Stratus server family doubles performance

Centurion-based Stratus Computer Systems, suppliers of fault-tolerant and continuously available computer platforms, has announced a new family of Stratus Continuum servers that deliver twice the average performance of predecessor models. The new range offers a significant improvement in price-versus-performance for fault-tolerant computing in support of business-critical applications.

"Fault-tolerant computing provides the ultimate in system availability and reliability for mission-critical applications. Our new Stratus Continuum family delivers the best value and performance available to the market, from entry-level models to fully-featured systems, providing peak performance and capacity," says Nick Cheetham, managing director of Stratus Computer Systems United Kingdom and South Africa.

Available locally in February, the six models, comprising the Continuum 400, 600 and 1200 Series of continuously available servers, are based on Hewlett-Packard's 360MHz PA-8500 RISC processor. Depending on the model, these servers support the HP-UX UNIX or the Stratus VOS operating systems.

The computing platforms are targeted at industries that require the highest levels of system availability, such as banking, securities and options exchanges, retail, transportation, e-commerce and gaming.

PMC, an online wagering site, is currently testing the new PA-8500 processor-based system. Pierre Antoine Carrus, administrator at PMC, comments, "The impressive benchmark scores achieved by Stratus' new systems mean improved performance of our online wagering application. Our patrons place online wagers for horse and dog races at more than 300 racecourses throughout Europe and Africa, and they demand absolute reliability, speed and accuracy. Constant uptime is critical to our success. Lost bets have dramatic financial implications and results in lost customers as well."

Technical analysis

The Continuum 419 uni-processor and 429 twin-processor servers support the HP-UX Release 11 operating system. Positioned as entry-level fault-tolerant servers, the 400 Series will support up to 4GB of logical memory, 126GB of internal disk storage, and a range of communication protocols. The 400 Series will also use a new disk storage enclosure capable of accommodating today's high-performance disk drives, as well as future disk drives with higher capacities and rotational speeds.

The Continuum Models 619, 629, 1219, and 1229 uni- and twin-processor servers support Stratus' robust and field-proven VOS 14.2.0 operating system for fault-tolerant computing. These systems also feature increased memory capacity of up to 4 GB as well as up to 88 percent more data storage with higher capacity disk drives. "Furthermore, VOS remains the premier operating system for fault-tolerant computing, having been continually enhanced and improved over two decades," says Cheetham.

The 600 Series uses the same 6-slot cabinet of predecessor models with HP PA-8000 processors, making current Continuum 618 and 628 systems board-upgradeable to PA-8500 based systems. "With its 28 user-configurable I/O adapter slots the Continuum 600 models offer customers ample connectivity and flexibility in a cost-effective package," he adds.

Customers with high-performance requirements now have the opportunity to migrate to Stratus' current high-end 1200 models. These models provide for a maximum duplexed disk capacity of up to 45 GB in the main cabinet, increasing to as much as 3.23 TB in the expansion cabinets. The 12-slot logic cabinet gives users up to 84 configurable communications I/O adapter slots.

"Our new family of Continuum systems demonstrates Stratus' commitment to the PA-RISC family processor roadmap. We are ensuring that our customers can expect future price-versus-performance benefits from their investment in Stratus fault-tolerant servers," concludes Cheetham.