DEC has looked again at its implementation of Ultrix on the new DECstation range of workstations that ues RISC processors from MIPS Computer Systems Inc, and come up with a faster version. Ultrix-32 version 3.1 and Ultrix Worksystem Software version 2.1, which shipped yesterday, will be available both on the VAX and DECstation ranges, but on RISC-based systems it should result in performance increases of up to 30%, according to DEC. When we first moved Ultrix over to the new RISC machines we did it rather quickly under market pressure, said DEC’s Ultrix marketing manager Joe Menard. Now we’ve optimised the kernel and re compiled it. DEC claims that following performance comparisons using a range of applications, it has measured gains in four separate areas: from 12% to 15% on process forks, 20% to 30% on disk read-write-copy, 15% to 25% on system calls, and 15% on network throughput. Although performance gains do not apply to the VAX implementation of the new release, DEC has added Ultrix support for the 3300 and 3400 MicroVAX systems, as well as for its 128Mb solid state disks, its RF30 150Mb and 400Mb DSSI disks, RRD 40 optical disks and various communications boards for the VAX range. The new version can be installed as a patch to Ultrix version 3.0 and UWS 2.0, avoiding the need for full scale integration at customer sites, said DEC.
