PA-RISC Hardware
Overview
HP 9000 PA-RISC computers are based on HP Precision Architecture, a conservative HP RISC design from the 1980s and 1990s for Unix servers and workstations. HP’s own PA-RISC processors from the early 32-bit TS-1, based on TTL, to the modern dual-core 64-bit PA-8900 in the mid-2000s.
HP designed and produced most processors in-house, as it did with the custom HP chipsets and platform designs used in HP 9000 PA-RISC servers and workstations. There were many special HP expansion cards for HP 9000 I/O buses, and again for graphics and videos HP often used inhouse PA-RISC graphics adapters.
PA-RISC computers use their own Boot Menu, the PDC boot ROM, and display error codes on LEDs and LCDs on the system front.
Phases
PA-RISC hardware platforms and computers were developed and marketed in waves by HP, based on technological advances, market development and the computerization since the 1980s. HP 9000 PA-RISC computers can be grouped into four periods:
| Phase | Design | Processors | Chips | Used in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase I |
Infancy: Early Architecture | |||
| Early | TS-1, NS-1, NS-2, PCX | SIU/SPI, CTB | Early 800 servers | |
| Phase II | Growth: 32-bit 1990s | |||
| ASP/Viper | PA-7000, PA-7100 | Viper. ASP | 700 workstations 800 servers 74x VME |
|
| Phase III | Maturity: The heydays | |||
| LASI | PA-7100LC, PA-7300LC | MIOC, LASI, Wax, Dino | 700 workstations 74x VME |
|
| U2/UTurn | PA-7200, PA-8000, PA-8200 | MMC/SMC,
U2,
UTurn, LASI, Wax, Dino, Cujo |
Visualize workstations Lettered servers |
|
| Astro | PA-8500, PA-8600, PA-8700 | Astro, Elroy | Visualize workstations Lettered servers |
|
| Stretch | PA-8500, PA-8600, PA-8700 | DEW, Prelude, IKE, Elroy | Integrity servers | |
| Phase IV | Decline: 64-bit to Itanium | |||
| Cell | PA-8700, PA-8800 PA-8900 | CC, XBC, SBA, Elroy | Integrity servers Superdome mainframes |
|
| zx1 | PA-8800 PA-8900, Itanium 2 | Pluto, Mercury | Integrity servers Superdome mainframes Itanium computers |
|
History
PA-RISC ended with very advanced 64-bit designs in the Decline (IV) phase during EPIC Itanium. The overall HP PA-RISC and HP 9000 story is much longer, together with the equally complex history of PA-RISC operating systems.
There is also a timeline of PA-RISC releases and pricing from 1982 to the 2010s.