page_title: Compaq SystemPro
section_title: Multiprocessing
hierarchical_section_title: Compaq SystemPro / Innovative features / Multiprocessing
caption_attribution_description: English: Compaq SystemPro Server, closeup of the 386/33 CPU-Board Deutsch: Compaq SystemPro Server, Detailsansicht der 386/33 CPU-Steckkarte
context_page_description: The SystemPro from Compaq, released in November 1989, was arguably the first true PC based server. It supported Intel's 486 chip, a 32-bit bus, RAID disk and dual-processor support well before its main rivals.
context_section_description: At its initial release in November 1989, the SystemPro supported up to two 33 MHz 386 processors, but early in 1990 33 MHz 486 processors became an option (the processors were housed on proprietary daughterboards).  Because the system was asymmetric, 386 and 486 processors could be mixed.  Single processor configurations were also available.
  The only operating system which fully supported the SystemPro's asymmetric multiprocessing was a custom version of SCO Unix, sold by Compaq.  However, when running OS/2, certain applications (notably Sybase SQL Server) could be offloaded to the second processor, and later, Novell NetWare SFT-III was able to offload its I/O engine.  It is worth noting that the original versions of Windows NT (3.1) included a hardware abstraction layer specifically for the SystemPro; despite NT's symmetric multiprocessing design, this HAL could offload some kernel tasks to the second CPU. This made Windows NT 3.1 the only version of Windows to support multiprocessor 386-based machines.
caption: CPU-board closeup
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