IBM mainframe sales surge

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how mainframes are different

as far as I'm aware, the IBM big iron has differences like: The CPU as a resource is split into a few (user configurable) virtual cpus.
For example 30% of processing time and 40% of RAM.
The advantage here is that you can run some intensive task on one of the virtual CPUs like a search, without affecting the response time for programs running on another virtual CPU.

The whole lineage of Mainframes, and their great cost meant that it was absolutely essential that they never failed, and were up 100% of the time. (there was enough competition and technical expertise such that any manufacturer failing to provide this in a product would have trouble selling their machines).

As time has gone on, redundant power supplies, hot swapping and so on have been added to PC/Workstation servers with an aim to achieving the same sorts of targets (100% uptime etc etc).
But costs have mounted of course, and there have been problems scaling and reaching high uptime.
So we've arrived at a point where for a number of sizes of task, the best instrument is a mainframe.
Their uptime and reliability is unquestionable, and you can perhaps replace a few hundred PC servers with a Mainframe due to it's huge performance. The purchase cost and running costs coupled with performance (uptime, reliability) and their impact on your organisation makes them a good buy particularly for larger organisations. (10000 mail accounts + a database... no problem).
And Computer staff can sleep at nights, and have a life on the weekend.

Posted by: hipparchus   Posted on: 02/29/04 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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