SUN workstation

The Stanford University Network workstation (usually denominated as a SUN) was, as the name indicates, a workstation created by Stanford University for use there. It was designed around the then-new Motorola MC68000 microprocessor, and also contained a raster-scan bit-mapped display, and an Experimental Ethernet network interface, all connected together via a Multibus.

The concept of what it would be/do changed over time: in a 1980 document, it was described as more of a terminal concentrator: a single CPU simultaneously supporting up to 16 users via individual display terminals: "only the basic PUP Telnet protocols need be implemented on the workstation's MC68000 processor. The SUN terminals could then be programmed to emulate currently available terminals, such as Datamedias, Telerays, Tektronix 4014 graphics terminals, or III displays." It was also intended for use in other roles, e.g. as a router.

By 1982 the concept had changed to be a now-classic workstation: "The SUN Memory Management Unit has been designed to support a multitasking operating system such as Bell Lab's UNIX."

External links

• The SUN Workstation - initial proposal
• The SUN Workstation Architecture