[comp.sys.encore] Need some info on encore

bobd@telxon.UUCP (Bob Drotleff) (04/06/90)

	HELP !

	I have a few questions regarding this computer.
	I don't usually read this newsgroup but am interested
	in learning more about encore systems.
	A "frequently asked questions" and answers list would
	be great. Such things as; who makes the box, what type
	CPU does it have, what UNIX version does it run etc.

	If anyone has any info please Email me because I don't
	normally read this group.

	Thanx

	uunet!telxon!bobd

bph@buengc.BU.EDU (Blair P. Houghton) (04/08/90)

In article <514@telxon.UUCP> bobd@telxon.UUCP (Bob Drotleff) writes:
>	I have a few questions regarding this computer.
>	I don't usually read this newsgroup but am interested
>	in learning more about encore systems.
>	A "frequently asked questions" and answers list would
>	be great. Such things as; who makes the box, what type
>	CPU does it have, what UNIX version does it run etc.

1. Encore Computer Corporation, of course.

3. Umax is 4.x BSD, where x approaches 3 as the year approaches 2000. :-)

2. The question really is "what type CPUs does it have."
Encores come with some number of identical processors in
each box, usually ns32k's, usually from 2 to 20 of them.
To find out what you really have, cc and run the following
program on your local encore:

---------------------Clip 'n' compile--------------

/* sm.c -- demo program for sysadmin(3). */
/* Do "man 3 sysadmin" to get the scoop on this function. */

#include <sys/sysadmin.h>

main()
{
    int arg1;
	
    arg1 = PT_TMEM; /* Return the amount of total (pageable) memory in pages.*/
    do_sm(arg1);

    arg1 = PT_PGSIZE; /*  Return the size of a page in bytes. */
    do_sm(arg1);
}

do_sm(arg1)
int arg1;
{
    int cmd;
    cmd = SADMIN_NUMCPUS;

    printf( "There are %d ", sysadmin(cmd, arg1) );

    cmd = SADMIN_CPUTYPE;
    switch(sysadmin(cmd, arg1)){
	case CPUTYPE_DPC:
	    printf("DPC ");
	    break;
	case CPUTYPE_APC:
	    printf("APC ");
	    break;
	default:
	    printf("unknown-type ");
	    break;
    }
    printf("processors,\nwith ");

    cmd = SADMIN_FPUTYPE;
    switch(sysadmin(cmd, arg1)){
	case FPUTYPE_NS:
	    printf("an NS32081 ");
	    break;
	case FPUTYPE_CONE:
	    printf("a CONE ");
	    break;
	default:
	    printf("an unknown-type ");
	    break;
    }
    printf("floating-point coprocessor.\n");

    cmd = SADMIN_PAGE_TUNE;
    switch(arg1){
	case PT_TMEM:
	    printf("The amount of total (pageable) memory in pages is %d.\n",
		    sysadmin(cmd, arg1) );
	    break;
	case PT_PGSIZE:
	    printf("The size of a page, in bytes, is %d.\n",
		    sysadmin(cmd, arg1) );
	    break;
	default:
	    break;
    }
}

#if 0
(Just in case.)

Typical output looks like this:

    There are 6 APC processors,
    with an NS32081 floating-point coprocessor.
    The amount of total (pageable) memory in pages is 8433.
    There are 6 APC processors,
    with an NS32081 floating-point coprocessor.
    The size of a page, in bytes, is 4096.

"APC" is the version of the processor card.  There are two CPU's
per card, so this says I've got 3 APC cards.  The rest is self-
explanatory.

Yes, you Encoreites are saying "hey, what about XPC's?"
well, check your manual pages and see if CPUTYPE_XPC is
documented.  I don't have an account on any XPC machines,
just some APCs and DPCs.

No, the program's not beautifully elegant, being redundant in its
output, but I wrote it simply to exercise susadmin(3), and it's
too easy just to post it rather than cleaning it up...

				--Blair
				  "But I decrement..."
#endif

jdarcy@pinocchio.encore.com (Jeff "Duct Tape" d'Arcy) (04/08/90)

bobd@telxon.UUCP (Bob Drotleff):
> I have a few questions regarding this computer.
> I don't usually read this newsgroup but am interested
> in learning more about encore systems.
> A "frequently asked questions" and answers list would
> be great. Such things as; who makes the box, what type
> CPU does it have, what UNIX version does it run etc.

bph@buengc.BU.EDU (Blair P. Houghton):
> 3. Umax is 4.x BSD, where x approaches 3 as the year approaches 2000. :-)

As was mentioned here very recently, UMAX 4.3 is already available.  Also,
UMAX V (SysV-based) is available as a product and Mach is in the process
of turning from a a very successful research project into a hopefully very
successful project.

bph@buengc.BU.EDU (Blair P. Houghton):
> 2. The question really is "what type CPUs does it have."
> Encores come with some number of identical processors in
> each box, usually ns32k's, usually from 2 to 20 of them.
> To find out what you really have, cc and run the following
> program on your local encore:
> [program deleted]

*Usually* from 2 to 20?  :-)  While it is possible to connect Multimaxen
in such a way that they appear to be a single system, any single cabinet
will contain at most 20 CPUs (at least for the time being).  As far as
your program is concerned, I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when I
looked at sysadmin.h on a nearby Multimax and found definitions for CPU
and FPU types that your program will display as "unknown"!  ;-)

Lastly, I'd like to mention that Gould CSD/SEL/ETC is now affectionately
known as Encore South, and they make a diverse range of machines including
the NP, PowerNode and Concept, runnning MPX, UTX and who knows what else.
Perhaps someone from down there can provide a more enlightening description
of what we're selling nowadays.

Jeff d'Arcy     OS/Network Software Engineer     jdarcy@encore.com
    DISCLAIMER: I don't represent Encore any more than you do

bph@buengc.BU.EDU (Blair P. Houghton) (04/09/90)

In article <11536@encore.Encore.COM> jdarcy@pinocchio.encore.com (Jeff "Duct Tape" d'Arcy) writes:
>your program is concerned, I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when I
>looked at sysadmin.h on a nearby Multimax and found definitions for CPU
>and FPU types that your program will display as "unknown"!  ;-)

Well, no, I can't imagine your surprise, since my article
documented that deficiency, which results from my lack of
an account on anything "newer" than an APC machine.  I'd be
appreciative if you'd post the sysadmin.h macros for those
processor types and people could incorporate them into the
code.

Another thing that slipped:  under some older Umaxes it may
be necessary to link explicitly the parallel C library to
get sysadmin(3):

	cc -o sm sm.c -lc_p

				--Blair
				  "Shoulda done a makefile..."

jdarcy@pinocchio.encore.com (Jeff "Duct Tape" d'Arcy) (04/09/90)

bph@buengc.BU.EDU (Blair P. Houghton):
> I'd be
> appreciative if you'd post the sysadmin.h macros for those
> processor types and people could incorporate them into the
> code.

Well, we aim to please.

/*
 * Return values for SADMIN_CPUTYPE function
 * Also see ipb.h for corresponding ipb BOARD values
 */

#define	CPUTYPE_UNDEF	0	/* reserved value */
#define	CPUTYPE_DPC	1	/* DPC II BOARD */
#define	CPUTYPE_APC	2	/* APC I BOARD */
#define	CPUTYPE_XPC	3	/* XPC I BOARD  / ns32532 */

/*
 * Return values for SADMIN_FPUTYPE function
 * Also see ipb.h for corresponding ipb BOARD values
 */

#define	FPUTYPE_UNDEF	0	/* reserved value */
#define	FPUTYPE_32081	1	/* DPC II BOARD */
#define	FPUTYPE_CONE	2	/* APC I BOARD */
#define	FPUTYPE_32381	3	/* 32381 on XPC */
#define	FPUTYPE_32580	4	/* NS/Weitek on XPC */

#define	FPUTYPE_NS	FPUTYPE_32081 /* alias */

Jeff d'Arcy     OS/Network Software Engineer     jdarcy@encore.com
    DISCLAIMER: I don't represent Encore any more than you do