[comp.newprod] OMNI 400 Network Coprocessor optimizes Sun SparcServer performance

kent@omni.com (Kent Winton) (07/27/90)

OMNI 400 NETWORK COPROCESSOR OPTIMIZES SUN SPARCSERVER PERFORMANCE

New Subsystem Off-loads Networking Tasks for SPARCserver 400 Series Products

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif, July 3, 1990 -- OMNI Solutions, a leading supplier of 
server technology products, today announced the immediate availability of 
the OMNI 400 Network Coprocessor. Designed for Sun Microsystems' most 
powerful servers, the 22 MIPS SPARCserver 490 and SPARCserver 470, the
Network Coprocessor unleashes the full processing power of the server CPU 
for running user applications by assuming the burden of network 
communications processing. 

	The use of the Network Coprocessor in a Network File System (NFS) 
environment results in maximum performance for the Sun SPARCserver in any 
application, because it frees the server CPU to function more productively 
as a compute engine.

	"Users expect to have the full 22 MIPS of the server CPU available 
to address the computational tasks they bought the system for," said 
Dr. Ronald G. Cornell, president and CEO of OMNI Solutions. "But in a 
networked environment, the SPARCserver must handle both data link traffic 
and NFS requests. Even under moderate network traffic, this frequently 
results in the user's tasks taking more than twice as long to execute. 
The OMNI 400 Network Coprocessor returns the full power of the server 
CPU to the user."

	With the Network Coprocessor, the entire workgroup experiences 
dramatic productivity gains when the server system is used for NFS file 
serving and any combination of the following tasks:

	* Database applications such as Informix, Oracle, Ingres, and Sybase,
	* CASE and CAD applications
	* Multi-user applications using timesharing or X terminals

	For instance, a CAD engineer can run a compute intensive simulation 
on the server during any period of the day instead of having to schedule 
it for overnight processing as is often done in workgroup environments. 
Large databases residing on a server can be accessed and used transparently 
at maximum processing speed regardless of the NFS load on the server. 
In the CASE environment, software development engineers can take advantage 
of the increase in server CPU productivity by running large compiles 
and builds on the server where local access to data stored on high 
performance IPI or SMD subsystems can significantly reduce turnaround 
time and engineer wait time.

	In addition to enhancing productivity, the Network Coprocessor 
also increases the server's networking capacity, allowing twice as many 
Ethernet ports and clients to be attached and served effectively.


THE OMNI NETWORK COPROCESSOR FAMILY


	The OMNI 400 Network Coprocessor consists of a standard 9U VME 
module which plugs into a slot in the SPARCserver 400 Series backplane, 
network protocol processing software running on the Network Coprocessor's 
on board 68020, and host utilities. The OMNI software is fully NFS 
compatible and entirely transparent to both the Sun operating system 
and user application software.

	From one to eight Network Coprocessors can be installed in the 
SPARCserver 490. From one to six Network Coprocessors can be installed 
in a SPARCserver 470.

	OMNI also offers the OMNI 300 products which provide similar 
functions for the Sun SPARCserver 300 Series and earlier models of 
Sun VME based servers. Network Coprocessing enables these systems to 
effectively combine application processing with file serving for 
the first time.


PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

	The OMNI 400 Network Coprocessor lists for $12,950 and is 
available immediately direct from OMNI Solutions. Expansion Network 
Coprocessors for use in the same system are available for $7,950.

	OMNI Solutions, headquartered in Mountain View, Calif., was 
founded in 1988 and is a leading supplier of server technology products 
including the OMNI 400 Network Coprocessor, the OMNI 300 products, and 
the OMNI File System. OMNI Solutions is located at 381 East Evelyn Avenue, 
Mountain View, Calif., 94041. Telephone 415/966-1024.


For additional information, please contact:
Kent Winton	kent@omni.com
Greg Michael	gcm@omni.com


OMNI 400 Network Coprocessor, OMNI 400, OMNI 300, and OMNI File System 
are trademarks of OMNI Solutions.

NFS, Sun-3, Sun-4, SPARC, and SPARCserver are trademarks of Sun Microsystems.