1988

SPEC incorporates on November 14.

1989

• SPECmark (subsequently known as SPEC CPU89) introduced with a VAX 11/780 as a reference machine and 10 computation-intensive benchmark programs (average size of 2.5 billion dynamic instructions per program).

1992

• SPEC92 (subsequently known as SPEC CPU92) debuts with 20 benchmark programs and up to 10.2 billion dynamic instruction count.

1993

• SPECsfs 93, a one-test NFS benchmark suite derived from the Nhfsstone workload, is introduced.

1994

• The SPEC High Performance Group (SPEC/HPG) is formed.
• The Graphics Performance Characterization (GPC) group releases the SPECviewperf benchmark for graphics performance.

1995

• SPEC CPU95 goes live, with a SPARCstation 10 model 40 as its reference machine and 18 benchmark programs with up to 520.4 billion dynamic instruction count.

1996

• SPEC/HPG releases SPEChpc96, a benchmark suite that measures the performance of HPC systems running industrial-style applications.
• The GPC Group (now SPEC/GWPG) joins SPEC and releases SPECviewperf 5.0.
• SPEC announces SPECweb96, the first standardized benchmark for measuring the performance of web servers.

1997

• SPECsfs 97 released with major upgrades, including support for both NFS protocol version 3 and version 2.
• The SPEC Application Performance Characterization (SPECapc) project group is formed under SPEC/GWPG.

1998

• SPEC releases SPECjvm98, the first industry-standard benchmark that measures performance for Java virtual machine (JVM) client platforms.
• SPECapc releases Solidworks 98 and Quake II application benchmarks.
• SPECviewperf 6 is released with a new viewset and support for multiple primitive types and textures.

1999

• SPECweb99 is released with a new framework and workload that reflect industry changes.

• SPECapc releases new application benchmarks for Pro/ENGINEER and SolidWorks CAD/CAM software.
• On December 30, SPEC rings in the new millennium with SPEC CPU2000, comprising 26 benchmarks and dynamic instruction counts that reach 546.7 billion.

2000

• SPEC/HPG announces SPEComp2001, a new benchmark development effort based on OMP applications.
• SPEC releases its first server-side Java benchmark, SPEC JBB2000.
• SPECapc releases a new benchmark for Unigraphics V15.

2001

• SPEC releases SPECmail 2001, a benchmark for evaluating the performance of mail servers.
• SPEC OMP2001, a benchmark suite based on OpenMP applications for evaluating the performance of SMP systems, goes live.
• SPECapc releases new benchmarks for systems running 3ds Max, Solid Edge and Unigraphics software.

2002

• SPEC releases SPECjAppServer2001, a client/server benchmark that measures the performance of Java Enterprise Application Servers.
• SPEC/HPG releases SPEC OMPL2001, a new benchmark suite that measures the performance of computing systems running large scalable applications.

• New SPECviewperf 7.0 enables general state changes to be made during frames, bringing the benchmark much closer to real-world behavior.
• The SPEChpc 2002 benchmark, derived from real HPC applications and practices, is released.
• SPECapc updates its benchmarks for new versions of Solidworks, 3ds Max and Pro/E applications.

2003

• SPECapc updates its benchmarks for new versions of Solid Edge, Solidworks and Maya applications.
• SPEC/HPG releases V3.0 of the OMP benchmark.

2004

• SPEC releases SPECjAppServer2004, a multi-tier benchmark for measuring the performance of Java 2 Enterprise Edition (J2EE) application servers.
• SPECviewperf 8 released with four new viewsets and application tracing that gets closer to application behavior in the real world.
• SPECapc updates its benchmarks for new versions of Solid Edge, Solidworks, Maya and 3ds Max applications.

2005

• SPEC releases its JBB2005 benchmark for evaluating server-side Java performance.
• SPECweb 2005 released with three real-world workloads and dynamic content in PHP and JSP.
• SPECapc updates its benchmarks for new versions of Maya and 3ds Max applications.

2006

• SPEC CPU2006 is released with 29 benchmarks exercising new areas of functionality for CPUs, memory systems, and compilers.
• The SPECpower committee is formed to develop standard methods and metrics for comparing energy use of server-class computers.
• New SPECviewperf 9 features two new viewsets and major code changes. A Linux/Unix version is also released.
• SPECapc updates its benchmarks for new versions of 3ds Max, NX and Pro/E applications.

2007

• SPECpower_ssj2008, the first industry-standard benchmark that measures power consumption in relation to performance for server-class computers, goes live.
• SPEC forms a new subcommittee to develop standard methods of comparing performance for servers using the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).
• SPECviewperf 10 adds performance measurement for full-scene anti-aliasing and multithreading.
• SPEC/HPG releases MPI2007 to measure the performance of parallel computing systems and clusters running Message-Passing Interface (MPI) applications.
• SPECjms2007, a new benchmark designed to measure performance of enterprise messaging servers based on JMS (Java Message Service), makes its debut.
• SPECapc updates its benchmarks for 3ds Max, NX, Solid Edge and Solidworks.

