AST RESEARCH SHOWCASES SYMMETRIC MULTIPROCESSOR IN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
DEMONSTRATION AT PC EXPO 

AST Demonstrates Premium Servers With Disk Array Technology

PC EXPO, New York, June 23, 1992 -- AST Research Inc. is showcasing its
symmetric multiprocessor -- featuring next generation technology based on
open system architecture -- in an advanced technology demonstration at PC
Expo in New York City, June 23-25.

AST's symmetric multiprocessor system has been engineered to serve as a
replacement for proprietary minicomputers, an open architecture multi-user
UNIX platform, or as a powerful LAN server with redundancy and scalability
features. The multiprocessor is shown running SCO ODT simultaneously with
Oracle Server in Booth #3304 at Jacob Javits Convention Center.

A second technology demonstration features AST's Premium SE 4/50 server
running AST's implementation of disk array technology under Novell Netware
3.11. AST Symmetric Multiprocessor

"As companies redefine or resize their computing environments, which may
include a mix of mainframes, minicomputers and PCs running a myriad of
operating systems, they should consider an open architecture
multiprocessor platform," said AST's Mike Krieger, senior manager of
advanced systems.

"With suggested retail prices slated to begin under $25,000, the AST
multiprocessor is a cost-effective way to bring true symmetric
multiprocessing to the large multi-user environment traditionally served
by minicomputers and mainframes," he said.

Unlike most other multiprocessor systems which cannot fully exploit the
functionality of multiple CPUs, the AST multiprocessor features symmetric
architecture, allowing any CPU in the system to service any I/O peripheral
or software interrupt. Throughput is further enhanced by the
multiprocessor's advanced EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture)
32-bit I/O bus to accommodate EISA peripherals.

"There is nothing on the market quite like the AST multiprocessor. It's
very much like a minicomputer, but with open architecture versus
proprietary, the capability to run shrink-wrapped software, an EISA bus,
fault resilience and a SCSI-based disk subsystem," said Krieger.

In addition to the built-in capability to run industry standard UNIX and
LAN operating systems such as SCO MPX, Banyan VINES and Novell Netware as
well as support off-the-shelf applications, the porting of software from
proprietary minicomputers to an AST multiprocessor will be possible. This
allows the multiprocessor to be a replacement for a proprietary system
while retaining investment in the application.

"Existing applications running on proprietary minicomputer systems that are
expensive and difficult to support can be moved to the AST multiprocessor
which is less expensive and easier to maintain," said Krieger.

AST is working to ensure that its multiprocessor distribution channel,
which will include VARS and system integrators, will have the tools at its
disposal to migrate the data, he added.

AST's multiprocessor is designed around a fully scalable and upgradeable
architecture, supporting growth in all key areas, including CPU, memory,
disk-array storage and connectivity.

At the heart of the system design is an advanced bus architecture,
separating the CPU from EISA, providing the capability to support both
current and future high-performance processors, including advanced CISC
and RISC microprocessors. Initially, the system bus will support up to
four CPU cards and up to 256MB of total system memory.

The AST multiprocessor will come standard with an advanced disk array
subsystem based on industry-standard SCSI drives allowing flexibility in
the choice of disks used.

"Other manufacturer's solutions have proprietary or IDE based drive
controllers, limiting the amount and type of disks able to be connected to
the system," said Krieger.

The multiprocessor's main chassis and an optional Premium XP expansion
cabinet each house up to sixteen 3.5-inch SCSI disk drives, providing more
than 30GB of redundant storage and a high degree of fault resiliency.
Drives are mounted in slide-out trays which plug in to a SCSI backplane,
facilitating hard disk replacement.

AST's multiprocessor minimizes downtime through a host of high-availability
features: the disk array technology, including RAID levels 0, 1 and 5;
"hot replacement" of disk drives while the system is in use; ECC (Error
Correction Code) memory on each of the main memory cards for correction of
single-bit errors; bus parity checking; and a 610-watt power supply with
an optional redundant backup supply.

The front panel provides two-way interaction between the system operator
and system itself where error codes reported and processed, processor
activity can be monitored at a glance, and number of logged-in users and
disk channel activity can be determined.

The AST multiprocessor is slated for a late summer introduction. 

Premium SE Server

AST's Premium servers combine 32-bit bus mastering, EISA SCSI controllers
and industry-standard hard drives with software-based array logic to
provide new levels of disk performance on a PC platform.

The technology demonstration will feature the Premium SE 4/50 server
running AST's implementation of disk array RAID 5 under the Novell Netware
3.11 environment. The RAID implementation uses multiple drives as a group
to improve performance, while providing redundancy for data protection.
The disk array demonstration includes the Premium XP expansion cabinet, a
companion product to both the server line and multiprocessor, equipped
with sixteen 200-MB hard drives.

The Premium SE's full range of scalability features allows the system to be
configured to support small or large multiuser environments and low- to
high-end applications. It also is affordable as a single-user system.

Scalability features include upgrading i486 microprocessing through AST's
award-winning Cupid-32 upgrade design or Intel's upgrade technology.
Cupid-32 provides the advantage of having all related performance
components -- the CPU, first complement of memory, memory cache and
co-processor support -- on a single Cupid/processor board. Swapping a
single board provides upgrading to newer technology as performance needs
increase.

Additional scalability features include support for up to 80MB of RAM, a
high-speed SCSI disk subsystem with up to 16MB of upgradeable cache and
the Premium XP expansion cabinet.

AST's servers are fully compatible with Microsoft, Novell Netware, SCO
UNIX, OS/2 and Banyan Vines, leading network and multiuser operating
systems. Optional 32-bit EISA Ethernet and Token-Ring network adapter
cards offer customers a total networking solution.

AST's Premium SE 4/50 and Premium SE 4/33, equipped with 486/50 and 486/33
microprocessors, respectively, are currently available through AST's
reseller network. 

Corporate Background

AST Research Inc. recently made the Fortune 500 list of the nation's
largest industrial companies designated by Fortune magazine. The company
reported record sales of $688.5 million for the 1991 fiscal year ended
June 28, 1991. This compares to sales of $533.8 million for fiscal year
1990. AST's product lines include the Premium, Bravo, Advantage! and
Premium Exec families providing server, desktop and notebook
configurations.

AST is represented in more than 100 countries and operates 39 subsidiaries
and sales offices worldwide. Corporate headquarters is located at 16215
Alton Parkway, P.O. Box 19658, Irvine, Calif. 92713-9658. Telephone: (714)
727-4141 or (800) 876-4278. Fax: (71) 727-9355.

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