[Search for users] [Overall Top Noters] [List of all Conferences] [Download this site]

Conference decwet::winnt-clusters

Title:WinNT-Clusters
Notice:Info directories moved to DECWET::SHARE1$:[NT_CLSTR]
Moderator:DECWET::CAPPELLOF
Created:Thu Oct 19 1995
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:863
Total number of notes:3478

764.0. "Virtual Interface ?" by HERON::BLOMBERG (Trapped inside the universe) Wed Apr 23 1997 09:10

	Found this in www.microsoft.com/corpinfo/press/1997/Apr97/Viapr.htm
	Is DIGITAL participating? Anybody has more info?

HOUSTON, SANTA CLARA, Calif., and REDMOND, Wash. - April 16, 1997
Compaq Computer Corp., Intel Corp., Microsoft Corp. and other industry
leaders today announced an initiative to define high-speed communication
interfaces for clusters of servers and workstations. Called the Virtual
Interface (VI) Architecture specification, the initiative will enable a
new class of scalable cluster products offering high performance, low
total cost of ownership and broad applicability. More than 40 companies
will participate in the process to complete the draft technical
specification before its public release later this year.

/�ke

T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
764.1DECWET::KOWALSKISpent Time. Borrowed time. Stole time. Did time.Wed Apr 23 1997 13:52119
    
    Probably the reference has something to
    do with other interconnects.
    
    Mark
    
    >BW1318  APR 08,1997      12:03  PACIFIC      15:03  EASTERN
    >
    >( BW)(COMPAQ)(CPQ) Compaq to advance enterprise capabilities of 
    >industry-standard platforms; emerging standards will redefine 
    >enterprise computing 
    >       
    >   Business/Technology Editors
    > 
    >    HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 8, 1997-- Compaq Computer 
    >Corporation (NYSE:CPQ) today outlined the technologies it will 
    >deliver to push the envelope in accelerating the wide-spread 
    >migration toward industry-standard platforms in enterprise computing 
    >environments.  Compaq cited PCI Hot Plug, Fibre Channel, advanced 
    >clustering technology and eight-processor servers as technologies 
    >that will serve as a foundation for tomorrow's cost-effective, 
    >standards-based enterprise computing infrastructure.  
    >        
    >   "Compaq is working with our industry partners to drive the 
    >standardization of emerging technologies that will bring new levels 
    >of availability and scalability to large enterprise computing 
    >environments," Compaq Computer Corporation, Senior Vice President 
    >and Group General Manager, Enterprise Computing Group, John T. Rose 
    >said today in his keynote address at Innovate Forum '97.  "The 
    >implementation of these core technologies will broaden the scope of 
    >today's enterprise class solutions by providing customers with more 
    >flexibility in addressing their most robust computing requirements."
    >Rose highlighted the role that each of these technologies will play 
    >in raising the levels of availability and scalability in enterprise 
    >class solutions.  
    > 
    >High Availability
    >       
    >   PCI Hot Plug is a technology Compaq developed as a standard to 
    >allow a systems administrator to change a PCI peripheral board in a 
    >server without interrupting user service by powering down the server.
    >        
    >   PCI Hot Plug will enable a systems administrator to replace 
    >existing PCI Boards with new versions of the board and driver 
    >software, or to add new, previously uninstalled, board and driver 
    >software while the server is running.  This will mean less downtime 
    >and a significantly easier job for a systems administrator.  Compaq 
    >chairs the PCI SIG work group that will make this Compaq-pioneered 
    >technology an industry standard.  
    > 
    >High Availability and Scalability
    >        
    >   Rose praised Fibre Channel and the next generation clustering 
    >standards initiative that Compaq, Intel and Microsoft are championing
    >as being two breakthrough developments that will increase both the 
    >availability and scalability of enterprise solutions.  
    >        
    >   Fibre Channel is an interface technology that will provide 
    >unprecedented scalability in performance, distance, capacity, and 
    >number of devices connected -- attributes sought after by corporate 
    >customers.  Ultimately, redundant Fibre Channel rings will be used to
    >eliminate single points of failure to achieve continuous data 
    >availability.  Fibre Channel attached storage systems will play a 
    >major role in Compaq's strategy to create robust storage systems 
    >which match the speed and power of Compaq servers and cluster 
    >solutions.  Compaq is one of the sponsors of the Fibre Channel ANSI 
    >committee and is actively working to standardize the technology as a 
    >data storage interconnect.  
    >        
    >   Clustered servers are combinations of two or more servers 
    >connected together, in a manner that is invisible to users, to 
    >improve continuous access to data and share processing tasks.  Today,
    >Compaq is a leader in two-node failover clustering and is 
    >aggressively readying its ProLiant servers to support Microsoft's 
    >Wolfpack clustering.  Compaq is also working with Novell on their 
    >Wolf Mountain clustering technology and with SCO on their Eclipse 
    >clustering technology.  Beyond that, Compaq is working with Intel and
    >Microsoft on the next generation clustering standards initiative that
    >will enable a new class of scaleable server and workstation cluster 
    >products.  This initiative will support reliable, high performance 
    >System Area Networks (SANs), helping clusters achieve their full 
    >potential as cost efficient platforms for large scale, mission 
    >critical applications.  
    > 
    >Scalability
    >        
    >   Compaq will offer eight-processor servers for customers who need 
    >the most raw transaction processing power and clustered servers for 
    >customers who need the highest levels of availability.  Ultimately, 
    >some customers will be best served by the high performance and 
    >availability of a scalable solution that combines both clustering and
    >eight-way servers.  Eight-processor servers are often thought to be 
    >in competition with scalable clustering, but Compaq contends that 
    >they are in fact complementary.  
    >        
    >   Citing Intel's advanced processor technology as an exceptional 
    >platform for eight-way servers, Rose acknowledged that Compaq is 
    >working with partners to develop industry-leading chipsets for 
    >eight-processor servers that will also be made available to the 
    >industry.  
    > 
    >Company Background  (deleted on purpose for brevity)
    >         
    >
    >        
    >   CONTACT: Compaq Computer Corp.
    >               Ted Bockius, 281-927-8311     
    >               [email protected]
    >                    or
    >                   Miller/Shandwick Technologies     
    >                    Helen Dragoon, 617-536-0470     
    >                    [email protected]  
    >        
    >   
    >Today's News On The Net - Business Wire's full file on the Internet
    >                          with Hyperlinks to your home page.
    >
    >
    
