saroff@jvncf.csc.org (Steve Saroff lac00001) (07/10/89)
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11/11/88 original
5/26/89 revised
A n n o u n c i n g . . .
The Connection Machine Network Server Pilot Facility
(available from an Internet host near you)
Thinking Machines Corporation has installed a Connection Machine model 2
with access from the Internet for use by members of the network community.
The Connection Machine Network Server (CMNS) pilot facility is being funded
by DARPA contract DACA76-88-C-0012 for the purpose of investigating the
use of CM's over wide-area networks and developing the software and
computing environments required to support remote users.
The CMNS pilot facility hardware includes a 32K CM-2 (currently with 24K
of floating point) and a 5 Gbyte DataVault Mass Storage system, with a
VAX 6220 and a Sun 4/280 serving as front-end processors to the CM-2.
The software configuration consists of Release 5.1 of the CM system
software running on Ultrix version 3.0 and SunOS 4.0.1.
Both front-ends are directly accessible as the following Internet hosts:
cmns-vax.think.com (131.239.2.100) VAX 6220
cmns-sun.think.com (131.239.2.110) Sun 4/280
These hosts are linked by microwave Ethernet to the New England Academic
Research Net (NEARnet).
The pilot facility has a full-time staff including a facilities manager,
application engineer, and system software developer. System operator
and hardware support is also available during normal hours of operation.
The facility is officially 'open' weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST,
although the front-ends are generally always available for network users.
This notice constitutes an open invitation to CM users, programmers,
enthusiasts, and other interested parties to actively participate in
this effort to make the CM into a true Network Machine. We at TMC have
lots of ideas about how to accomplish this but relatively little actual
experience (up to now) in supporting network-based CM users. We would
welcome outside participation at any of the following levels:
- if you simply reply to this mail message we will include you in the
mailing list for news about networking the CM and updates on the
CMNS project; we would also appreciate hearing which of the following
areas are of particular interest to you:
a) high-speed wide-area network connections for the CM
b) batch and time-sharing support for CM applications
c) system management aids and policies for CM environments
d) DataVault file server and data management utilities
e) on-line documentation, tutorials, source archives
f) remote CM graphical applications, X windows, user interfaces
g) remote procedure call (RPC) support for CM applications
h) all of the above
- if you would like an account on cmns.think.com and a chance to try
out new network-oriented features (or just a chance to use the CM)
please reply and include the following:
your name
organization
desired login
a phone # where you can be reached if need be
type of CM applications you're interested in
current level of familiarity with the CM
favorite CM language (*Lisp, C*, CM Fortran) if any
favorite editor/environment (gmacs, vi, saber-C, etc.)
volume of data files (ball park) you will need
- if you would be interested in attending a TMC-sponsored workshop
on Networking the Connection Machine let us know; we will plan
according to the level of outside interest
If you have further questions or comments about the pilot facility or
the CMNS project in general please get in touch with me. I'm looking
forward to hearing from you.
David Ray
Connection Machine Network Server Project ray@think.com
Thinking Machines Corporation harvard!think!ray
245 First Street (617) 876-1111
Cambridge, MA 02142-1214 x600coop@cerc.wvu.wvnet.edu (Cooperate) (11/18/89)
Does anyone have any details on the instruction set of the individual processors in the Connection Machine ? Also, any details on the virtual instruction set or C* would be appreciated. Please e-mail your answers to me. Boris Pelakh "Software - a spell one casts on a pelakh@cerc.wvu.wvnet.edu computer to transform input into coop@cerc.wvu.wvnet.edu errors." -- Me Disclaimer : If my employer knew what I did with the time I get paid for, I would be out of a job. Let's keep this between us, OK ?