{"id":22966,"date":"2025-12-06T11:29:05","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T16:29:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/?page_id=22966"},"modified":"2026-06-22T14:46:38","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T18:46:38","slug":"vin181","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\/vin181\/","title":{"rendered":"Sun Ultra 25"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 100%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h1 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-3xl md:text-4xl lg:text-5xl lg:leading-[3.5rem] pb-5 after:w-10 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        Sun Ultra 25\n                    <\/h1>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\">Vintage Computing Collection<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"sun-ultra-25\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sun Ultra 25<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>[Vin181]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"160\" height=\"142\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-160x142.png\" alt=\"Carleton U Logo\" class=\"wp-image-20435\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-160x142.png 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-240x213.png 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-768x682.png 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-400x355.png 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-1536x1363.png 1536w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-2048x1818.png 2048w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/B_Logo_V-RGBRedBlackonLight150_130821-360x320.png 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251205_140825324-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251205_140825324-400x300.jpg\" alt=\"Sun Ultra 25\" class=\"wp-image-22971\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251205_140825324-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251205_140825324-160x120.jpg 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251205_140825324-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251205_140825324-768x577.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251205_140825324-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251205_140825324-2048x1538.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251205_140825324-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20251205_140825324-360x270.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Sun Ultra 25 workstation, released around 2007, stands out in vintage computing history for its role as an entry-level SPARC\/Solaris system that delivered reliable Unix performance in a compact tower form, succeeding models like the Sun Blade 1500 with upgrades to UltraSPARC IIIi processors (up to 1.34 GHz), support for 8 GB ECC memory, dual Gigabit Ethernet, and PCI Express graphics like the XVR-2500 for 3D visualization. Its claim to fame lies in bridging high-end workstation capabilities with affordability for sectors like education, CAD, scientific computing, and government, emphasizing dense SATA\/SAS storage (up to 1 TB internally) and robust I\/O for handling complex datasets. In a university museum context, it exemplifies Sun Microsystems&#8217; late-era push for accessible RISC\/Unix power before Oracle&#8217;s acquisition, making it valuable for demos of Solaris ecosystems and SPARC architecture&#8217;s legacy in networked computing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Manufacturer<\/strong>: Sun Microsystems<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Model<\/strong>: Ultra 25<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Type<\/strong>: Desktop<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Released<\/strong>: 2007<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Original Pricing: <\/strong>~$4,000 (adjusted for inflation in CAD)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MIPS<\/strong>: 20-30<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"hardware-specifications\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW169789978 BCX0\">Hardware Specifications<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Processor<\/strong>: Single Sun UltraSPARC IIIi at 1.34 GHz with 1 MB L2 cache.\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Memory<\/strong>: Up to 8 GB ECC DDR-1 (4 DIMM slots).\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Expansion Slots<\/strong>: Two PCI-Express x16 (electrically x8), one PCI-Express x8 (electrically x4), two PCI-X 100 MHz\/64-bit.\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Storage<\/strong>: Up to four internal SATA (250 GB each) or SAS (146 GB, 15K rpm) drives; standard 160 GB SATA.\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Networking<\/strong>: Dual 10\/100\/1000 Base-T Gigabit Ethernet ports.\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Graphics<\/strong>: Supported Sun XVR-300, XVR-2500 accelerators; up to two in PCI-Express slots.\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ports<\/strong>: Six USB 2.0, two FireWire, two serial, AC97 audio.\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Optical Drive<\/strong>: DVD-ROM\/CD-RW.\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Power Supply<\/strong>: 300-1000W.\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Weight<\/strong>: Approximately 15-20 kg<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"operating-system-programming-languages\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW50331614 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW50331614 BCX0\">Operating System &amp; Programming Languages<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW50331614 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>O\/S<\/strong>: &nbsp;Solaris 10<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Programming Languages:<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>C\/C++<\/strong>: Via Sun Studio 11 compiler suite, preinstalled for high-performance computing and Solaris development.\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Java<\/strong>: Through Sun Java Studio Creator, Enterprise, and NetBeans IDE, optimized for web and enterprise apps.\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fortran<\/strong>: Included in Sun Studio 11 for scientific and engineering workloads common on SPARC systems.\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unix shells like Bourne, Korn, and Bash for scripting; additional languages via packages, such as Python or Perl on Solaris.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"notables\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Notables<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>SUN computers were used extensively at the HPCVL (High Performance Computing Virtual Laboratory) and the Paradigm Laboratory at the School of Computer Science at Carleton University supervised by Dr. J\u00f6rg-R\u00fcdiger Sack<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Entry-level SPARC workstation succeeding Sun Blade 150\/1500, introducing PCI-Express graphics and SATA\/SAS storage for denser, faster I\/O in Unix environments.\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>One of the last Sun-designed SPARC systems before Oracle acquisition, retaining binary compatibility for legacy Solaris apps in education, CAD, and defense.\u200b<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Emphasized N1 Grid Engine for clustering idle workstations, pioneering resource pooling in mid-2000s enterprise computing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Donated by<\/strong>: Dr. J\u00f6rg-R\u00fcdiger Sack<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\">Vintage Computing Collection<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sun Ultra 25 [Vin181] The Sun Ultra 25 workstation, released around 2007, stands out in vintage computing history for its role as an entry-level SPARC\/Solaris system that delivered reliable Unix performance in a compact tower form, succeeding models like the Sun Blade 1500 with upgrades to UltraSPARC IIIi processors (up to 1.34 GHz), support for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":19704,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cu_dining_location_slug":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_page_type":[128,90,123],"class_list":["post-22966","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","cu_page_type-desktop","cu_page_type-vintage-computing","cu_page_type-vintage-inventory"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22966","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22966"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22966\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25127,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/22966\/revisions\/25127"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_page_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_page_type?post=22966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}