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{{Short description|Computer}}
{{Multiple issues|{{More citations needed|date=April 2023}}
{{Original research|date=April 2023}}}}
{{Infobox computer
| name = Sun Microsystems Sun 2
| discontinued = 
| website = 
| related = 
| successor = [[Sun-3]]
| predecessor = [[Sun-1]]
| dimensions = 
| weight = 
| os = 
| slots = 
| processor = [[Motorola 68010]]
| releasedate = {{Start date and age|November 1983}}
| aka = 
| manufacturer = 
| developer = [[Sun Microsystems]]
| designfirm = 
| type = [[Workstation]]
| caption = Sun 2/120 server with SMD disk tower
| image_size = 270px
| image = Sun 2-120 Server.jpg
| logo = 
| logo_caption = 
| logo-size = 
| baseprice = 2/120: {{USD|29300}} ({{Inflation|US-GDP|29300|1986|fmt=eq|r=-3}}{{Inflation/fn|US-GDP}})<br>
2/160: {{USD|48800}} ({{Inflation|US-GDP|48800|1986|fmt=eq|r=-3}}{{Inflation/fn|US-GDP}})<br>
2/170: {{USD|79500}} ({{Inflation|US-GDP|79500|1986|fmt=eq|r=-3}}{{Inflation/fn|US-GDP}})<br>
}}
The '''Sun-2''' series of [[UNIX]] [[workstation]]s and [[Server (computing)|server]]s was launched by [[Sun Microsystems]] in November 1983.<ref name="C4Wauto-3603256">{{cite book |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090813121307/http://www.sun.com/aboutsun/media/presskits/25years/coverage.html |archive-date=2009-08-13|url-status=dead  |title=Articles from the Past 25 Years |chapter=Sun Unveils 32-Bit Workstation|work=sun.com |chapter-url=http://www.sun.com/aboutsun/media/presskits/25years/coverage.html |date=November 7, 1983 |access-date=March 11, 2014 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref> As the name suggests, the Sun-2 represented the second generation of Sun systems, superseding the original [[Sun-1]] series. The Sun-2 series used a 10&nbsp;MHz [[Motorola 68010]] [[microprocessor]] with a proprietary Sun-2 [[Memory management unit|Memory Management Unit]] (MMU), which enabled it to be the first Sun architecture to run a full [[virtual memory]] UNIX implementation, [[SunOS]] 1.0, based on [[Berkeley Software Distribution|4.1BSD]]. Early Sun-2 models were based on the [[Intel]] [[Multibus]] architecture, with later models using [[VMEbus]], which continued to be used in the successor [[Sun-3]] and [[Sun-4]] families.

Sun-2 systems were supported in SunOS until version 4.0.3.

A port to support Multibus Sun-2 systems in [[NetBSD]] was begun in January 2001 from the Sun-3 support in the NetBSD 1.5 release. Code supporting the Sun-2 began to be merged into the NetBSD tree in April 2001.<ref name="C4Wauto-1694898">{{cite web |url=http://www.netbsd.org/ports/sun2/faq.html |title=NetBSD/sun2: Frequently Asked Questions |work=netbsd.org |date=January 1, 2013 <!-- No date available; last modification date used. --> |access-date=March 11, 2014 |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311081205/http://www.netbsd.org/ports/sun2/faq.html |archive-date=March 11, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> sun2 is considered a tier 2 support platform as of NetBSD 7.0.1.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.netbsd.org/ports/| title=Platforms Supported by NetBSD |website=NetBSD}}</ref>

== Sun-2 models ==
[[Image:Sun 2-50 Front.jpg|thumb|Sun 2/50 diskless workstation]]
Models are listed in approximately chronological order.

