Sequent Computer Systems Inc’s ccNUMA Scorpion server that will lead its charge to the mid-range will debut in the fourth quarter as NUMA-Q 1000, a Dynix/PTX machine which the company says will be significantly enhanced in the first quarter of next year (CI No 3,459). The server is to use Intel Corp’s ‘Xeon’ Deschutes CPU – which will also be fitted to the higher-end NUMA-Q 2000. It will also be the company’s vehicle for running Windows NT on ccNUMA, something in which Microsoft hasn’t yet had an active hand. Even though it was thought to be contingent on NT 5.0, which has yet to debut, Sequent says it will have NT up on the machines in the first or second quarter of next year. It needs a mid-range to drive a volume business, which it sees as key to its recovery. With its push into the mid-range it hopes to pick up many more sub-$1m deals. 67% of its current bookings are over $1m and 80% of its sales come from 20% of the sales force. It claims the mid-range box will beat both Sun and HP – its key competition – on price and performance. With the box it will bid for the kind of data mart prototype, pilot and modeling business it simply can’t reach down to at the moment – even apparently with its older Symmetry line – and hope to grow those into data warehouse and large ERP customers. In its recent restructuring Sequent also lost its chief technologist and industry guru Steve Chen who came to the company in 1996 when seaquest acquired NT expert Chen Systems Inc. No replacement has been named. Sequent says Chen’s departure does not impact the product roadmap. Corporate strategist Gael Curry has also departed. Intel’s Merced delay cost it only a quarter Sequent says, and says it will have Merced boxes on the market in early 2000.
