Compaq Computer Corp has licensed Corollary Inc’s Profusion eight-way multiprocessor architecture to upgrade its existing Proliant 7000 product range, currently four-way systems. The two have been working jointly on eight way technology for more than a year (CI No 3,120). Compaq hopes to have the new version up and running in time for the launch of Intel’s Deschutes version of the Pentium II, due out next year. Under the terms of the agreement Corollary, newly acquired by chip giant Intel Corp (CI No 3,258) has cross licensed Input Output and PCI Hot Plug technology for use in conjunction with the eight-way crossbar switch technology. Up until recently Compaq had also been working on its own clustering technology, which now looks unlikely to see the light of day. NCR Corp’s rival Octoscale technology (CI No 3,257) is already on the market, and says it doesn’t depend on the Deschutes chip, which NCR claims is still eighteen months away. Corollary says: we’ve got the credibility here; Intel have evaluated the technology and they liked it so much they bought the company.
