Encore Computer Corp will follow up its initial Infinity R/T Model 300 machine, the first with Digital Equipment Corp’s 150MHz Alpha 21064 chip (CI No 2,424) with two further models over the next two to three months. As reported, the Infinity Model 300, which incorporates eight CPUs, runs OSF/1 – also transferred from DEC – where the rest of Encore’s boxes run System V.3.2, although the Fort Lauderdale, Florida firm says it will upgrade to System V.4.2 in the next few months. It is being positioned as both a database and applications server for all the usual real-time suspects – plus real-time video processing. The company claims, however, that its machines offer a performance increase of between 5% and 10% over equivalent DEC machines due to the addition of an Intel Corp 80960 input-output co-processor on a separate board. The next two models on the market will be less expensive, entry-level machines, based on 100MHz and 150MHz versions of the Alpha, but will not include the co-processor. By the end of the year though, we can expect to see another Infinity R/T based on the 275MHz Alpha; this will include the co-processor.
