Convex Computer: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 20:08, 27 August 2004

Revision as of 09:26, 5 December 2004

Line 1:

'''Convex Computer''' was a [[computer]] company that produced a number of [[Vector processor|vector]] [[minisupercomputer]]s, [[supercomputer]]s for small -to -medium-sized businesses. Their later '''Exemplar''' series of [[parallel computing]] machines waswere based on the [[Hewlett-Packard]] [[PA-RISC]] CPU series, and in 1995, HP bought the company. Exemplar machines were offered for sale by HP for some time, and Exemplar technology was used in HP's '''V-Class''' machines.

==History==

Convex was formed in [[1982]] by Bob Paluck and Steve Wallach in [[Richardson, Texas]]. Their product concept was not particularly original: theyThey planned on producing a machine very similar in architecture to the [[Cray Research]] [[vector processor]] machines, but with a somewhat lower performance, but with a much better [[price/performance ratio]]. In order to lower costs, the Convex designs were not as technologically aggressive as Cray's, and were based on more mainstream chip technology, attempting to make up for the loss in performance in other ways.

Their first machine was the '''C1''', released in 1985. The C1 was very similar to the [[Cray-1]] in general design, but used a slower memory and main CPU. They offset this by increasing the capabilities of the vector units, including 128 64-bit registers, double that of the Cray. It also used [[virtual memory]] as opposed to the real[[statically paged memory]] system of the Cray machines, which improved programming. It was based on [[CMOS]] chips, and generally rated at 20 MFLOPSMFLOP/s peak for double precision (64 bits), and 40 MFLOPSMFLOP/s peak for single precision (32 bits), about 1/5th the normal speed of the Cray-1. They also invested heavily in advanced automatic vectorizing [[compiler]]s in order to gain performance when existing programs were ported to their systems. The machines ran a [[BSD]] version of [[Unix]] known as '''ConvexOS'''.

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). ThisIt was followed by the '''C3''Convex's inmost 1991, 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. Another speed boost was planned for the '''C4''', which moved the hardware implementation to [[GaAs]]-based chips (following an evolution identical to that of the Cray machines), but the effort wassuccessful scrappedproduct.

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 was delivered late, and by the time it was released, it had lost most of its edge over the competition.

Instead Convex introduced an entirely new design as the '''Exemplar'''. Unlike the C-series machine, the Exemplar was a parallel-computing machine based on off-the-shelf HP-PA [[RISC]] chips, connected together using [[Scalable Coherent Interconnect|SCI]]. First introduced in 1994, the Exemplar technology was generic enough that HP decided to buy Convex in order to sell the Exemplar machines directly.

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. By this time, Convex was losing money.

InsteadIn 1994, Convex introduced an entirely new design, known as the '''Exemplar'''. Unlike the C-series machine[[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 introduceddubbed in 1994'''MPP''', thethese Exemplarmachines technologywere waslater genericcalled enough'''SPP''' thatand HP'''Exemplar'''. decidedBy tothis buytime, Convex inestablished ordera toworking sellpartnership thewith ExemplarHP's machineshardware and software directlydivisions.

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.

==Culture==

According to most former employees, Convex was a very fun place to work at. For some time, there were beer parties every Friday, and an annual Convex Beach Party. There was a fitness center and other recreational facilities on-site.

Convex had an unusually thorough interview process, which, for technical positions, included a grilling by a group of engineers. This ensured only the best got to work there.

Convex lasted longer than most [[supercomputer]] companies, and to celebrate this, Convex had a graveyard of former supercomputer companies on its property.

Ex-employees of Convex jokingly refer to themselves as ''ex-cons''. There is a [http://www.ex-convex.org mailing list] of Convex ex-employees, as well as frequent reunions.

==Famous People at Convex==

Some famous names in [[Computing]] worked at Convex.

* [[Tom Christiansen]] of [[Perl]] fame worked at Convex on a project called [[Convex Meta Series]], which anticipated modern [[Computer_cluster|cluster computers]].

* [[Robert_Tappan_Morris, Jr.|Robert Morris]] of [[Morris worm]] fame worked as a summer intern at Convex.

==External links==

*[http://www.ex-convex.org/ Convex ex-employees website]

*[http://www.tejasconsulting.com/newsletter/2003April-May.html#feature Long Live Convex]

[[Category:Supercomputers]]