Product: Ultimate Linux Box 2003Manufacturer: Monarch Computer SystemsAddress: 5242 Royal Woods Parkway Suite 160               Tucker, Georgia 30084Telephone: 800-611-0875URL: www.monarchcomputer.com

Monarch Computer Systems of Tucker, GA has launched their Ultimate Linux Box line of workstations and servers for 2003. First conceived in 2001, the ULB line was born from a Linux Journal review naming a Monarch workstation the Ultimate Linux Box. Since that time Monarch has updated and expanded the line with new products and the line has been winning awards ever since. For 2003 Monarch updated the motherboard chipset, available CPU speeds, and introduced a 19" rack mountable version. Although these systems come with many Operating Systems optional, these systems are designed with Linux compatibility in mind.

The newest models use the brand new AMD Athlon processors 2400 MP on the latest Tyan server board, the Tyan Thunder S2469UGN with onboard Adaptec Ultra-320 SCSI controller. These systems come standard with 1GB of PC2100 Registered ECC memory, a Seagate Cheetah ST336732LW/LC Ultra 320 15K/10K 36 GB SCSI hard drives, a 16X40 DVD drive and floppy. The system is available in the Lian-Li PC7323A aluminum tower or in the AIC RM2Q rack chassis, which fits in a 2U 19" rack bay. Both chassis come with 460-watt power supplies and the AIC 2U comes with six hot-swap SCA bays. With the 2400 MP processors these systems start at $2800

"These systems have always been powerful; with the newest options they are more flexible than ever too," said Richard Harris, President of Monarch Computer Systems, " Now you can just hop on our web site and in a few minutes you can design your own ultimate Linux server or workstation without fear of compatibility issues or problems."

The AMD Athlon MP processor, featuring QuantiSpeed architecture and Smart MP technology, is the latest member of the AMD Athlon family of processors that offers exceptional multiprocessing capability. The AMD Athlon MP processor offers fully-featured logic implementation to support smarter multiprocessing, based on AMD's Smart MP technology. With QuantiSpeed architecture, the AMD Athlon MP processor delivers extra performance by increasing the amount of work done per clock cycle and, at the same time, improving the processor's operating frequency. This combination delivers compelling application performance. The AMD Athlon MP processor is the world's first seventh-generation x86 processor for high-performance multiprocessing servers and workstations. It provides the fundamental building blocks to power 1- and 2-way server and workstation platforms, especially for users in the commercial and enterprise arenas.

This processor is designed to optimize the execution of multi-threaded and mission-critical applications, and to meet the reliability and computation-intensive requirements of cutting-edge software applications. It allows servers and workstations to run the most demanding Microsoft Windows compatible business and multimedia applications available today, with ample performance headroom for tomorrow's advances in software and operating systems.

QuantiSpeed architecture, the latest technological enhancement to the award-winning AMD Athlon processor core, provides for increased performance in server and workstation applications. At the heart of QuantiSpeed architecture is a nine-issue, superscalar, fully-pipelined core. This provides more pathways to feed application instructions into the execution engines of the core, allowing the processor to complete more work in a given clock cycle. Additional features of QuantiSpeed architecture include a superscalar, fully-pipelined floating-point engine, hardware data prefetch, and exclusive and speculative Translation Look-aside Buffers (TLBs). The combination of these powerful features allows developers to visualize, design, and animate more efficiently, while IT managers' needs are addressed with more throughput and transactions for servers, and increased overall productivity.

A key advantage of this multiprocessing platform is Smart MP technology, which helps the processor and chipset offer a more efficient platform and deliver better overall performance. Dual, independent, point-to-point buses and an exemplary cache management system, together with a bus that allows high-speed communications between processors, unite to make this new platform an exciting, efficient, and cost-effective solution for IT managers. Other Smart MP technology features include an optimized cache coherency protocol, which manages data and memory traffic, as well as innovative "snoop" buses, which offer high-speed communication between the CPUs in a multiprocessing system. In addition, the use of a transaction-based bus protocol allows the processors to stay in operation, even while outstanding data requests are being filled.

The AMD Athlon MP processor, together with the innovative AMD-760 MPX chipset, delivers breakthrough performance in a dual processor platform. The AMD-760 MPX chipset is a high-performance, two-way multiprocessor core logic solution for AMD Athlon MP processors. The chipset's high performance is attributed to an enhanced 266MHz system bus, support for DDR memory technology, and an AGP-4x graphics interface and high-speed 66MHz/64-bit PCI Bus. Together with sophisticated core logic in memory and I/O control, and design consideration for system and power management, the AMD-760 MPX chipset provides a powerful solution for multiprocessor server and workstation platforms. This platform provides outstanding multiprocessing capability by optimizing the execution of multi-threaded, mission-critical applications, empowering commercial enterprises to achieve new levels of productivity. The AMD Athlon MP processor, featuring QuantiSpeed architecture and Smart MP technology, and the AMD-760 MPX chipset: This winning combination offers stable and reliable multiprocessing performance for workstations and servers.

In addition, AMD's single, stable platform-Socket A-offers IT managers lower enterprise management costs by helping to minimize infrastructure churn, plus it offers an easy upgrade path addressing a wide range of commercial computing needs, from appliance and general servers to high-end workstations. AMD's Socket A platform enables enterprise customers to meet today's needs while helping to ensure long-term investment protection and a path toward future growth.

The AMD Athlon MP processor's advanced architectural features help ensure outstanding levels of performance for servers and workstations. These features include:

AMD has shipped more than 175 million PC processors worldwide. AMD processors undergo extensive testing to confirm compatibility with Microsoft Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT®, Windows 2000, and other leading PC operating systems.

The AMD Athlon MP processor family is compatible with more than 60,000 software applications, including the latest 3DNow! Professional and MMX technology-enhanced software. To assist seamless integration into the enterprise environment, AMD has partnered with industry-leading hardware and software companies. AMD also conducts its own rigorous processor validation to ensure comprehensive compatibility. Systems based on this platform are available immediately from industry-leading OEMs worldwide.

The new ULB systems are on sale now at www.monarchcomputer.com, or by calling 1-8-MONARCHPC (1-866-627-2472) and speaking to our highly trained sales representatives. Custom Linux systems take 7-11 business days from order placement to ship date.

Founded in 1991 in Tucker, GA as a computer parts distributor, Monarch began selling custom built systems to the general public, government and educational institutions over the Internet or Phone. Monarch has developed and expanded a line of high-quality, pre-built systems to include gaming PC's, CAD and corporate workstations, and mid-to-high-end servers. Monarch is currently recognized as one of the top-100 system builders in the country by NASBA, and has won many awards for service and support.