System Features; What Makes It A Dec 4000 Axp System; Alpha Axp Architecture; Risc Technology - DEC 4000 600 series Owner's Manual

System Features

System Features
What Makes It a The following characteristics define the DEC 4000 AXP system:
DEC 4000 AXP
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System?
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Alpha AXP The DEC 4000 AXP system is part of a family of flagship
Architecture computers that are based on the new Alpha AXP system
architecture. Alpha AXP architecture employs the DECchip
21064 microprocessor, which is located on the CPU module
of each Alpha AXP system. The 21064 chip employs RISC
technology.
RISC (reduced instruction set computer) technology uses
RISC
an instruction set that is reduced in complexity. High-level
Technology
compilers synthesize the more complex, least frequently used
instructions by breaking them down into simpler instructions.
This approach allows the RISC architecture to implement a
small, hardware-assisted instruction set, thus eliminating the
need for microcode.
The Alpha AXP RISC technology provides exceptionally fast
compute power to the DEC 4000 AXP system.
7–2 Learning More About Your System

Alpha AXP architecture

RISC technology

Support of multiple operating systems

Integration with VAX hardware and VMS and OSF/1
software and VAX investment protection
DSSI VMScluster support