It essentially upgraded the Iris 50 with modern integrated circuits, as well as multiprocessor capabilities.

[3] The CPU is a modification of the CII 10070 (32-bit words, largely identical instruction set), with addressing revised for multi-processor operation.

This rewrite was carried out by Jean Ichbiah,[4] and notably made it possible to operate an Iris 80 triple-processor system in Évry.[which?]

It was the first system to include routing software for the transport of data to other computers, Transiris [fr], and a networking and data sharing system, adapted to the customers at universities, research centers, and administrations of Iris 80.

The CYCLADES network was notably demonstrated at SICOB 1975 with applications simultaneously running at the INRIA headquarters at Rocquencourt and various regional sites.