Sequent Computer Systems Inc thinks users will eventually want to run Windows NT applications alongside Unix on data center-class systems so it is going to put both operating systems inside a new version of its NUMA-Q server that will be available in a few months. It expects the two will be able to share some common components and services in the future. The company says more NT or more Unix nodes could be added within such a system as requirements change, and it is already talking to customers about it. What it is not talking about, in any detail yet, is how it’ll be branded, packaged and sold. Sequent chief executive Casey Powell believes NT will scale up to data center use eventually, even if it takes ten years. But he’s betting that even if Unix ends up being just an interim solution before NT takes over the world, that NT won’t make it onto data centers without Unix. Companies aren’t going to go from mainframes or VAXes straight to NT, they’re going to do Unix first, he thinks. Sequent envisages 12 NUMA-Q quads in a single cabinet that will run any combination of its Dynix/ptx Unix or NT. They would be unconnected if such systems were put together now, however Sequent has already got NT working over two of its distributed shared memory – ccNUMA – quads and will eventually allow users to partition the operating systems to run on any combination of the processing nodes. Initially they’ll be static partitions but later it will support the ability to do dynamic or on-the-fly partitioning. It does not see why Unix and NT nodes shouldn’t also be able to access some common components and services though it hasn’t quite worked out how it’s going to do it yet. Sequent is supporting NT on NUMA-Q using the same emulation techniques which enable Dynix/ptx to access distributed shared memory. The company is still considering which vendor to partner with for 64-bit Unix interfaces.
