Large computers are critical to some of the world's largest companies. Each mainframe has more than one modern processor, with RAM ranging from a few megabytes to a few gigabytes, and disk space and other storage beyond anything on the PC. The mainframe can control multiple tasks and serve thousands of users per second without downtime.
The main difference between a mainframe and other computing systems is the level of processing that takes place. Mainframes also differ in data bandwidth, organization, reliability, and control. Large organizations - banks, healthcare, insurance and telecommunications companies - use mainframes to process critical business data.
In this article, we will discuss the evolution of large computers and their components.
The history of a large computer
In 1944, IBM developed a key part of mainframe computing, the Automatic Sequence Control Calculator [ASCC] for arithmetic operations. From the late 1950s to the 1970s, several companies built mainframes: IBM, Burroughs, RCA, NCR, General Electric, and Sperry. Rand, for example. Since then, IBM's System / 390 is the only mainframe used. It was developed in 1960 by IBM's System / 360.
The early mainframes took up a lot of space. New technologies have greatly reduced the size and cost of hardware. Contemporary mainframes can be installed in small closets.
Components of modern mainframe computers
Like a PC, a mainframe has many components for processing data: an operating system, a motherboard or motherboard, a processor, a controller, a storage device, and a channel.
• Motherboard: The mainframe of a mainframe consists of a printed circuit that allows the CPU, RAM, and other hardware components to work together through a concept called the "bus architecture." The motherboard has device slots for input cards and cable interfaces for various external devices. When the PC motherboard uses a 32-bit or 64-bit bus, the mainframe uses a 128-bit bus. A general description of the internal architecture can help the motherboard connect to other devices and retrieve data using binary calculations.
• Processor: The CPU acts as a central processing point in the mainframe architecture and includes an Arithmetic Logic Unit [ALU] for performing arithmetic calculations. It can also be used as a controller for the bus architecture and handles traffic and data requests. Mainframes have much higher processing power than PCs, so they can handle large amounts of data.
• Storage Devices: Storage devices are used to input, retrieve, store, and record data. Many are external devices, such as hard drives, tape drives, and punch card readers, all connected to the host's terminal and controlled by the CPU. Their data storage capacity can be hundreds or even thousands of times that of a PC.
• Communication Controller: The Communication Controller allows remote computers to access the mainframe. With the help of the network, LAN or WAN, the communication controller establishes a connection with various devices, performs data transmission through the communication channel, and tracks the users of the terminal.
• Channel: "Channel" is the cable used to connect the CPU and main memory to the rest of the system and to ensure that data is moved in a systematic manner without losing its integrity.
Modern mainframes have advanced features such as expanded service management capabilities, cross-platform integration facilities, and so on, so they are suitable for critical data center operations. The cost of maintaining a modern mainframe is much lower than with older models.
Orignal From: The history and composition of modern host computers
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