Hardware Documentation - Machines DEC - VAX hardware reference
This is an (incomplete) list of Digital Equipment Corporation VAX computers and specifications. Compiled by abs@NetBSD.org with much help from port-vax@NetBSD.org users. This is very much still a work in progress - many sections are little more than placeholders. Having said that, there should be enough here to prove useful.
Index Introduction page MicroVAXes VAXstations VAXservers VAX 700 series VAX 8000 series VAX 4000 series VAX 6000 series VAX 7000 series Other VAX machines Storage devices Interface cards Busses and interfaces Monitors Enclosures
VAX 8000 series
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VAX 8200 VAX 8250 VAX 8300 VAX 8350 VAX 8500 VAX 8530 VAX 8550 VAX 8600 VAX 8650 VAX 8700 VAX 8800 VAX 8810 VAX 8820 VAX 8830 VAX 8840 VAX 8842 VAX 8974 VAX 8978 VAX 8200 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Cpu: KA820, V-11 (200ns), 8KB on chip cache Vup: 0.9
Tps: (?) Busses: 1 VAXBI, optional UNIBUS
Interfaces: Ethernet Memory: max 128MB ECC
Introduced: January 1986 NetBSD: Can run NetBSD
Last updated: 2003-07-17
 VAX 8250 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Cpu: KA825, V-11 (160ns), 8KB on chip cache Vup: 1.2
Tps: 10 Busses: 1 VAXBI, optional UNIBUS; max throughput 13.3MB/s
Interfaces: Ethernet Memory: max 128MB ECC
NetBSD: Can run NetBSD Last updated: 2003-07-17
Notes: KA820 processor in a BA32 case. BI (either 12 or 24 slot). Optional Unibus with DWBUA adapter. Same as VAX 8200 with additional CPU
 VAX 8300 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Cpu: Dual KA820, V-11 (200ns), 8KB on chip cache Vup: 1.7
Tps: (?) Busses: 1 VAXBI, optional UNIBUS
Interfaces: Ethernet Memory: max 128MB ECC
Introduced: January 1986 NetBSD: Can run NetBSD
Last updated: 2003-07-17 Notes: Dual processor version of VAX 8200
 VAX 8350 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Cpu: KA825, V-11 (160ns), 8KB on chip cache Vup: 2.3
Tps: 18 Busses: 1 VAXBI, optional UNIBUS
Interfaces: Ethernet Memory: max 128MB ECC
Last updated: 2003-07-17 Notes: Same as VAX 8300 with additional CPU
 VAX 8500 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Cpu: KA85, &lt;8800> (45ns), 64KB on chip cache Vup: 3
Bus: NMI processor/memory backplane with VAXBI I/O Last updated: 2003-07-17
Notes: VAX 8550 with microcode adjusted to slow it down. Later microcode update removed NOPs and upgraded to VAX 8530.
 VAX 8530 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Cpu: KA85, &lt;8800> (45ns), 64KB on chip cache Vup: 4
Bus: NMI processor/memory backplane with VAXBI I/O Last updated: 2003-07-17
Notes: VAX 8500 with updated microcode
 VAX 8550 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Cpu: KA85, &lt;8800> (45ns), 64KB on chip cache Vup: 6
Tps: 47 Bus: NMI processor/memory backplane with VAXBI I/O
Memory: Maximum 320MB Last updated: 2003-07-17
Notes: Similar to VAX 8700, but in larger box and not upgradable to VAX 8800
 VAX 8600 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Alias: VAX 11/790 Nickname: Venus
Cpu: KA86, &lt;8600> (80ns), 16KB on chip cache Vup: 4.2
Tps: 33
Bus: 2 SBIs with 15 nexus slots each. Each slot can take a UBA (UNIBUS adapter), MBA (MASSBUS Adapter), or CI.
Memory: Maximum 256M (ECC) Introduced: 1984
NetBSD: Can run NetBSD Last updated: 2003-07-17
Notes: Slower version of the VAX 8650 (11/795). Developed in Marlboro, in the building identified as LCG Was originally intended to be an 11/790 but renamed before launch.
 VAX 8650 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Alias: VAX 11/795 Nickname: Morningstar
Cpu: KA865, &lt;8650> (55ns), 16KB on chip cache Vup: 6.0
Tps: 47
Bus: 2 SBIs with 15 nexus slots each. Each slot can take a UBA (UNIBUS adapter), MBA (MASSBUS Adapter), or CI.
Memory: Maximum 256MB (ECC) NetBSD: Can run NetBSD
Last updated: 2003-07-17
Notes: Faster version of the VAX 8600 (11/790). The last VAX to be made bug-for-bug compatible with the VAX 11/780 /785. Was originally intended to be an 11/795 but renamed before launch.
 VAX 8700 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Nickname: Nautilus Cpu: KA88, &lt;8800> (45ns), 64KB on chip cache
Vup: 6 Tps: 47
Bus: NMI processor/memory backplane with VAXBI I/O Last updated: 2003-07-17
Notes: PRO console. Single processor VAX 8800, can be upgraded to 8800 Replaced with redesigned VAX 8810.
 VAX 8800 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Nickname: Nautilus Cpu: Dual KA88, &lt;8800> (45ns), 64KB on chip cache
Vup: 12 Bus: NMI processor/memory backplane with VAXBI I/O
Introduced: January 1986 Last updated: 2003-07-17
Notes: PRO console. Dual processor VAX 8700. Replaced with redesigned 8820.
 VAX 8810 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Cpu: (?), &lt;8800> (45ns), 64KB on chip cache Vup: 6.0
Tps: 47 Bus: PMI (updated NMI) processor/memory backplane with VAXBI I/O
Last updated: 2003-07-17
Notes: MicroVAX II console. Basically an 8550 processor in a bigger box with space for additional processors to make it into an 8820 or 8840
 VAX 8820 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Cpu: Dual (?), &lt;8800> (45ns), 64KB on chip cache Vup: 11.0
Bus: PMI (updated NMI) processor/memory backplane with VAXBI I/O Last updated: 2003-07-17
Notes: Dual processor version of VAX 8810
 VAX 8830 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Cpu: Triple (?), &lt;8800> (45ns), 64KB on chip cache Vup: 17.0
Bus: PMI (updated NMI) processor/memory backplane with VAXBI I/O Last updated: 2003-07-18
Notes: Triple processor version of VAX 8810
 VAX 8840 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Cpu: Quad (?), &lt;8800> (45ns), 64KB on chip cache Vup: 22.0
Bus: PMI (updated NMI) processor/memory backplane with VAXBI I/O Last updated: 2003-07-17
Notes: Quad processor version of VAX 8810
 VAX 8842 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Cpu: Four (?), &lt;8800> (45ns), 64KB on chip cache Vup: 22.0
Last updated: 2003-07-18 Notes: System is two VAX 8820s connected together
 VAX 8974 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Cpu: Four (?), &lt;8800> (45ns), 64KB on chip cache Vup: 24
Introduced: January 1987 Last updated: 2003-07-18
Notes: System is four VAX 8700s connected together
 VAX 8978 <small><ulink url="#section:vax8000">(VAX 8000 series index)</ulink></small>
Cpu: Eight (?), &lt;8800> (45ns), 64KB on chip cache Vup: 48
Memory: Maximum 4GB ECC Introduced: January 1987
Last updated: 2003-07-18 Notes: System is eight VAX 8700s connected together