\noindent
{\bf
Alliant FX Series
}

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
{\bf
Vector Register, Parallel, Shared-Memory Architecture
}

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
Formerly, the company was called Dataflow.

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
{\bf Architecture:}
Computational elements (CEs) execute applications code
using vector instructions.
The CEs transparently execute the code of an
application in parallel.  
CE:
Weitek 1064/1065 plus ten different gate
array types with 2600 to 8000 gates.
First-generation computational elements (FX1, FX4, FX8)
may be added in
the field, increasing performance without
recompilation or relinking.
Advanced Computational Elements (ACEs)
for second generation (FX40, FX80, VFX) are
based on the BIT floating point chips.
Each CE has 8 vector registers, each with 32
64-bit elements, and 8 64-bit scalar floating
point, 8 32-bit integer, and 8 32-bit address
registers.

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
Interactive Processors (IPs) execute operating system,
interactive code, and I/O
operations.  An FX/1 has 1-2 IPs.  An FX/4 and FX/40 have 1-6 IPs.
An FX/80
has 1-12 IPs.

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
Basic chips used:
IP. Motorola 68020. 4 Mbyte local memory in each IP.
ACE 64-bit processor 20,000 gate CMOS VLSI gate array, with BIT floating-point
processors.
64 Kbyte instruction cache.

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
The cycle time is 170 nsec. Only six different PC boards are used.

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
CEs are cross-bar connected on the backplane
to a 512 Kbyte write-back computational
processor (CP) cache (FX/80).  Bandwidth is
376 Mbyte/sec.

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
Each 32-Kbyte IP cache is connected to 1-3 IPs
(FX/80) or 1-2 IPs and a CE (FX/1).  The FX/80 has 1-4 IP caches; the
FX/4 and FX/40 have
2 IP caches; the FX/1 has one IP cache.

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
The CP and IP caches are attached by two 72-bit
buses to the main memory.
Memory bus
bandwidth is 188 Mbyte/sec, and memory cycle time is 85 nsec.

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
Connectivity: crossbar (CE to cache), bus (cache to memory, cache to
cache)

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
Range of memory sizes available:  32-64 Mbytes (FX/1),
32-160 Mbytes (FX/4 and FX/40), and
32-256 Mbytes (FX/80), using 1 Mbit chips with ECC.

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
Virtual memory: 2 Gbytes per process.

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
Floating-point unit: IEEE 32- and 64-bit formats including hardware
divide and square root and microcoded
elementary functions.

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
{\bf Configuration:} Stand-alone.  TCP/IP network support.

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
Size: FX/1 system - 28" x 13" x 25"
(the FX/1 I/O expansion cabinet is the same size);
FX/4, FX/40, and FX/80 systems - 43.5" x 29.5" x 33.8"
(the I/O expansion cabinet is 24.5" and same
height and depth, while the tape cabinet is 61" in height).

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
Cooling: All systems are air-cooled.

\begin{tabbing}
aaa\=bbb\= \kill
FX/1 : 1155 Watts (max. configuration), 725 Watts (I/O Expansion)\\

FX/4 : 4500 Watts, 2100 Watts (I/O Expansion)\\
FX/40 : 4200 Watts, 2100 Watts (I/O Expansion)\\
FX/80 : 5100 Watts, 2100 Watts (I/O Expansion)\\
\end{tabbing}

\begin {tabbing}
aaa\=bbb\= \kill
Peripherals:\\
\>  800/1600/6250 BPI start-stop tape drive\\
\>  550 Mbyte (formatted) Winchester disk drives\\
\>  45 Mbyte cartridge tape drive\\
\>  Floppy disk drive\\
\>  8/16 line multichannel communications controllers\\
\>  600 lpm printer\\
\>  Ethernet controller\\
\end {tabbing}

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
{\bf Software:} Concentrix, Alliant's enhancement of
Berkeley 4.2 UNIX with multiprocessor support.

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
{\bf Languages:} Fortran, C, Pascal, Ada, Lisp, STSC APL, 68020 Assembler


\begin {tabbing}
aaa\=bbb\= \kill
{\bf Fortran characteristics:}\\
\>  F77 - Conforms to 1978 ANSI standard.\\
\>  Extensions - Most of VAX/VMS extensions and Fortran 8x array\\
\>\>   extensions. Debugging facilities.\\
\>  Vectorizing/parallelizing capabilities - Automatic detection of\\
\>\>   vectors and feedback to user via diagnostic messages.\\
\>  Can employ COVI (concurrent outer, vector inner) on nested loops.\\
\>  User control of transformations via directives in the form of Fortran comments\\
\>  Interprocedural dependency analysis for automatic determination of\\
\>  parallel subroutine calls in loops.\\
\end {tabbing}


\begin{flushleft}
{\bf Performance:}
 Advanced CE's (ACE's).\\
Scalar 32-bit : 7.2 mips / CE (14700 Kwhetstones).\\
Scalar 64-bit : 6.2 mips / CE (13700 Kwhetstones).\\
Vector 32-bit and 64-bit :  23.5 Mflops / CE.\\
\end {flushleft}

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
FX/80 on 1,000 x 1,000 LINPACK benchmark:  69.3 Mflops.
Peak performance 188.8 Mflops.

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
{\bf Applications:}
Engineering and scientific end-user and OEM
applications, stand-alone or as a computational server to a network of
engineering workstations.

\vspace{.1in}
\noindent
{\bf Status:}
First beta delivery May 1985; first production shipment
September 1985. Alliant's customers include Asahi Chemical Corp, AT\&T,
Boeing Airplane Co., Ford Motor Co., Hughes Aircraft Corp., Motorola
Inc., Siemens, The Whittle Laboratory at the University of Cambridge,
CERFACS at Toulouse,
and the Jodrell Bank Observatory at the University of Manchester.

\begin{flushleft}
Entry level package prices:\\
FX/1 : discontinued; FX/4 : \$99,900; FX/40 : \$149,000; FX/80 : \$299,000\\
ACEs are priced at \$59,000 each\\
\end{flushleft}


\noindent
{\bf Contact:}
\begin{flushleft}
Alliant Computer Systems Corp.\\
1 Monarch Drive\\
Littleton, MA 01460\\
508-486-4950\\

\vspace {.1in}
President: Ron Gruner\\
Technical: Craig J. Mundie, Vice President Business Development\\
Sales: Roger Parsons, Vice President Worldwide Sales\\
\vspace {.1in}

Alliant Computer Systems UK Ltd\\
10 Heatherley Road\\
Camberley\\
Surrey\\
GU15 3LW\\
England\\
0276-682765\\
FAX  0276-65235\\

\vspace {.1in}

John Harte, President of European Operations\\

\vspace {.1in}
Chic McGregor, Sales\\

\vspace {.1in}
Jane Doorly, Systems \& Applications\\
\end {flushleft}

.
