Hewlett Packard PA-RISC (Precision Architecture Reduced Instruction Set Computing) is a family of microprocessors developed by Hewlett Packard (HP) in the 1980s. These processors were widely used in HP's line of servers, workstations, and supercomputers. Along with the hardware, HP also developed various operating systems to run on PA-RISC architecture. In this article, we will explore the different operating systems available for PA-RISC and their features.
Commercial Operating Systems
The primary operating system for PA-RISC architecture is HP-UX. HP-UX is a commercial Unix-based operating system that has been developed and maintained by HP since 198It is designed to provide a stable and reliable platform for business-critical applications. HP-UX supports all PA-RISC systems and has a wide range of features and tools for system administration, networking, and security.
Another commercial operating system for PA-RISC is NeXTSTEP. NeXTSTEP is based on the Mach microkernel and was developed by NeXT, Inc. It was later acquired by Apple Inc. NeXTSTEP was available on a few PA-RISC 700 workstations and offered advanced features for software development and multimedia applications.
HP also developed MPE/iX and HP-RT as commercial real-time operating systems for specific market segments. MPE/iX was designed for the HP 3000 series of computers and provided real-time processing capabilities. HP-RT was a real-time operating system for the HP 740rt VME system.
Open Source Operating Systems
In addition to commercial operating systems, there are several open-source operating systems available for PA-RISC architecture. These operating systems have been developed by the community and offer flexibility and customization options.
One of the most popular open-source operating systems for PA-RISC is Linux. Linux support for PA-RISC was included in mainstream distributions during the 2000s. Debian and Gentoo shipped with PA-RISC support, and now it is available as part of Debian-ports. Linux provides a robust and versatile platform for various applications and has a large community of developers and users.
OpenBSD is another open-source operating system that has been ported to PA-RISC computers. OpenBSD/hppa focuses on 32-bit workstations and some 64-bit models running in 32-bit mode. It provides a secure and stable environment for networking and system administration.
NetBSD, a free and open-source Unix-like operating system, also supports PA-RISC architecture. Initially known as NetBSD/hp700, it has been based on OpenBSD and offers a wide range of features and support for various hardware configurations.
QEMU, a popular open-source machine emulator, supports PA-RISC architecture. It can emulate a B160L workstation and allows running HP-UX, BSD, NeXTSTEP, and Linux on PA-RISC systems.
Research and Development Operating Systems
PA-RISC architecture was widely used for research and development projects during the late 1980s to mid-1990s. Many of these projects were based on the Mach microkernel and aimed to explore new design concepts and technologies.
MkLinux was a research project by the Open Group/OSF to port a Linux kernel onto a Mach microkernel. It was based on the MK-PA OSF/1 port to PA-RISC and provided a platform for experimenting with the combination of Linux and Mach.
HPBSD, developed by the University of Utah, was a port of 3BSD and later 4BSD to early PA-RISC servers and workstations. It allowed researchers to explore the capabilities of BSD Unix on PA-RISC architecture.
Several ports of the Mach microkernel were also done during the early 1990s. HP Tut ported Mach 0, and the University of Utah worked on ports of Mach 3 and Mach 4 Lites. These projects aimed to study the performance and scalability of the Mach microkernel on PA-RISC systems.
OSF/1, a research Unix operating system developed by the alliance of DEC, IBM, HP, and others, also had ports for PA-RISC architecture. HP OSF/1 and MK-PA were developed to compete with AT&T/Sun System V Unix.
While MkLinux and Mach 4/Lites were publicly available, other research and development operating systems required licenses for their source code. However, Linux and BSD ports made significant use of the codebase and developments from these projects.
Support Overview
In summary, PA-RISC architecture has been supported by a wide range of operating systems over the years. HP-UX remains the primary commercial operating system for PA-RISC, offering stability and reliability for business applications. Linux and BSD variants provide open-source alternatives with extensive community support and flexibility.
For research and development purposes, projects like MkLinux, HPBSD, and Mach ports allowed researchers to explore new ideas and technologies on PA-RISC architecture.
Overall, the availability of multiple operating systems for PA-RISC architecture demonstrates the versatility and adaptability of this platform, making it a viable choice for various industries and applications.