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Java processor from Sun

Java processor from Sun

(Sorry, that this comes a bit late...)

First an independent article about it from the TechWeb and
then a press release from Sun itself.

Greetings,
Jaap


Happy Birthday, JavaChip
(10/15/97; 11:50 a.m. EDT)
By Deborah Gage, Computer Reseller News 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- Sun Microsystems
Wednesday launched microJava 701, the first in the
family of JavaChips, which the company says will
execute Java three times faster than a Pentium. 

The 701 is a "bridge chip" that offers good performance
on both Java and non-Java code, said officials at Sun
Microelectronics (SME), Sun's chip unit. The product is
expected to execute C and C++ as fast as a
comparable RISC processor of similar frequency.

"The 701 is decidedly more aggressive in attacking
transitional markets," said Harlan McGhan, SME's
marketing manager. "With large fractions of C and C++
code, performance becomes a much more significant
issue, so this is a bridge chip for people with lots of
legacy code and some Java code."

The microJava 701 is built on picoJava 2.0, the second
implementation of Sun's JavaChip core. But the
company has shifted the implementation of some
compatibility instructions from software to hardware
and has added picoJava-specific byte codes to better
handle areas such as device drivers.

The chip has a six-stage pipeline, as opposed to a
four-stage one, which gets it up to 200 MHz because it
can execute instructions without stalls. In addition, Sun
has added a folding ability that lets the chip combine up
to four instructions with the same random quality --
hence, efficiency -- as a RISC chip, McGhan said.

Sun also has integrated system bus controllers --
including memory and I/O -- and core logic onto the
chip for low cost and design flexibility.

The latest chip features a 32/64-bit memory controller
and a 32-bit I/O controller that complies with the PCI
2.1 standard. The core logic includes 16-kilobyte data
and instruction caches, a floating-point unit, and an
integer unit for directly executing byte code. Also
included are three counter/timers, an interrupt
controller, a built-in self-test, a JTAG interface, and a
16-pin GPIO port for smart cards.

Sun is aiming the chip at markets that use Java to
perform such tasks as network management, office
automation, online diagnostics and protocol
management, and industrial automation. The company
said it also expects the telephone company and retail
markets to be lucrative ones. McGhan said he expects
the chip to be useful in point-of-sale terminals,
information kiosks, and other devices that conduct
Web-based transactions.

The chip will ship in volume in the second half of 1998. 

Source:
http://www.techweb.com/wire/news/1997/10/1015java.html
Or better:
http://www.sun.com/smi/Press/sunflash/9710/sunflash.971015.1.html



From Sun's site:

Sun Unveils Its First Java Processor
microJava701 Looks to Post
Industry's Highest Caffeinemarks



SAN JOSE, Calif. - October 15, 1997- Today at the
Microprocessor Forum, Sun Microsystems, Inc. will make a
technology disclosure of its first JavaChipTM processor, the
microJavaTM 701TM. The first in the microJava 700 series
processors from Sun, the microJava 701 will be optimized for
native JavaTM code execution while also supporting C/C++
code, thereby facilitating the industry's migration from C/C++
code to Java. Sun's internal preliminary benchmark results
indicate that the microJava 701 should deliver 13,332
embedded Caffeinemarks as measured by the well-known
CaffeineMark 3.0 benchmark and 200 Dhrystone MIPS on C
programs as measured by the Dhrystone 2.1 MIPS benchmark. 

An Overview of microJava 701

The microJava 701 is being designed to deliver the best
price/performance ratio for the native execution of Java-centric
applications. The microJava 701 will integrate system
functionality on-chip, eliminating the need for external ASICs. 

At the heart of microJava 701 will be an enhanced core,
picoJavaTM 2.0. The second in a family of JavaChip cores from
Sun, picoJavaTM 2.0 is a new high-performance core that will be
optimized for native Java code execution, while providing solid
C code execution. This bridge strategy is designed to meet the
needs of wide-ranging applications transitioning from legacy
code to a Java. The picoJava 2.0 microarchitecture will feature
a six stage pipeline and extensive instruction folding. This
instruction folding allows up to four instructions to be combined
for execution in a single clock cycle, improving the performance
of all types of code. 

