Arix Corp has fulfilled on its promise to expand its System90 Unix multi-processor line with three new models introduced this week, featuring an enhanced input-output system aimed at eliminating performance bottlenecks on applications as relational database, communications and distributed X Window graphics applications. Arix currently offers two System90 Models, the 40 and 80, which are now upgraded to a new 90/45 for 128 to 256 users, and the 90/85 for 256 to 512 users. A new low-end System90/25 supports 16 to 128 and replaces the older Series 800 Models. While CPU technology remains the same, with up to four 68020 processors for the Model 25 and eight for the 45 and 85, Arix has added a generic 68030 processor, mounted directly on the CSS compute subsystem bus, and claims it sustains data transfer rates of 128M-bytes per second. The original System90s used the same input-ouput subsystem as the 800s, with multiple 68000s for on a separate bus system. The new bus supports personality boards for SCSI, local and wide area networking, and asynchronous communications. Arix, which has designed its own memory manager, is skipping the 60830 and moving straight to the 68040 when it arrives – its first 68040 machine, thought to be a dual processor, is almost complete, while its Sparc development is also weeks from completion, but Arix is waiting for a deal on the systems before a launch, the company said. The new System90/25 comes with up to 160Mb memory and 5Gb disk, and end-user pricing is from $52,000; the 45 is from $128,000, supports up to 416Mb memory and 63Gb storage and will be available in March. The top-end Model 85 supports up to 416Mb memory and 82Gb storage and will start at $280,000 when it is available in volume from June.