{|class="wikitable"
!Model
!CPU board
!Display
!Max. RAM
!Chassis
|- 
| '''2/120'''
| Sun-2 Multibus or Sun-2 Multibus Prime
| Monochrome
| 8 MB
|9-slot Multibus (deskside)
|-
| '''2/170'''
| Sun-2 Multibus or Sun-2 Multibus Prime
| Optional
| 8 MB
| 15-slot Multibus (rackmount)
|-
| '''2/50'''
| Sun 2050 VME
| Monochrome
| 8 MB
| 2-slot VME (desktop)
|-
| '''2/130'''
| Sun 2050 VME
| Monochrome
| 8 MB
| 12-slot VME (deskside)
|-
| '''2/160'''
| Sun 2050 VME
| Color
| 8 MB
| 12-slot VME (deskside)
|}

A desktop disk and tape sub-system was introduced for the Sun-2/50 desktop workstation. It could hold a [[Drive bay#5.25.22|5 ¼"]] disk drive and 5 ¼" [[tape drive]]. It used [[D-subminiature|DD-50]] (sometimes erroneously referred to as DB-50) connectors for its [[SCSI]] cables, a Sun specific design. It was often referred to as a "Sun Shoebox".
{{Gallery
|title=Sun-2 Disk and Tape Sub-System
|align=center
|Image:SunShoebox_Front.jpg|Sun-2 Disk and Tape Sub-System (front)
|Image:SunShoebox_Rear.jpg|Sun-2 Disk and Tape Sub-System (rear)
}}
Sun-1 systems upgraded with Sun-2 Multibus CPU boards were sometimes referred to as the '''2/100U''' (upgraded Sun-100) or '''2/150U''' (upgraded Sun-150).

A typical configuration of a monochrome 2/120 with 4&nbsp;MB of memory, 71&nbsp;MB SCSI disk and 20&nbsp;MB 1/4" SCSI tape cost $29,300 (1986 US price list<ref name=86price>Sun U.S. Price List, End User and OEM Version, Effective March 25, 1986, Sun Microsystems</ref>).

A color 2/160 with 8&nbsp;MB of memory, two 71&nbsp;MB SCSI disks and 60&nbsp;MB 1/4" SCSI tape cost $48,800 (1986 US price list<ref name=86price/>).

A Sun 2/170 server with 4&nbsp;MB of memory, no display, two Fujitu Eagle 380&nbsp;MB disk drive, one Xylogics 450 SMD disk controller, a 6250 bpi 1/2 inch tape drive and a 72" rack cost $79,500 (1986 US price list<ref name=86price/>).

==Sun-2 hardware==

[[Image:Sun 501-1051 CPU.jpg|thumb|Sun-2 Multibus Prime CPU]]

===Sun 2 Multibus systems===

Sun 2/120 (9 slot deskside) and 2/170 (15 slot rackmount) systems were based on the [[Multibus]] architecture. The CPU board was based on a 10&nbsp;MHz 68010 processor with a proprietary Sun Memory Management Unit (MMU) and could address 8&nbsp;MB of physical and 16&nbsp;MB of virtual memory. The top 1&nbsp;MB of physical memory address space was reserved for the monochrome frame buffer. The Multibus CPU board supported the Sun-1 parallel keyboard and mouse as well as two serial ports.

{{gallery|title=Sun-2 Multibus circuit boards
|align=center
|Image:Sun2_CPU.jpg|Sun-2 Multibus CPU board
|Image:Sun2_1MbMemory.jpg|Sun-2 Multibus 1&nbsp;MB memory board
|Image:Sun2_Ethernet.jpg|Sun-2 Multibus Ethernet board
|Image:Sun1_ColorGraphicsCard.jpg|Sun-1 Multibus color graphics board
|Image:3Com_Ethernet.jpg|3Com Multibus Ethernet board
|Image:Xylogics_450SMD_DiskController.jpg|Xylogics Multibus SMD disk controller board
|Image:Helios_4MbMemory.jpg|Helios Multibus 4&nbsp;MB memory board
}}

===Sun 2 VMEbus systems===

The Sun 2/50 (2 slot desktop), Sun 2/130 (12 slot monochrome deskside) and Sun 2/160 (12 slot color deskside) used quad-depth, triple height Eurocard [[VMEbus]] CPU boards. The [[VMEbus]] CPU board was based on the same design as the [[Multibus]] CPU but also included 2&nbsp;MB or 4&nbsp;MB of memory, the Sun-2 monochrome frame buffer, and 10&nbsp;Mbit/s Thick Ethernet on board.

Sun provided 1&nbsp;MB Multibus memory boards and 1&nbsp;MB and 4&nbsp;MB VMEbus memory boards but only supported configurations with a maximum of 4&nbsp;MB RAM. Companies such as Helios Systems also made 4&nbsp;MB memory boards that would work in Sun systems.