764.2MSE1::PCOTEpress one now for personal nameWed Apr 23 1997 14:0812
    >   Rose praised Fibre Channel and the next generation clustering 
    >standards initiative that Compaq, Intel and Microsoft are championing
                                                                ^^^^^^^^
    ...

    >Compaq is a leader in two-node failover clustering and is 
                 ^^^^^
    >aggressively readying its ProLiant servers to support Microsoft's 

     gag, cough ...  and to think Rose is a former digital VP.

764.3Digital is into VIADECWET::CAPPELLOFMy other brain is a polymerWed Apr 23 1997 14:135
    Yes, Digital is participating in the VIA initiative.  We sent 3
    engineers to the VIA conference in January.  Compaq, Intel, and
    Microsoft are the "promoters" of this API.  Digital is one of the
    "contributors".  We expect to be able to layer a VIA API on top of our
    Memory Channel interconnect in the future.
764.4Its all a matter of bluff reallySNOFS1::HUMMERSTONI COULD MURDER A CURRYWed Apr 23 1997 22:3811
    re .2
    
    Yup, He may be an ex-DIGITAL VP, but he has learned something from
    Compaq - if you ain't got it, go out and tell everybody that you'll
    have it soon. Tell 'em often and tell 'em loud. This creates the public
    perception that you are a leader in the field. Remember when
    MS-Exchange was the world's 3rd most significant E-mail package (in
    terms of intention to deploy and numbers of seats) *before it ever
    shipped*
    
    Paul