Compaq ProLiant 1000 Virtual Interface (VI) Architecture - The New Open Standa - Page 7

Virtual Interface (VI) Architecture - The New Open Standard for Distributed Messaging Within a Cluster 7 More Effective Operations As solution providers begin to use VI Architecture, larger clusters can be designed since intracluster control, through the VI enabled network, can allow for more data and hence more nodes to operate effectively than can be achieved with default TCP/IP or UDP communications. As clusters grow from two node to multi-node, and applications become distributed for scalable performance, then inter-processor communication speeds become more critical. Clustered system management messages as well as data interchange between nodes can not be delayed by a higher form of communications interface and as application processing becomes dependent on highspeed distributed systems and interfaces, VI becomes a paradigm that solves a multitude of problems. Lower Latency VI has lower latency, in that kernal processing overhead is not required for message passing in a point-to-point switched environment. Applications read and write into and out of pinned memory regions not requiring a kernal process. This frees the processor(s) up to do application-related processing as opposed to overhead-related functions attributed to message passing. VI Architecture also minimizes machine cycles lost for interrupts dealing with message passing. Conclusion Compaq has taken a leadership role in creating and defining VI Architecture. VI is an industry initiative that provides nearly seamless growth for applications that can take advantage of its message passing and distributed processing features. Compaq will develop clusters of ProLiant Servers and/or NT Workstations to demonstrate its ability to perform in the high end of the enterprise market space. Compaq's initiative in developing and setting standards such as VI Architecture, in partnership with Intel and Microsoft, further strengthens its presence in the IT marketplace as a high-volume, low-cost supplier of quality x86 servers and workstations for enterprise level solutions. For More Information To access additional Compaq white papers, please visit http://compaq.com/support/techpubs/whitepapers Related Compaq white papers include: System Area Networks - A New Approach to Clustering ServerNet - The High Bandwidth, Low Overhead Enterprise Cluster Interconnection Compaq E2000 Platform Architecture: Meeting All Levels of Enterprise Computing Requirements with Standards-Based Solutions Feel free to visit the Virtual Interface Architecture Web site at http://www.viarch.org ECG098/0998