Convex Computer: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 21:17, 14 December 2005

Revision as of 20:38, 23 December 2005

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The '''C2''' was a crossbar-interconnected [[multiprocessor]] version of the C1, with up to 4 CPUs, released in 1988. It used newer [[ECL]] chips for a boost in clock speed from 10 MHz to 25 MHz, and rated at 50 MFLOPS peak for double precision per CPU (100 MFLOPS peak for single precision). It was Convex's most successful product.

The '''C2''' was followed by the '''C3''' in 1991, being essentially similar to the C2 but with a faster clock and support for up to 8 CPUs. Various configurations of the C3 were offered, with between 50 to 240 MFLOPS per CPU. However, the C3 wasand deliveredthe late,Convex andbusiness model were overtaken by changes in the timecomputer industry. The arrival of RISC Microprocessors meant that it was releasedno longer possible to develop cost-effective high performance computing as a standalone small low-volume company. While the C3 was delivered late, itwhich resulted hadin lost mostsales, ofit itswas edgestill overnot going to be able to compete with commodity high-performance computing in the competitionlong run.

Another speed boost was planned in the '''C4''', which moved the hardware implementation to [[GaAs]]-based chips, following an evolution identical to that of the Cray machines, but the effort was too little, too late. Some considered the whole C4 program to be nothing more than chasing a business in decline. By this time, Convex was losing money.

In 1994, Convex introduced an entirely new design, known as the '''Exemplar'''. Unlike the C-series [[vector computer]], the Exemplar was a parallel-computing machine based on off-the-shelf HP-PA [[RISC]] chips, connected together using [[Scalable Coherent Interconnect|SCI]]. First dubbed '''MPP''', these machines were later called '''SPP''' and '''Exemplar'''. ByThe thisexpectation timewas that a software programing model for parallel computing could draw in customers. But the type of Customers Convex attracted believed in fortran and brute force rather than sophisicated technology. The Operating System also had terrible performance problems which could not easily be fixed. Eventually, Convex established a working partnership with HP's hardware and software divisions. Initially it was intended that the Exemplar would be binary-compatable with HP's HPUX. But eventually it was decided to port HPUX to the platform and sell the platform as standalone servers.

In 1995, Hewlett-Packard bought Convex. HP sold Convex Exemplar machines under the '''S-Class''' and '''X-Class''' titles, and later incorporated some of Exemplar's technology into the '''V-Class''' machine.