"Java is gaining unstoppable momentum throughout the
industry, especially in emerging information access devices
including consumer electronics, communications systems and
industrial systems," said Raj Parekh, Vice President and
General Manager of Sun Microelectronics' Volume Products
Group. "Through both our designs and strategic relationships,
we intend to offer an entire family of Java processors and
licensable cores that address the price/performance needs of
the emerging Java information appliance industry." 

"We're encouraged by Sun's commitment to developing a family
of picoJava cores," said Kozy Kubota, NEC Semiconductor
Group. "The unveiling of picoJava 2 is a clear illustration of
Sun's commitment to developing a range of scalable cores for
the Java centric market." 

"We stand to benefit from the technology resources Sun has put
behind the picoJava 2 core," said Sun Choi, Managing
Director, Media Processor Venture, L.G. Semicon. 

With its superior performance of Java code, design flexibility,
low system level cost and ability to execute C code, the
microJava 701 is being designed to suit a range of
high-volume, Java-centric applications in the enterprise,
communications and consumer markets. The microJava 701 is
aimed at early adopters in the Java market in the intranet and
extranet arenas such as industrial automation, point-of-sale,
terminal replacement and information kiosks. 

The Technology Details 

The microJava 701 is being designed to allow developers to
rapidly and cost-effectively develop systems. To this end, the
memory controller and I/O bus controller are being integrated
onto the device. This not only lowers overall system cost, but
conserves power and increases reliability. The memory
controller will offer the choice of a 32-bit or 64-bit wide data
interface, and a choice between one or more cost-effective
EDO DRAM or higher-performance SDRAM. It also supports
SRAM, ROM and Flash memory. The PCI controller will be
compliant with the 2.1 interface standard. In addition, a local bus
supports low-cost 8/16/32-bit slave I/O peripherals. 

The microJava 701 will utilize a 32-bit picoJava 2.0 core. It will
contain both an Integer and Floating-point unit as well as 16KB
instruction and 16KB data caches. The microJava 701 will be
manufactured in a 0.25 micron CMOS process and has a target
frequency of 200 MHz. The design is targeted to be fully static
and use a 2.5 volt core and 3.3 volt I/O supply. Estimated power
dissipation is about four watts assuming a 200 MHz core using
a 33 MHz PCI bus and a 66 MHz memory bus. Die size is
estimated at 50 square millimeters. Overall transistor count is
estimated at 2.8 million. The chip will be packaged in a 316 pin
plastic ball grid array (PBGA). 

Availability

Sun expects to be in volume production with the microJava 701
by the second half of `98. Details on pricing will be released
closer to the time of availability. 

About Sun Microsystems

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision, "The Network Is
The ComputerTM" has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc.
(NASDAQ: SUNW) to its position as a leading provider of
hardware, software and services for establishing
enterprise-wide intranets and expanding the power of the
Internet. With more than $8.5 billion in annual revenues, Sun can
be found in more than 150 countries and on the World Wide
Web at http://www.sun.com. 



"Sun, the Sun logo, Sun Microsystems, Java, microJava, microJava 701, picoJava and
The Network Is The Computer are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sun
Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries." 

Editors' Note: Press announcements and other information about Sun Microsystems are
available on the Internet via the World Wide Web at http://www.sun.com. 



The International Internet Associate Symposium '97 will take
place November 5-7, 1997 in Berlin. Learn about the latest Java
Computing solutions, services and support that are enabling
companies on The Road to Java TM -- from evaluation to pilot
programs to enterprise- wide implementation. For more
information about the IIAS 97, or to register, visit us on the web
at http://www.sun.de/IIAS97. 



PR Contacts for Press and Analysts:

Sun Microsystems, Inc. 
Jeni Johnstone
(408) 544-0412 
jeni.johnstone@eng.sun.com

Kristin Brownstone (408)
544-0415
kristin.brownstone@eng.sun.com