2008

• SPECsfs2008, designed to evaluate the speed and request-handling capabilities of file servers utilizing the NFSv3 and CIFS protocols, is released.
• SPEC releases SPECjvm2008, a benchmark suite for measuring the performance of a Java Runtime Environment (JRE).
• SPECmail2008, designed to measure the performance of enterprise mail servers compliant with SMTP and IMAP4 protocols, makes its debut.
• SPECviewperf 10 for Linux/Unix is released.

2009

• The SPECpower committee embarks on a project to develop a Server Efficiency Rating Tool (SERT) for use by the EPA.
• SPECmail2009, a new version of the enterprise mail server benchmark, goes live.
• SPECweb2009 is released with new power/performance measurement.
• SPECjEnterprise2010 is released to measure performance for Java Enterprise Edition 5 or later application servers, databases and infrastructure.
• SPECapc releases new benchmark for Lightwave 3D and updates its Maya application benchmark.

2010

• SPECviewperf 11 released with a new GUI and fully updated viewsets based on traces from professional applications.
• SPECvirt_sc2010, SPEC's first benchmark for virtualized server consolidation, goes live.

• SPEC/HPG releases MPI2007 v2.0, which adds the MPIL2007 suite to allow testing up to 2048 ranks.
• SPEC and ACM launch the first International Conference on Performance Engineering (ICPE).

2011

• SPEC's Research Group (SPEC RG) is formed to develop standard scenarios and workloads for emerging technologies and applications.
• SPEC releases SPECsip_Infrastructure2011, designed to evaluate a system's ability to act as a SIP server.
• SPECapc releases updated benchmark for the 3ds Max application.
• SPEC RG establishes the annual Kaivalya Dixit Distinguished Dissertation Award.

2012

• SPEC forms a new Cloud subcommittee.
• SPEC releases SPEC OMP 2012, an updated benchmark for measuring performance and energy efficiency using applications based on the OpenMP 3.1 standard.
• SPEC/GWPG forms a workstation performance characterization (SPECwpc) group.
• The first two SPEC Kaivalya Dixit Distinguished Dissertation Awards are presented.
• SPEC RG establishes the Security Benchmarking and Cloud working groups.
• SPECapc releases updated benchmarks for Creo, NX and Maya applications.

2013

• The Server Efficiency Rating Tool (SERT), comprising synthetic worklets to test power consumption data at different load levels, makes its debut.

• SERT testing becomes mandatory part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) ENERGY STAR for Servers specification.
• SPECjbb2013, developed from the ground up to measure performance based on the latest Java application features, is released.
• SPECvirt_sc2013, the latest virtualized server benchmark, goes live.

• SPECwpc releases the first benchmark to measure all key aspects of workstation performance based on diverse professional applications.
• SPECviewperf 12 released with extensible architecture and new viewsets representing energy and medical applications.
• SPECapc updates benchmarks for NX and Solidworks applications.

2014

• SPEC ACCEL V1.0, a benchmark suite that measures performance with computationally intensive parallel applications, goes live.
• SPEC releases the Chauffeur WDK (Worklet Development Kit) Tool, designed to simplify the development of workloads for measuring both performance and energy efficiency.
• SPEC SFS2014, SPEC's updated benchmark suite to measure performance of storage configurations, is released.
• Fifth annual ICPE conference held in Dublin.
• SPECapc updates its benchmark for the 3ds Max application.
• SPEC RG forms working groups for Big Data and DevOps Performance.

2015

• SPECwpc 2.0 is released with improved storage workloads and better scalability measurement for multi-core systems.
• SPECjbb2015, an enhanced Java server benchmark that now supports virtualized hosts, is released.
• SPECapc updates benchmarks for Creo and Solidworks.

2016

• SPEC holds benchmarking symposiums and technical meetings in Beijing, China.
• SPEC Cloud_IaaS 2016, a new benchmark that measures the performance of infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) cloud implementations, is released.
• SPECapc updates its benchmark for the NX application.

2017

• SPEC releases SPEC CPU2017, an all-new version of its flagship performance evaluation suite, with 43 individual benchmarks organized into four categories.
• SERT 2.0, which adds a single-value metric and numerous other improvements, is released.
• SPEC establishes the Power working group.
• Version 2.0 of the Chauffeur Workload Development Kit (WDK) is released.
• SPECapc updates its benchmark for the Maya application.

2018

• SPEC releases SPECjEnterprise2018 Web Profile, a new benchmark measuring performance of Java EE 7 Web Profile application servers.
• SPEC offers HPG benchmarks (ACCEL, MPI2007, OMP2012) free of charge to qualified non-profit organizations worldwide.
• SPECviewperf 13 is released with new and updated viewsets, redesigned GUI, and improved scoring and reporting methods.
• SPECworkstation 3 (formerly SPECwpc) is released with new and updated workloads throughout the benchmark suite.
• SPEC Cloud IaaS 2018 is released with new workload versions and a wide range of methodology updates.
• EPA's ENERGY STAR Version 3.0 for Computer Servers defines active state efficiency thresholds based on SERT.
• SPECapc updates its benchmark for the Maya application.
• SPEC RG creates the Quality of Experience working group.