The DS10 is a single processor 21264 server in a 3U rack-ready or desktop enclosure, with Tsunami core logic and a single PCI bus. ^{1) 2)} The XP900 is a rebadged DS10 aimed at the OpenVMS workstation market. ³⁾ The DS10L is a 1U version with the same CPU speeds and memory capacity, but room for one disk to the DS10's four, and one PCI slot to the DS10's four. ⁴⁾

• One 21264 with 2 MiB of L2 cache: a 466 MHz 21264 (EV6) ⁵⁾ or, in later models, a 21264A (EV67) sold as 600 MHz ⁶⁾. The 600 MHz model actually runs at 617 MHz, and its console and operating systems identify it as the "DS10 617 MHz" ^{7) 8)}
• The DS10L was sold with the same two CPUs: a 466 MHz 21264 ⁹⁾ or a 600 MHz 21264A, each with 2 MiB of cache ¹⁰⁾
• 21272 (Tsunami) core logic with 128-bit wide memory datapaths and a crossbar switch, 1.3 GB/s peak memory bandwidth
• Up to 2 GiB of ECC 100 MHz SDRAM DIMMs, with ECC on memory and processor cache
• Four PCI slots: three 64-bit and one 32-bit
• IDE storage, or SCSI with an optional PCI adapter; the IDE controller is part of the ALi M1543C multi-I/O chip ¹¹⁾
• Two onboard 21143 (Tulip) 10/100 Ethernet controllers ¹²⁾
• Five drive bays (floppy, CD-ROM, and three open), 300 W power supply
• Two serial ports, one parallel port, keyboard and mouse
• Auto reboot, thermal management, remote system management, memory failover, error logging

The XP900 has the same 466 MHz 21264 with 2 MiB of L2 cache and the same memory limit, but leaves up to two PCI slots available and adds 2D and 3D graphics support including multi-head, and audio. It was sold for OpenVMS. ¹³⁾

Use the final SRM version, V7.3-1 (see final SRM versions). Linux boots from SRM with aboot, although the XP900 console reference names AlphaBIOS as the console for Windows NT and Linux. ¹⁴⁾

• The console numbers the PCI slots differently from the chassis: logical slots 14 to 17 are physical slots 0 to 3, counting from the bottom, and the bottom slot is the 32-bit one. ¹⁵⁾ Onboard, the two Ethernet controllers, which the console reports as DE500-BA, are on bus 0 slots 9 and 11 and the Acer Labs M1543C IDE (dqa and dqb) on slot 13. ¹⁶⁾
• The remote management console is reached with Esc Esc rmc, of which only the "MC" is echoed. ¹⁷⁾

Current kernels support these systems (CONFIG_ALPHA_DP264, or a generic kernel), which boot from SRM with aboot. ¹⁸⁾ SRM can boot Linux from the onboard IDE disk and CD-ROM. ¹⁹⁾ The onboard 21143 Ethernet controllers use the tulip driver and the ALi M1543C IDE controller the pata_ali driver. ^{20) 21)} See also Tsunami Systems.

The DS10L has the same onboard devices: its console lists the two Ethernet controllers as DE500-BA and the Acer Labs M1543C IDE, and its single PCI slot is logical slot 17. ²²⁾ Graphics are an option on the DS10L, ²³⁾ and would occupy that one slot; a serial console leaves it free. The DS10L's COM1 port is both the RMC port and an ordinary serial port. ²⁴⁾ For serial console setup, see Using SRM.

Debian Ports installed on a DS10L from both its network and CD images in 2015, ²⁵⁾ and a DS10 was running Debian in 2024. ²⁶⁾

• Large disks: the DS10L's IDE controller, in the ALi M1543C A1 southbridge, is Ultra-33 with 28-bit LBA; Tru64 UNIX could use only the first 128 GiB of a 250 GB disk that SRM V7.3-1 listed correctly. ²⁷⁾ Linux's pata_ali driver issues the 48-bit commands needed beyond 128 GiB by PIO on these controllers, so the whole disk is usable, with slower access to the part above 128 GiB. ²⁸⁾
• Noise and cooling: the DS10L's fans are too loud for an office, ²⁹⁾ and its cooling capacity is limited. ³⁰⁾

The following sources conflict with each other or with the account given above. They are listed here for further investigation.

• XP900 maximum memory
  • AlphaStation XP900, Systems and Options Catalog, September 1999, p. 2: "up to 1 GB maximum"
  • Compaq AlphaStation XP900 Alpha 21264 Processor, Product Profile, June 1999: "Up to 2GB ECC-protected 100MHz SDRAM DIMM memory"