T
ECHNOLOGY
B
RIEF
1
ECG066/1198
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
..
November 1998
Compaq Computer
Corporation
ISSD Technology
Communications
C
O N T E N T S
Introduction ......................3
Architecture Overview.......3
Advanced SMP ..................3
Pentium Pro Processor ........ 4
Pentium II Processor ........... 4
Dual Memory Buses ..........5
Dual-Peer PCI Buses .........8
Multiple Drives..................8
Alternative
Architectures ....................9
Typical NT/X86
Architecture ....................... 9
Unified Memory
Architecture ....................... 9
Crossbar Switch
Architecture ..................... 11
AGPset Architecture .......... 12
Conclusion ..................... 13
Highly Parallel System Architecture for
Compaq Professional Workstations
5100, 6000, and 8000
As critical applications for financial analysis, computer-aided design (CAD), computer-
aided engineering (CAE), and digital content creation (DCC) place growing demands on
system resources, increasing system bandwidth becomes a critical business issue. After
evaluating available system architectures, Compaq determined that only a new, highly
parallel system architecture could provide the required levels of performance, processor
and I/O expandability, and bandwidth to satisfy the needs of workstation users. Compaq
is therefore implementing a new architecture that delivers the greatest bandwidth
available today for systems running such demanding applications under the Microsoft
Windows NT operating system.
This technology brief describes the new Highly Parallel System Architecture and
differentiates it from other architectures used in X86 systems.
Please direct comments regarding this communication to the ISSD Technology Communications Group at this Internet address: