Sun Microsystems Computer Corp duly announced its Sparcstation 10 systems, claiming to have the lowest-cost multiprocessing RISC server on the market, and announced the upgrade to the SuperSparc chip for the Sparcserver 600MP Series of multiprocessing servers, doubling the performance ceiling of these systems while maintaining the same range of price points. The Sparcserver 10 introduces a compact new version of the desktop pizza box enclosure: by lowering the bottom of the pizza box a few millimetres and stacking MBus and SBus expansion slots, SMCC engineers have created a more powerful desktop server with the same footprint as the Sparcserver 2 but up to five times the applications throughput, five times the memory capacity, double the disk storage and 25% more expansion capacity. The system houses two MBus slots into which users can plug Sparc modules for up to four CPUs. There is also an external 1Mb SuperCache. The Model 30 with 36MHz CPU is rated at 86.1 MIPS, the 41 has 40MHz CPU and does 96.2 MIPS, the 52, with t2o 45MHz processors does 200 MIPS up and the 54 with four 45MHz CPUs, 400 MIPS and up.To upgrade to multiple CPUs and new, faster microprocessors including the 50MHz SuperSparc when it is available in volume, users can pull out the Sparc module and replace it with a new one. Prices start at $17,000 but full prices were not given. To upgrade a Sparcserver 600MP with the SuperSparc module, the cost is $6,000 and SuperSparc 600s are $47,000-up. The uniprocessor models of the Sparcserver 10 and the Sparcserver 600MP system with SuperSparc will be available with Solaris 1.1 in the third quarter. The Sparcserver 10/Model 52 follows in fourth quarter.The Sparcserver 10/Model 54 will be available in the first quarter 1993.