A common frame buffer was the Sun-2 Prime Monochrome Video. This board provided an 1152x900 monochrome display with [[transistor–transistor logic|TTL]] or [[emitter-coupled logic|ECL]] video signals, and keyboard and mouse ports. It normally occupied the top 1&nbsp;MB of physical memory address space. There was also a Sun-2 Color Video board available that provided an 1152x900 8-bit color display. This board occupied the top 4&nbsp;MB of address space.

42&nbsp;MB [[Modified Frequency Modulation|MFM]] disks were commonly used for storage. Two disks could be connected to an [[Adaptec]] MFM/[[SCSI]] and then to a Sun-2 Multibus Serial/SCSI Host Adapter. The SCSI board provided two additional serial ports. For larger storage requirements, 65, 130, and 380&nbsp;MB [[Storage Module Device|SMD]] disks were connected to a [[Xylogics]] 450 SMD Controller. The SMD controller could support four disks even though Sun only supported two. A 20&nbsp;MB [[Quarter inch cartridge|QIC]] tape drive could be connected through an [[Archive Corporation|Archive]] QIC/SCSI converter. The system also supported 1/2" tape drives connected to a Computer Products Corporation TAPEMASTER or a Xylogics 472 board.

An Ethernet connection was provided by a Sun board based on the Intel 82586 chip, or a [[3Com]] 3c400 board. The server could support [[diskless workstation|diskless]] Sun-2/50 clients through the Ethernet board.

Other supported Multibus boards included the Sky Computer Floating Point Processor, Sun ALM (Asynchronous Line Multiplexer) with 8 serial ports, and Sun SunLink Communications Processor (SCP) for [[Systems Network Architecture|SNA]] and [[X.25]] connectivity.

{{gallery|title=Sun-2 VME circuit boards
|align=center
|Image:Sun_2-50_Processor.JPG|Sun-2 VME CPU board
|Image:Sun_2-50_RAM-SCSI.JPG|Sun-2 VME 1&nbsp;MB Memory and SCSI board
}}

==Reception==
''BYTE'' in August 1984 described the Sun-2/120 as a "[[VAX]]-class machine", with "superb graphics and excellent response time under loading".<ref name="hinnant198408">{{cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1984-08/page/n137/mode/2up | title=Benchmarking UNIX Systems | magazine=[[Byte (magazine)|Byte]]| volume=9| issue=8 | date=Aug 1984 | access-date=23 February 2016 | author=Hinnant, David F. | pages=132–135, 400–409}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Sun-1]]
*[[Sun-3]]
*[[Sun386i]]
*[[Sun-4]]
*[[SPARCstation]]
*[[3M computer]]

{{Sun computer timeline}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.sunhelp.org/faq/sunref1.html The Sun Hardware Reference, Part 1]
*The Sun-2 Hardware Reference: [http://sunstuff.org/Sun-Hardware-Ref/s2hr/part1 Part 1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927084328/http://sunstuff.org/Sun-Hardware-Ref/s2hr/part1 |date=2007-09-27 }} and [http://sunstuff.org/Sun-Hardware-Ref/s2hr/part2 Part 2] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927084335/http://sunstuff.org/Sun-Hardware-Ref/s2hr/part2 |date=2007-09-27 }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927222850/http://www.soupwizard.com/sun2/index.htm soupwizard.com Sun-2 Archive]
*[http://web.cuzuco.com/~cuzuco/sun2/ Sun2 Review from UNIX/WORLD October 1984]
*[http://www.solivant.com/OldStuff/sun100/ Sun 100u with Sun2 boards]
*[http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/sun/sun2/ Sun 2 board manuals]
*[https://gunkies.org/wiki/Sun-2 gunkies.org Sun-2 wiki]
*[https://people.csail.mit.edu/fredette/tme/index.html The Machine Emulator (Sun-2 Emulator running on NetBSD)]

{{Sun Microsystems}}

[[Category:Computer-related introductions in 1983]]
[[Category:Diskless workstations]]
[[Category:Sun servers]]
[[Category:Sun workstations]]
[[Category:68k-based computers]]
[[Category:32-bit computers]]