Workstations

Workstations is a kind of high-grade micro computer, usually equipped with high resolution large-screen displays and capacity of big in storage and external memory, and has strong information processing function and high-performance graphics, image processing function and networking.

paraphrase

Workstation, is a personal computer and distributed computing as the foundation, mainly for professional application domain, with a powerful data operation and graphics, image processing power, to meet the engineering design, animation production, scientific research, software development, financial management, information service, simulation and other professional field, design and development of high performance computer.

function

By computer and the corresponding external equipment sets and application package consisting of information processing system. It can complete the user to a specific task, is to promote the effective way to popularize and apply computer. The workstation should have strong ability to handle data, the intuitive facilitate man-computer exchange information with the user interface, computer networks can be connected, in the greater scope exchanging information, share resources. Workstations in programming, calculation, document writing, filing, communication and so on various aspects to professional workers with the comprehensive help. Common workstation have a computer aided design (CAD) workstations (or weigh engineering workstations), OA workstation, image processing workstation, etc. Different missions workstation have different hardware and software configuration. For example, a small CAD workstation typical hardware configuration for: small computer (or high-end microcomputer), with function keys of CRT terminal, pen, graphic plotters, digital instrument, printer etc. Software configuration for: operating system, the compiler, corresponding database and database management system, 2d and 3d graphics software, as well as a complete calculation, analysis software package. It can fulfill the user submitted all kinds of mechanical, electrical design task. The main hardware configuration OA workstations for: microcomputer, office use terminal equipment (such as teletypewriter, interactive terminals, fax machines, laser printers, intelligent duplicator, etc.), communication facilities (such as local area network), pabx, public data networks, integrated services digital network, etc.). Software configuration for: operating system, the compiler, various service program, communication software, database management system, E-mail, word processing software, form processing software, various editing software packages and the special business activities, such as personnel management, financial management, administrative affairs management software, and equipped with corresponding database. OA workstation's mission is to finish all kinds of office information processing. Image processing workstation's main hardware configuration for: computer, image digital equipment (including electronic, optical, mechanical scanning equipment, digital instrument), image output devices, and interactive image terminal. Software configuration in addition to general system software outside have set of image processing software packages. It can fulfill users put forward various image processing tasks. More and more of the computer manufacturer is in manufacturing and selling various workstations.

classification

The workstation according to software and hardware platform based on the different, generally divided into RISC instruction system) framework for UNIX system workstations and Windows based, intel-based PC workstations.

UNIX workstations is a high-performance professional workstation, have powerful processor (previously used more RISC chip) and optimization of memory and I/O (input/output), graphics sub-system, using proprietary processor (gamerelease, the MIPS, Power, etc.), memory and graphics hardware system, proprietary UNIX operating system, specific hardware platform of application software, each other mutually exclusive.

PC workstations are based on high-performance X86 above, use stable processor, Mac OS Linux, Windows NT and Windows 2000 and Windows XP operating system, and adopt appropriate such as professional graphic standard (OpenGL) graphical systems, plus a high-performance storage, I/O (input/output), network subsystem, to meet the professional software running requirements; With Linux for architecture workstation USES is standard, open system platform, can be reduced to a great extent have cost ─ ─ you can even use free Linux system and Linux based system of open source software, With Mac OS and Windows for architecture workstation USES is standard, closed source system platform and cost of ownership is very costly.

In addition, in accordance with the volume and portability, workstations also can be divided into desktop workstations and portable workstation.

Desktop workstations similar to ordinary desktop computers, large size, no portability whatsoever, but the performance strong, appropriate professional users. Portable workstation is actually a high-performance laptop computers. But the hardware configuration and the overall performance and than ordinary notebook computer high a class.

Suitable model refers to the workstation fittings of applicable specific machine series or model. Different workstation with standard different hardware, workstations accessories compatibility issue although unlike server so obvious, but from the stability and compatibility Angle consideration, usually still need to use a specific accessories, which is mainly composed of workstations the working nature of decision.

Product type

XXXS: product type refers to the specific product type workstation accessories, such as graphics, CPU, memory, hard disk, etc. The following some of them accessories to do a simple introduction.

graphics

As graphics workstations key component, a strong 3D professional performance of the display card importance, in a certain sense even more than the processor. And for the game, entertainment market mainly of consumer, 3D graphics card compared professional mainly is facing the 3D animation 3DS Max (e.g., Maya, Softimage | 3D), rendering (such as LightScape, VIZ), CAD 3DS (such as AutoCAD, Pro/e, Unigraphics, SolidWorks), model design (e.g. Rhino very well) and partial science applications and other professional OpenGL application market. Of this section graphics workstations users, which they use hardware or software both speed and stability of compatibility are very important. User auto-id make 3D professional graphics from design to production, high level must achieve, add user group of relatively limited production quantity is less, so that its overall costs have risen sharply also is unavoidable, Compared with general consumer graphics card price 3D professional would be much higher, reached severalfold even ten-tupling than gap.

