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Sun Ultra

From Alfawiki
Sun Ultra series
Company typeProduct line
IndustryComputer workstations and servers
PredecessorSPARCstation and SPARCcenter/SPARCserver product lines
Founded1995
Defunct2010
SuccessorSun Blade series, Sun Java Workstation
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsWorkstations, servers
OwnerSun Microsystems

The Sun Ultra series represents a discontinued range of workstation and server machines created and marketed by Sun Microsystems, comprising two distinct generations. The initial lineup debuted in 1995 and was phased out by 2001, with the Sun Blade series partially taking its place starting in 2000. Subsequently, the Sun Blade was succeeded by the Sun Java Workstation, which utilized an AMD Opteron platform, introduced in 2004. In 2005, the Ultra brand was reintroduced through the Ultra 20 and Ultra 40 models built on x86-64 architecture, marking a transition away from UltraSPARC processors.

First generation

The original Ultra workstations along with the Ultra Enterprise (later renamed "Sun Enterprise") servers were built around UltraSPARC processors from 1995 until 2001, following the earlier SPARCstation and SPARCcenter/SPARCserver product lines. These systems brought forth the 64-bit UltraSPARC CPU and incorporated more affordable PC-based components such as PCI and ATA interfaces in later versions, though early models like the Ultra 1 and 2 retained the predecessor’s SBus. During the height of the dot-com bubble, this initial Ultra series became among Sun Microsystems’ most successful product offerings, widely embraced across various sectors and by Sun itself well after production ceased.

Brand resurgence

In 2005, Sun Microsystems revived the Ultra brand with x86-64 architecture-based workstations—the Ultra 20 and Ultra 40. These additions expanded Sun’s workstation lineup for five years until the Intel Xeon-powered Ultra 27 was retired in June 2010, signaling Sun’s withdrawal from the workstation market.

Later SPARC variants

The SPARC-driven Ultra 3 Mobile Workstation laptop launched in 2005 but was discontinued a year later as most of the product line shifted to x86 processors. The introduction of new UltraSPARC IIIi desktop systems—the Ultra 25 and Ultra 45—in 2006 extended SPARC workstation offerings briefly before they were discontinued by October 2008, marking the end of SPARC-based workstation production. Ultimately, the original Ultra/Enterprise family was replaced by Sun Blade workstations and Sun Fire servers.

Ultra workstations (1995–2001)

Model Code Codename Processor(s) Processor MHz Expansion Buses/Slots Introduced
Ultra 1 A11 Neutron UltraSPARC I 143, 167 3 SBus; SCSI Nov 1995
Ultra 1E A12 Electron UltraSPARC I 143, 167, 200 2 SBus, 1 UPA (Creator); SCSI Nov 1995
Ultra 2 A14 Pulsar Up to 2 UltraSPARC I or II 143, 167, 200, 300, 400 4 SBus, 1 UPA; SCSI Nov 1995
Ultra 3000 A17 Duraflame Up to 6 UltraSPARC I or II 167, 250, 336, 400 1996
Ultra 4000 A18 Campfire Up to 14 UltraSPARC I or II 167, 250, 336, 400 1996
Ultra 30 A16 Quark UltraSPARC II 250, 300 4 PCI, 2 UPA; SCSI July 1997
Ultra 450 A20 Tazmo Up to 4 UltraSPARC II 400 July 1997
Ultra 5 A21 Otter UltraSPARC IIi 270, 333, 360, 400 (440 unsupported) 3 PCI; EIDE Jan 1998
Ultra 10 A22 Sea Lion UltraSPARC IIi 300, 333, 360, 440 4 PCI, 1 UPA; EIDE Jan 1998
Ultra 60 A23 Deuterium Up to 2 UltraSPARC II 300, 360 or 450 (400 unsupported) 4 PCI, 2 UPA; SCSI Feb 1998
Ultra 80 A27 Quasar Up to 4 UltraSPARC II 450 Nov 1999


