NEC Corp and NEC-Toshiba Information Systems Inc have added a new mid-size parallel processor mainframe in their Compagnie des Machines Bull SA DPS-compatible line, the PX7500. The new system is positioned as the model above the AX7300, announced in May, and has full compatibility with NEC’s mid-range ACOS System 3500. The Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor processor on which it is based is termed NOAH and combines all the functions of the current mid-size ACOS computer on one chip. Up to four of the NOAH chips can be combined in one file-sharing parallel system, thus improving processing capability four times and providing a fault-tolerant capability if one processor ceases operation suddenly. The system includes Open Link Facilities for configuring a distributed system with open system products such as transaction processing, database and other relational functions. There are a total of 11 models, which start with the Model 4 at a monthly rental price of $21,000 and extend to the Model 28 at $105,900 a month. The companies expect to ship 1,200 systems in the next four years. Various other peripherals for connection to the range were also announced, including large-capacity disk arrays and magnetic disks.
