 processors, the confusion probably arises from 10 boards max each with 2 CPUs. >The others are marketed as >multiuser systems for a large user base (from 48 to 512 users), where the main >purpose of the multiple processors is to support a large number of different >tasks, as opposed to subdividing single large tasks. (I don't mean the sub- >division of large tasks isn't possible, just that none of these are marketed >that way.) Not sure about the word "marketed" but the Encore (and I'm sure others) has extensions to their Unix (some new syscalls) to support multiple CPUs in a process. A lot of this derives from Mach's threads (which also runs on the Encore.) Standardizing programming interfaces to exploit parallel CPUs within the context of Unix remains a frontier. -Barry Shein, Boston University *********************------------------------ Rick Gray uucp: {rice,shell}!soma!rick Program in Neuroscience Baylor Col. Med., Houston, Tx 77030