Encore Computer RSX System
Link to the RSX CPU.....

Features

The Encore computer RSX System is a very high performance
 RISC-based computer with dual, simultaneously operating, 
high performance modes of operation, RISC and CONCEPT
32 compatibility. It serves as a perfect "bridge" for Encore 
CONCEPT  32 Family users who want to move toward the 
price performance advantages of the RISC-based Encore 
computer 90 Family.

An Encore computer RSX System provides a state-of-the art 
RISC architecture designed for the most demanding real-time 
applications. In CONCEPT 32 compatibility mode, an RSX
System can execute CONCEPT 32 object code. The
 instruction Schedular is provided to move object code easily from compatibility mode to native RISC mode.

Influenced largely by Encore’s long experience in real time, the Encore RSX memory system features a very large Direct Mapped Cache (DMC) design. Starting at 4MB, the DMC delivers unprecedented user cache management and control. First, the cache is expandable up to total of 16MB. Second the cache is programmable with tools that enable a user to select which portion of which tasks are to be resident and which are not. The main system memory is configurable up to 256MB of dynamic RAM (DRAM), minus the amount of DMC in the system. The DMC is implemented with very fast static RAM.

The Encore RSX System exemplifies Encore’s continuing commitment to industry standards. It features such standards as Client Network File System (MFS), IEEE-754 floating point for data sharing with other RISC systems, standard SCSI ports and VME BUS support. There are a host of languages that track industry standards such as Ada, FORTRAN and C. The system is committed to full POSIX compliance.

When combined, via Reflective Memory, with UMAX Von the Encore 90 Family systems, all the benefits of Encore’s advanced implementations of UNIX are available with Encore RSX, even when running MPX-32 on the Encore RSX System in the compatibility mode.

The separation of the real-time I/O bus from the system bus provides over 26 MB of pure I/O throughput. High-performance VME transfers, disk transfers and other I/O traffic can be simultaneously active with intense CPU memory activity. The Encore RSX real-time I/O bus is based on Encore’s preemptive SelBus that can interleave prioritized packets of smaller transfers. This type of I/O availability on the Encore RSX is atypical of most RISC systems and more typical of mainframe style channel I/O. To take advantage of this high bandwidth, a collection of real-time interfaces such as the Memory Mapped HSD (MHSD) are available.

Encore RSX systems are designed for integration of multiple processors into one total system. The key technology for the integration is Encore’s award winning, patented Reflective Memory System (RMS). Since an Encore RSX connects to RMS via the DMC, cache coherency is ensured. Updates to global memory from other CPUs are immediately seen in all CPUs with minimal latency and no cache "flushing" penalties in any CPU. Encore RSX System configurations can be easily expanded with RMS. Up to eight RSX nodes can be connected with RMS forming a cluster. Up to eight clusters spanning as much as 3 kilometers can be connected with the Fiber Optic Reflective Memory System (FORMS). When combined, these features mean geographically disparate CPUs can be integrated to perform as well as systems located in the same cabinets. Clusters can also include Encore 90 Family and CONCEPT 32 systems to from easily scalable systems that can handle the most complex application requirements. The backward compatibility as well as the forward looking designs make this system even easier to apply to solving applications problems.

In addition to the hardware features such as RISC, large cache, and real-time I/O, the Encore RSC System software is optimized for real time. The real-time kernel is built for very fast context switch, interrupt response time, task suspend/resume, and minimal interrupt block time, producing the best real-time performance in the industry. Users can bypass almost any operating system overhead to directly attach to interrupts and easily implement special device handlers.

For CONCEPT 32 users, and Encore computer RSX System can be installed in SelCONNECITON cabinets to provide easy upgrades from MultiSel to Encore computer RSX system.