Entry-Level

Model Code Codename Processor(s) Processor MHz
UltraServer 1 / Ultra Enterprise 1 A11 Neutron UltraSPARC I 143 or 167
UltraServer 1E / Ultra Enterprise 1E A12 Electron UltraSPARC I 143, 167, 200
UltraServer 2 / Ultra Enterprise 2 A14 Pulsar Up to two UltraSPARC I or II processors 143, 167, 200, 300
Ultra Enterprise 150 E150 Dublin UltraSPARC I 167
Enterprise Ultra 5S A21 Otter UltraSPARC IIi 270, 333, 360, 400
Enterprise Ultra 10S A22 Sea Lion UltraSPARC IIi 300, 333, 360, 440
Enterprise 450 A25 Tazmax Supports up to four UltraSPARC II CPUs 250, 300, 400, 480
Enterprise 250 A26 Javelin Up to two UltraSPARC II processors 250, 300, 400
Enterprise 420R A33 Quahog Supports up to four UltraSPARC II CPUs 450
Enterprise 220R A34 Razor Up to two UltraSPARC II processors 360, 450

Note: The Enterprise220R incorporates an Ultra60 motherboard housed in a rack-mount chassis equipped with hot-swappable power supplies; similarly, the Enterprise420R uses an Ultra80 motherboard configured in the same manner.

Mid-Range and High-End

Model !Code !Codename !Processor(s) !Processor MHz
Ultra Enterprise 3000 E3000 Duraflame Supports up to six UltraSPARC I or II CPUs 167, 250, 336, 400, 464*
Ultra Enterprise 4000 E4000 Campfire Up to fourteen UltraSPARC I or II processors 167, 250, 336, 400, 464*
Ultra Enterprise 5000 E5000 Campfire Supports up to fourteen UltraSPARC I or II CPUs 167, 250, 336, 400, 464*
Ultra Enterprise 6000 E6000 Sunfire Up to thirty UltraSPARC I or II processors 167, 250, 336, 400, 464*
Enterprise 3500 E3500 Duraflame+ Supports up to eight UltraSPARC I or II CPUs 167, 250, 336, 400, 464
Enterprise 4500 E4500 Campfire+ Up to fourteen UltraSPARC I or II processors 167, 250, 336, 400, 464
Enterprise 5500 E5500 Campfire+ Supports up to fourteen UltraSPARC I or II CPUs 167, 250, 336, 400, 464
Enterprise 6500 E6500 Sunfire+ Up to thirty UltraSPARC I or II processors 167, 250, 336, 400, 464
Enterprise10000 E10000 Starfire '4 to64' UltraSPARC II processors '250,336,400,466'
  • Available as an upgrade option only

Ultra Workstations (2005–2010)

Between these years, Sun Microsystems marketed their workstations under the Sun Blade and Sun Java Workstation brand names.

UltraSPARC

The A60 Ultra3 mobile workstation was essentially a rebranded Tadpole SPARCle laptop available in configurations of either 550 or 650 MHz and also a Viper model at1.2 GHz. In contrast,the A61 Ultra3 was based on Naturetech's888P (550/650 MHz) and Mesostation999 (1.28 GHz) platforms and featured a distinct design. These two product lines were otherwise unrelated.

Model Code Codename Processor(s) Processor Frequency Maximum RAM

! colspan="6" |Laptop |} | Ultra3 | A60/A61 | – | UltraSPARC IIi or IIIi | 550 MHz,650 MHz,1.28 GHz | 2 GB |} ! colspan="6" |Desktop |} | Ultra45 | A70 | Chicago | Up to two UltraSPARC IIIi processors | 1.6 GHz | 16 GB |} | Ultra25 | A89 | South Side | UltraSPARC IIIi | 1.34 GHz | 8 GB |}


x86

Model Code Codename Processor(s) Processor freq. Maximum RAM
Ultra 20 A63 Marrakesh Single Core AMD Opteron 144, 148, 152 or Dual Core 180 1.8, 2.2, 2.6, 3.0 GHz 4 GB
Ultra 40 A71 Sirius Supports up to two AMD Opteron Dual Core processors: 246, 254, or 280 2.0, 2.4, 2.8 GHz 32 GB (with dual CPUs)
Ultra 40 M2 A83 Stuttgart Allows up to two AMD Opteron Dual Core processors from the 2000 Series 1.8, 2.2, 2.6, 2.8, 3.0 GHz 32 GB (with dual CPUs)
Ultra 20 M2 A88 Munich Equipped with AMD Opteron Dual Core processors from the 1200 series 1.8, 2.2, 2.6, 2.8, 3.0 GHz 8 GB
Ultra 24 B21 Ursa Intel Core 2 Duo/Quad/Quad Extreme processors Ranges from 2.0 to 3.16 GHz 8 GB
Ultra 27 B27 Volans Intel Xeon Quad Core from the 3500 series Between 2.66 and 3.33 GHz 24 GB
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