Unix Internatl. and USL release early version of SVR4 multiprocessing software.

UNIX International Inc. and UNIX System Laboratories Inc. say the initial release of standard multiprocessing features of the UNDC System V Release 4 operating system is now available to the computer industry through UI's "Early Access" program. The program gives Ul members a jump on getting

new products to market in less time by allowing access to the ongoing development version of the operating system. This shortens time between actual release of the enhanced operating system and release of member products, and speeds up end user use of receipt technology. The key feature of the new SVR4 release is support for fully symmetric multiprocessing - that is, the use of multiple microprocessors in one computer system to speed up computation and communications. The product will be available in final form from USL later this year as UNIX System V Release 4 Multi-Processor (SVR4 MT).

Based largely on technology contributed by NCR Corp., the release is being developed by USL and a consortium of companies whose members include Intel, NCR, Oki Electric, Olivetti and Unisys. The early access version will run on systems based on Intel 386 and 486 microprocessors. Motorola and Unisys are porting the release to the Motorola 88000 microprocessor.

It is important to note that SVR4 MP is USL's first step toward providing the comprehensive support for multiprocessing systems called for m IA's UNIX System V Roadmap, a public document that describes what the computer industry wants to see in the UNIX System V over the next one-to-five years.

"Design goals for SVR4 NU include greater throughput, faster response time and a higher number of transactions per second than any existing small-tomedium scale multiprocessing implementation of UNIX System V.. The companies working on SVR4 NU are doing an outstanding job of meeting those goals," says Mike DeFazio, executive vice president of UNIX System V Software at USL. "Availability of a standard multiprocessing version of Release 4 will give software developers and end users a high-performance, standards compliant platform for entry level and mid-range multiprocessing applications."

Both NCR and Unisys have already announced multiprocessor systems based on the Intel 486 microprocessor that will run SVR4 NO.

Like its SVR4 parent, the multiprocessing release conforms to all significant open system industry standards, including X/Open's Portability Guide Issue 3, IEEE POSIX, and the System V Interface Definition. In keeping with USL's emphasis on protecting end user and software developer investments, applications written for UNIX System V Release 3.2 and UNIX System V Release 4 will run without change on SVR4 MP and applications written for SVR4 MP will be compatible with future SVR4 multiprocessing enhancements. n