|
|
| Nibble Re:
VMEbus and SPARC |
Sun Microsystems
launched the first VMEbus SPARC system in 1987.
It was a single
processor deskside server called the Sun-4, to distinguish itself from the
Sun-3 product line, which was Motorola 680X0 based. The Sun-4 used a non
standard 9U card height, in which the top connectors, P1 and P2 were compatible
with VME. For several years, enclosure companies made adapter cards to enable
standard VME cards to be used in these "Sun VME" systems.
Sun's
SPARCengine 1E, launched in the late 1980's was a true 6U VME product. But Sun
discovered that the embedded market was not a "get rich quick" scheme,
and there was no follow on successor. Instead, Sun sold this product line and
technology to Force Computers, and the SPARCengine 1E became redesignated the
Force CPU 1E, from which time it became independently developed and supported.
In
the early 1990's there were a lot more companies making native VME SPARC systems
and processors than today.
SPARC Product Directory
featured VMEbus SPARC SBCs pr SPARC motherboards from over 10 oems in
SPARC's history.
These were:-
- Auspex Systems
- DTK Computer
- Force Computers
- General Micro Systems
- Integrated Micro Products
- Ironics
- Men Mikro Electronik
- Solflower
- Solbourne
- Sun Microsystems and
- Themis Computer
the
last of which is the only company to have stayed the VME SPARC SBC course. | |
