Ultra 60
| Industry | Computer hardware |
|---|---|
| Founded | February 24, 1982 |
| Headquarters | Santa Clara, California , United States |
| Products | Ultra 60 workstation |
The Ultra 60 represents a tower-style computer workstation developed by Sun Microsystems, introduced in November 1997 alongside Solaris 7. This model was available in various configurations:
- Single-processor Model 1300 and dual-processor Model 2300 equipped with Sun Creator3D graphics, available from February 1998; final order acceptance was on August 4, 1999.
- Single-processor Model 1300 and dual-processor Model 2300 featuring Sun Elite3D graphics, released starting March 1998.
- Single-processor Models 1360 and dual-processor 2360 with either Sun Creator or Elite3D graphics, shipping began in April 1998.
- Single-processor Models 1450 and dual-processor 2450, introduced in May 1999.
- Versions outfitted with 18-GB, 10,000-rpm SCSI SCA hard drives launched in November 1999.
Positioned beneath the higher-tier Ultra 80, the Ultra 60 offers a smaller form factor with support for fewer processors and reduced memory capacity. Although primarily targeted as a workstation, it could be adapted for rack mounting through optional hardware kits (X9627A or 560–2548). Significantly, the Enterprise 220R incorporated an Ultra 60 motherboard housed within a custom rackmount enclosure.
The Ultra 60 was eventually replaced by the Ultra 45 series; its last order date was recorded in July 2002, with shipments concluding in 2003.
Operating system
Initially bundled with Solaris 7, the Ultra 60 is compatible with Solaris releases up to version 10, as well as Linux and FreeBSD operating systems. It does not support native execution of Microsoft Windows but can run Windows through internal PCI cards such as the SunPCi II pro.
CPU
The Ultra 60 supported configurations of one or two processors operating at clock speeds of 300, 360, or 450 MHz. Each CPU integrated on-chip caches of 16 KB for data and another 16 KB for instructions, complemented by an external secondary cache of either 2 MB or 4 MB depending on the specific CPU variant.
Memory
This workstation employs 144-pin, 5V, 60ns DIMM modules available in capacities of 32, 64, or 128 MB. Memory must be installed in groups of four identical modules. With sixteen DIMM slots present, the system can accommodate up to a maximum of 2 GB RAM using sixteen modules of 128 MB each. The memory bus spans a width of 576 bits—512 bits dedicated to data transfer and an additional 64 bits for error correction—with peak bandwidth reaching up to 1.78 GB/s. Performance is enhanced when configured in two-way interleaving modes at either the 512 MB or full 2 GB capacity levels.
Internal storage
The Ultra 60 supports one or two internal SCSI drives using a single-height (1") SCA interface. Initially shipped with either an 18.2 GB or a larger 36.4 GB disk option, it remains compatible with any SCA drive. These drives must be secured within a carrier bracket identified by Sun part number 540-3024. The internal SCSI device IDs are preset to values of 0 and 3 via the SCA backplane configuration.
Optional internal storage devices included a standard 1.44 MB floppy drive as well as CD-ROM drives such as the SunCD with a capacity of approximately 644 MB or a DVD-ROM drive rated at ten times speed; many systems have since been upgraded to incorporate rewritable CD-ROM drives.
PCI
Equipped with four full-length PCI expansion slots conforming to PCI specification version 2.1:
- Three slots operate at a frequency of 33 MHz supporting both 32-bit and 64-bit data widths at a voltage level of five volts.
- One slot functions at either 33 MHz or optionally at double speed (66 MHz), supporting both data widths but operating at three volts.
Note that certain configurations may encounter compatibility issues when using PCI cards designed according to version 2.2 specifications.
Video Card: Framebuffer / UPA
Two UPA graphics slots operate at 112 MHz, accommodating either a single Elite3D m3/m6 or up to two Creator3D graphics cards. The XVR-1000 graphics card has unofficial compatibility with Solaris 9 and Solaris 10.
SCSI
The system includes a dual-channel Ultra-3 SCSI controller delivering 40 MB/s throughput: one channel is dedicated to internal hard drives and optical drives, while the other provides connectivity for an external Ultra Wide SCSI interface.
Input and Output connectors
- Dual RS-232C/RS-423 serial interfaces (DB-25)
- Centronics-compatible parallel port with 2 MB/s transfer rate (DB-25)
- Mini DIN-8 port for Sun keyboard and mouse
- External Ultra Wide SCSI connector (68-pin)
- Built-in 10/100 BASE-T Ethernet through HME adapter
- IEC power input socket
An optional Sun X1141A Ethernet card offers Gigabit Ethernet capabilities. Although USB is not officially supported, certain PCI USB cards have functioned under Linux and Solaris environments.
Power consumption
Based on Sun's hardware documentation, the peak power draw reaches 380 W. The power supply unit (Sun part number 300-1357) is a Sony-manufactured 670 W, 12A model. A typical setup—comprising two 450 MHz CPUs, 2 GB RAM, Elite3D graphics, and a single disk—consumes approximately 200 watts at idle.
Reducing Power
Energy consumption can be decreased by removing the secondary CPU and the additional video card.
Construction quality
The Ultra 60 is engineered as a durable workstation, avoiding the use of low-cost commodity PC components found in other Ultra series models such as the Ultra 5 and Ultra 10. It incorporates efficient cooling mechanisms and does not experience the overheating problems that affected earlier Sun systems like the SPARCstation 20.
Support
Official maintenance and support for the Ultra 60 concluded in October 2007.
Operating Systems
Compatible operating systems include:
- Solaris versions 7 through 10
- Debian stable release for SPARC architecture
- OpenBSD (sparc64)
- OpenSolaris