And consumer market similar, 3D graphics card is professional market competition becomes increasingly fierce, at present the whole 3D graphics market evolved into professional 3DLabs, nVIDIA and ATI Japan situation. Due to different needs, workstations graphics CARDS and consumer graphics difference is bigger, a in his field of excellent graphics in another field can be acted very badly. But now, the trend is ATI nVIDIA and will entertainment level products and professional level product unified into almost identical hardware architecture, or even be identical chip, by outer circuit and software control exactly is consumer graphics or professional graphics CARDS.

memory

Current mainstream workstation memory for ECC memory. ECC is not like common PC133, DDR400 that is the memory of transmission standards, ECC memory is a mistake calibration and error correction function of memory. ECC is the abbreviation of Checking and Correcting as freely, it is through the original data bits on an additional data bits to fulfill. Such as 8 bits of data, it is required to 1 bit for Parity (Parity) inspection and five for ECC that this extra five is used to rebuild the wrong information. When data of digit doubled, Parity also doubled, while ECC by simply adding a, so when the data for 64-bit used when ECC and Parity digits same (both for 8). In those Parity can detect the error of place, ECC may correct most mistakes. If working right, you won't find your data out fault, and only after memory error correction, computer instructions can continue to execute. Of course in the error correction when the performance of the system has obviously decreased, but this error correction on the server applications such as speaking is very important, ECC memory than common memory to much more expensive.

The CPU

The traditional workstation CPU is generally not Intel and AMD cpus while using RISC processor architecture, such as PowerPC processor, SPARC processor, etc, the corresponding gamerelease processors generally for UNIX operating system or other special operating system. RISC Reduced Instruction Set is English "abbreviation of Computing", Chinese means "Reduced Instruction Set." It is in Complex Instruction Set Computer (CISC Complex Instruction Set) command system developed on the basis of, for someone to CISC machine test shows that the use of various commands frequency quite disparity, the most commonly used is some more simple commands, they accounted for only refers to the workstations

Make 20 percent of the total, but arising in programs of frequency is occupied 80%. Complex instruction system will surely increase microprocessor complexity, which makes the processor developed for a long time, high cost. And complex instruction the need for a complex operation, will reduce the speed of a computer. Based on the above reasons, in the 1980s RISC type CPU is born, relative to CISC type CPU, RISC type CPU not only can simplify the command system, also adopted a called superscalar and super pipeline architecture ", which greatly increased the parallel processing ability (parallel processing parallel processing refers to a server with multiple CPU handle. Parallel processing can greatly enhance server data processing ability. BuMenJi, enterprise-level server should support the CPU parallel processing technology). That is to say, structure under the same frequency, using RISC architectures CPU than CISC architecture CPU performance, it is much higher than the technical features of the decision by the CPU. Currently in high-grade workstation widely adopted in this instruction system CPU. RISC type CPU and Intel and AMD cpus in software and hardware are not compatible.

In the market that profit workstation, Intel and Microsoft attract the Wintel alliance finally foray into this field, Intel Pentium Pro processors depending on its with Microsoft Windows NT operating system, in numerous PC system giant responded actively, gradually occupied the workstation low-end and part of the market. They are using CPU for CISC frame, CISC is Complex Instruction Set Computer English ", Chinese is the abbreviation of "means" Complex Instruction Set ", it is to point to Intel production x86 (intel-based CPU a naming convention) cpus and compatible CPU (other manufacturers such as AMD, VIA production such as CPU), it is based on personal Computer (PC) system structure. The CPU is commonly 32-bit structure, so we made it become IA - 32 CPU. The Intel Architecture (IA: the Intel Architecture,).

Hard disk

Now used for workstation System according to the hard disk Interface is different, basically have IDE (done) hard disk Drive Electronics, SCSI (Small Computer System with) hard disk, FC (any) interfaces disk and Fiber becomes SATA harddisk ATA).

The workstation for hard requirement between ordinary desktops and server, so the low-end between workstations can also use and desktop as IDE or SATA hard disk. And the middle and high-end of the workstation will use SCSI hard disk.

applications

Generally speaking, the workstation are mainly applied in the following fields:

Computer aided design and manufacturing CAD/CAM

This field is regarded as the traditional sphere workstation. Adopting CAD/CAM technology can greatly shorten the development cycle, and at the same time reduces the high technological products developing difficulty, improve product design quality. In CAD field, to a building to a small parts and graphics workstations with its direct, high-precision, high-efficiency shows powerful competitive advantage.

Animation design

The user group mainly television, advertising company, film and TV making company, game software development company, interior decoration company. Television using graphical workstation performed every TV program of picking animation, But advertising company USES it makes begin commercials animation scene, Film and TV making company applied to computer special effects production, Game software company as the development platform, Interior decoration company not only using graphics workstations to carry on the design, but also lets users before decorate can see its after decorating 3d simulation rendering.

GIS geographic information systems

It is mainly customer oriented city planning unit, the environmental protection department, geography and geological KanCeYuan institute, etc. They usually use graphics workstations running GIS software. It makes a user can real-time, intuitive understanding of the project location and the details of the surrounding facilities, such as road lamp-posts and underground drainage pipelines, etc. These large volumes of assignments are only in professional graphics processing capacity can be efficient operation work station.

Graphic image processing

It is the application of popularity higher industries. Users often in graphics workstations for hardware platform, with PhotoShop, CorelDraw software for operating tool, committed to the picture image processing, advertising and publicity colorpage design, packaging design, textiles pattern design, etc.

simulation

In military field, simulation technology is training fighter pilot, tankers and simulation sea effective means, In the scientific research and development fields, it enables designers in making prototype before, can work station in graphic simulation operation, timely, found that the problem of design modification.

At present, many manufacturers are introduced for different user groups workstation, such as IBM, DELL, HP, etc.