Sequent Unveils New High-End Systems for Windows NT; Based on Industry-Leading Platform Symmetry Platform, New Systems Extend Performance and Scalability for Windows NT-Based Enterprise Solutions

Business Wire, May 23, 1995

BEAVERTON, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 23, 1995--Sequent Computer Systems Inc., today introduced two new high-performance symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) systems for users of Microsoft Windows NT, the Sequent WinServer 5000 WS30 and the WinServer 5000 WS70.

Designed to support data-processing applications, and based on Sequent Symmetry SMP systems, the scalable WinServers provide customers in any industry with a proven technological foundation on which to build enterprise-level Windows NT-based applications. The new systems, which support from two to 28 Intel Pentium processors, are scheduled to begin shipping in June; early versions are already installed at multiple customer sites worldwide.

The WinServer systems add higher-end Windows NT-based performance to the existing integrated solutions Sequent provides to support customers' business requirements in decision support, online transaction processing and messaging. WinServer systems offer customers the benefits of proven Symmetry hardware, the industry's most mature and technologically advanced SMP platform, which has been installed with the UNIX operating system at thousands of Sequent customer sites around the world.

The new systems allow customers to implement a pure Windows NT-based environment across the enterprise or to create a hybrid environment that integrates Windows NT-based applications into an existing UNIX-based computing solution. Customers who start with this mixed environment can migrate in stages to a completely Windows NT-based environment by adding new Windows NT-based applications. Thus an organization has complete control over the rate at which Windows NT is adopted.

"By applying our mature and robust hardware technology to these WinServer systems, we're offering customers a proven and credible platform for Windows NT applications," said Lary Evans, vice president and general manager of the Platform Division at Sequent. "These high-end systems will serve as important elements of many enterprise solutions -- whether the solutions are solely Windows NT-based or part of a mixed environment."

The two new high-end WinServers complement the existing systems in the line, the WinServer 500 single processor system, the WinServer 520 dual processor system, and the WinServer 3500, a one to six processor departmental system.

SAP AG selected early WinServer systems as a development platform for its R/3 application; new systems will continue to provide a scalable, high-end Windows NT-based platform for SAP solutions.

"These scalable, enterprise-toughened WinServers are testimony to the growing presence of Windows NT in enterprise computing environments," said Rich Tong, division marketing manager of the business systems division at Microsoft Corp. "Microsoft is committed to providing interoperable products for distributed environments, and this is a great example of how we deliver important benefits to customers."

A Common Architectural Heritage

WinServer hardware is almost identical to that of the Symmetry line, offering a hardware platform with proven scalability, reliability, robustness, and the advantage of running the Windows NT operating system. The new systems are based on Sequent's 12 years of experience designing, marketing and supporting the UNIX-based Symmetry platform. Because the two platforms are virtually the same, customers can either select the Sequent system to meet specific application needs or rely on Sequent's expertise in both operating systems to provide platform integration in a hybrid computing environment.

In addition, either system can be refitted easily to run UNIX or Windows NT. This flexibility allows customers a safe, two-choice migration path to accommodate future IT expansion.

The new systems complement the other offerings through which Sequent provides safe passage to open enterprise computing. In addition to scalable SMP platforms, Sequent offers an extensive range of architectural planning, consulting, education and support services to design and implement solutions for decision support, online transaction processing and messaging.

WinServer 5000 Features

The WinServer 5000 series consists of two fully compatible systems, the WS30 and the WS70. Built around 100 MHz Intel Pentium processors, both systems are binary-compatible with all standard Windows NT-based applications.

Like the Sequent Symmetry line, the new WinServer systems incorporate Sequent's highly scalable bus (HSB). This global, synchronous system bus connects all WinServer 5000 processors, memory boards and I/O controllers, providing a 107 MB per second sustained throughput and peak rates of 240 MB per second. The WinServer's scalable system bus, large processor cache, ECC memory, high-performance I/O subsystem, and ability to grow through incremental processor upgrades were designed to provide those elements critical to the success of data-processing applications.

The WinServer provides organizations with growth potential not available in LAN servers. With its ability to support multiple 100 MHz Pentium processors and to mix them with 66 MHZ processors, the WinServer provides the server capacity -- in processing, I/O, storage and network throughput -- required to support large client/server applications.