Tandem NonStop Himalaya K10000

The Tandem NonStop Himalaya K10000 was the high-end 64-bit RISC generation of the NonStop line. Each processor module used two 150 MHz MIPS R4400 chips in lock step, with their outputs compared on every clock to detect errors before corrupted data could propagate.

Native-mode NonStop Kernel software, large caches and scalable interprocessor connections delivered much greater performance while preserving Guardian interfaces and established applications. The K10000 targeted the largest continuously available transaction and database installations.

Notable Features

• Each logical processor contained a master and checker R4400 operating in lock step at 150 MHz.
• A 4MB secondary cache and 64MB, 128MB or 256MB of memory accompanied each processor module.
• Native MIPS software removed much of the translation overhead of the first RISC NonStop generation.

Historical Significance

• The K10000 established the MIPS-based Himalaya family that carried Tandem’s NonStop architecture through the 1990s.
• Its combination of commercial RISC processors and extensive checking showed how fault tolerance could continue without a wholly proprietary CPU.

Collector’s Notes

• A K10000 processor module is only one part of a large redundant installation; matched I/O, memory and interconnect hardware provide essential context.
• System software, processor count, cache and memory configurations should be documented because installations were expanded and upgraded in service.

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	Tandem NonStop Himalaya K10000
Manufacturer	Tandem Computers
Launched	Friday, January 1, 1993
Discontinued	Mid-1990s
Country	United States
CPU	Paired MIPS R4400 processors at 150 MHz
Units Sold
Power	Redundant, serviceable system power supplies; requirements depended on cabinet configuration
Fault Tolerance	Lock-stepped R4400 pair per logical processor, checked memory, process pairs and redundant I/O
Architecture	Native 64-bit MIPS R4400 architecture with 4MB secondary cache
Networking	Expand networking, Ethernet, enterprise protocols and large distributed NonStop clusters
Operating System	NonStop Kernel with Guardian environment, NonStop SQL and native MIPS support
Expansion / I/O	Dynabus/Dynabus+ system connections and scalable Himalaya interprocessor links
Keyboard	External operator console terminal keyboard
Storage	Mirrored high-capacity disk and tape subsystems with redundant I/O paths
Sound	No general-purpose sound hardware
Graphics	Terminal-oriented text output; no integrated graphics subsystem
Display	External operator console terminal; no integrated display
ROM	Boot, diagnostic and processor microcode storage; capacity varied by generation and configuration
RAM	64MB, 128MB or 256MB per processor module
CPU Speed	150 MHz per R4400; master and checker operate in lock step