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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. | |
Sun/SPARC Resellers in
the USA
Sun/SPARC Resellers in
the UK