SGI Octane

SGI Octane Workstation

The Octane is a workstation that was built and sold by SGI in 1997-2000. The workstation had its focus in graphic processing and CAD processing. It is a 2-WAY-SMP-capable architecture whose CPU is based on the MIPS R10000 processor .

The direct successor is the Octane 2, which does not differ significantly in its basic structure, but rather an upgrade of the Octane with more powerful VPro graphics, a larger power supply, improved motherboards, faster processors and a blue case.

Both devices use IRIX as their operating system.

In 2009 an Octane III was released from the former Rackable Systems, which had just been renamed SGI. This was described as a "personal supercomputer" and combined several mainboards in a tower-like case with up to 80 cores and almost 1 terabyte of RAM. It is a successor to the name that has little technical overlap with its predecessors.

Built-in processors

Overview of available processors for the Octane .

processor	Cache	Single (MHz)	Dual (MHz)
R10000SC	1 MB	175, 195, 225, 250	175, 195, 225, 250
R12000SC	2 MB	270, 300, 400	270, 300, 400
R12000SCA	2 MB	360, 400	360, 400
R14000SCA	2 MB	550, 600	600

When upgrading from one to two CPUs, it should be noted that the entire CPU board must be replaced for this.

The CPU board is firmly screwed to a massive aluminum heat sink. If possible, this connection should not be loosened, as the CPU is coupled to the carrier board by means of many small, tensioned gold spiral springs and the latter jump out of their positions when the heat sink and the CPU are removed.

The CPU is directly connected to the RAM via a special chip called "Heart". This is located on the Octane's mainboard. At the same time, it is connected to the machine's central chip, the “Cross-Bow” ASIC . A special feature of the Octane is based on this chip, which enables a star-shaped system architecture instead of a conventional bus system, in which two system units can always be connected to one another, whereby several such connections are possible in parallel and at the same time (e.g. SCSI controller to RAM and CPU to graphics card). Other devices can be reconnected with each other with each system cycle. This is called a "crossbar switch".

Main memory

The Octane supports 256 MB to 8 GB of main memory. The main memory consists of proprietary 200-pin DIMM modules. The first versions of the workstation (motherboard 030-0887-003) supported a maximum of 2 GB RAM.

graphic

The graphics modules are designed as fast XIO cards. It is also possible to install more than one module per machine, but not all possible combinations are allowed. In particular, installing two Maximum IMPACT cards is not recommended, as the cooling capacity is insufficient. On the other hand, two SI cards are possible without any problems. There are modules that only occupy one slot and those over the entire height (2 slots).

The first graphic variant built into the Octane1 is a direct and, in principle, identical successor to the IMPACT graphic from the Indigo2. Hence the names - SI for Solid IMPACT and MXI for Maximum IMPACT. In a revised chip version, these are then referred to as Enhanced, so that an ESI card is an Enhanced Solid IMPACT. This can also be called differently as SE for Solid Enhanced. The same applies to EMXI and MXE . The RAM for textures on all graphics cards is pluggable and must be installed if textures are to be used. In this case, the designation is supplemented by a + T , e.g. B. ESI + T.

The Octane2 uses a new version of graphics called ODYSSEY . Texture memory is available as standard and z. Sometimes in very large versions (104MB) for the time. ODYSSEY cards come in versions V6 and V8 or their successors V10 and V12, whereby the respective smaller number of these pairings was delivered with smaller RAM (32MB vs. 128MB).

IMPACT graphic supports Open GL 1.1 and the ODYSSEY graphic is designed for Open GL 1.2, of course plus some extra SGI special functions.

Operating modes

As a workstation, the Octane is by definition a workstation computer for a single user. Since one of the main characteristics of the SGIs was the graphic display or visualization, an Octane can be operated in "dual-head mode" as a multi-monitor system. But it is also possible to use a machine by two users at the same time, in "duo mode". In this mode, the optionally available, so-called PCI card cage (an internally used additional box (cassette)) with a total of three PCI-X slots is required, as well as a special PCI plug-in card from SGI, which is connected to the second (PS / 2 mini DIN) Keyboard and mouse connection and an additional network port with 10/100 MBit / sec. disposes. Using suitable (shielded) extension cables, the keyboard, mouse and screen (monitor) could be positioned up to 15–20 meters (or more) away from the workstation (for the second workstation).

Trivia

SGI's, and especially the Octane, were used in larger numbers when rendering the first computer-animated films, for example at Pixar (e.g. Toy Story ). Thereby came v. a. the programs Maya (from Alias | Wavefront) and Softimage (from Softimage / Microsoft / Avid) or the later successor Softimage | XSI 1.0 (from Avid) are used.

SGI released the CD Octane The Sound Track with songs on the subject, including: a. the Octane Swing and I Have a Dream .

Individual evidence

[HardwareCentralInteraktiveBilder-1] ttps://techpubs.jurassic.nl/manuals/hdwr/enduser/Octane_HWCntl/sgi_html/overview.html

[OwnersGuide-2] ttps://techpubs.jurassic.nl/manuals/hdwr/enduser/Octane_OG/sgi_html/index.html

[SGIarchive-3] ttp://www.sgi.com:80/octane/ ( Memento from August 15, 2000 in the Internet Archive )

[R10000-4] ttps://techpubs.jurassic.nl/manuals/hdwr/developer/R10K_UM/sgi_html/index.html

[5] ttp://www.cpu-collection.de/?tn=0&l0=co&l1=NEC&l2=VR10000#D30700RS-180VR10000

[ObsoleteMajixTech-6] ttps://hardware.majix.org/computers/sgi.octane/

[IanMaplesonTech-7] ttp://www.sgidepot.co.uk/octnarch.html

[VPro-8] ttps://techpubs.jurassic.nl/manuals/hdwr/enduser/VPro_Octane_PG/sgi_html/index.html

[OwnersGuideOctane2-9] ttps://techpubs.jurassic.nl/manuals/hdwr/enduser/Octane2_OG/sgi_html/index.html

[SGIarchiveOctane2-10] ttp://www.sgi.com:80/workstations/octane2/ ( Memento from August 15, 2000 in the Internet Archive )

[11] ttps://blog.ausgefallene-ideen.com/sgi-octane-iii-supercomputer-fuer-jedermann/

[12] ttps://www.computerwoche.de/a/sgi-bringt-den-personal-supercomputer,1906220

[13] ttps://www.manualslib.com/manual/732278/Silicon-Graphics-Octane-Iii.html

[14] ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_V7vscKiwA

[15] ttps://bukosek.si/hardware/collection/sgi-octane.html

[16] ttps://techpubs.jurassic.nl/manuals/hdwr/enduser/OCTANE2Head_IG/sgi_html/index.html

[17] ttps://techpubs.jurassic.nl/manuals/hdwr/enduser/OCTANE_DH_Flier/sgi_html/index.html

[18] ttp://www.sgi.com:80/newsroom/press_releases/1997/november/cadduo_release.html ( Memento from August 23, 2000 in the Internet Archive )

[19] ttps://techpubs.jurassic.nl/manuals/hdwr/enduser/OCTANEDuo_IG/sgi_html/index.html

[20] ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQKm7ifJpVE

[21] ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLH9wDfHmjc

[22] ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-mwyLitQcY

[23] ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n552Yc7d8hI