Newsgroups: comp.parallel
From: m-node@ix.netcom.com (B. Mitchell Loebel, Executive Director)
Subject: June 9th Meeting - PARALLEL Processing Connection
Organization: The PARALLEL Processing Connection
Date: 5 Jun 1997 13:22:34 GMT
Message-ID: <5n6eiq$47n@server1.ctc.com>

The ServerNet System Area Network

MPP systems to solve large-scale scientific problems were typically
optimized around processing elements, leaving I/O performance as a
secondary consideration. Next generation parallel systems will instead be
optimized around data movement and large-scale I/O; in support of this
premise, Tandem built a =B3System Area Network=B2 (SAN) known as ServerNet.

ServerNet design began in =8C92 following exhaustive analyses of Fibre
Channel, ATM, SCI, and P1394 (Firewire) that showed them to be inadequate
to meet the requirements for a SAN. Reliability was an important
consideration for Tandem. In addition, the cost/performance trade-offs of
existing interconnects were not well suited for a SAN.

ServerNet is a wormhole-routed, packet-switched, point-to-point,
multi-level network with full-duplex, byte-serial links. ServerNet sounds
to us like loosely coupled message-passing - true? PPC is fortunate to
have Dr.=A0Robert Horst, Technical Director - Tandem Labs to present the
motivation and requirements for SANs and the specific design decisions
made by Tandem, point - counterpoint.

The main meeting starts promptly at 7:30PM at Sun Microsystems at 901 San
Antonio Road in Palo Alto.  This is just off the southbound San Antonio
exit of 101.  Northbound travelers also exit at San=A0Antonio and take the
overpass to the other side of 101.  A discussion of member projects
currently underway and other issues of interest to entrepreneurs follows
immediately thereafter at 9:15PM.  Please be prompt; as usual, we expect a
large attendance; don't be left out or left standing.  There is a $12 fee
for non-members and members will be admitted free.  Yearly membership fee
is $65.

--
B. Mitchell Loebel
Executive Director
The PARALLEL Processing Connection
408 732-9869 (USA)

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