🚀 go-pugleaf

strutsng@gmail.com wrote:
> I want to know if mainframe is an operating system or database server?
> I want to make it clear.
>
> Please advise. thanks!!

A mainframe is a physically big computer. I can't think of any that are
still around unless they are IBM mainframes. It is neither a
specialized server and is definitely not an operating system.

A mainframe is not nescecarilly phisically big. Nowadays, like PC's,
also mainframes get smaller and smaller. Some mainframes have the same
physical size as a PC does. Also IBM isn't the only manufactorer of
mainframes, although it is certainly marketleader. See for instance
this note: http://support.sas.com/techsup/unotes/SN/008/008831.html

I must agree it is neither a specialised server nor an operating
system. It is a standard hardware layout, like INTEL's PC platform.

Bas

RolandRB wrote:
> strutsng@gmail.com wrote:
> > I want to know if mainframe is an operating system or database server?
> > I want to make it clear.
> >
> > Please advise. thanks!!
>
> A mainframe is a physically big computer. I can't think of any that are
> still around unless they are IBM mainframes. It is neither a
> specialized server and is definitely not an operating system.

I'll give more information as there seems to be some confusion on this
issue. I worked with mainframe computers for many years. "Mainframe"
really means the "main frame" (as opposed to other frames that contain
disks and other frames that contain channels and frames that contain
God knows what) and is the frame that contains the main processor
board. These processors boards can contain many processors and these
processors do real processing. There will be other processors elsewhere
outside the "main frame" that handle I/Os and other tasks. You even
have processors checking on the temperature of the parts. Some of these
processors will make telephone calls if they detect a part has failed
or might fail at some time. The "main frame" literally used to be a
frame with things in it. It is true that these computers have got
smaller, but generally hundreds of users are connected to them from
maybe various locations remote to the computer. As such these things
usually need a large space and the communication cables going into them
can run into the hundreds and weigh tons. The room they are in will
need to be cooled as well. I don't know if it is still the case, but
when I worked with IBM mainframes, these were water cooled as well. The
only mainframe manufacturers I am aware of now are IBM and Amdahl and I
think Amdahl are really Fujitsu and Siemens.

As for the operating systems that run on these machines, it is possible
that these operating systems can also run on smaller machines. But a
mainframe requires a lot of space.

On 25 Oct 2005 05:11:49 -0700, "RolandRB" <rolandberry@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>I'll give more information as there seems to be some confusion on this
>issue. I worked with mainframe computers for many years. "Mainframe"
>really means the "main frame" (as opposed to other frames that contain
>disks and other frames that contain channels and frames that contain
>God knows what) and is the frame that contains the main processor
>board. These processors boards can contain many processors and these
>processors do real processing. There will be other processors elsewhere
>outside the "main frame" that handle I/Os and other tasks. You even
>have processors checking on the temperature of the parts. Some of these
>processors will make telephone calls if they detect a part has failed
>or might fail at some time. The "main frame" literally used to be a
>frame with things in it. It is true that these computers have got
>smaller, but generally hundreds of users are connected to them from
>maybe various locations remote to the computer. As such these things
>usually need a large space and the communication cables going into them
>can run into the hundreds and weigh tons. The room they are in will
>need to be cooled as well. I don't know if it is still the case, but
>when I worked with IBM mainframes, these were water cooled as well. The
>only mainframe manufacturers I am aware of now are IBM and Amdahl and I
>think Amdahl are really Fujitsu and Siemens.

What about Unisys?    A computer doesn't have to be IBM compatible to
be a Mainframe.   

Your definition seems to fit mini-computers (such as a VAX) as well.
Heck, I've seen a PC that had all of its disk drives external - does
that make the PC a main frame?

What's the difference between a mainframe and a mini-computer?

A "Mainframe" is an architectural design and a generic term for the
"Large" systems that use the operating systems such as VM, and the MVS
derivatives(MVS, OS/390, z/OS).

Although the mainframes of today are barely larger than a commercial
refrigerator, the older systems had a very large footprint.

It provides the utmost in reliablility, scalability, and securability.

Just remember "It don't rust", "It don't bust", and "Won't collect
dust"...
/*DW

howard.brazee@cusys.edu wrote:
> On 25 Oct 2005 05:11:49 -0700, "RolandRB" <rolandberry@hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> >I'll give more information as there seems to be some confusion on this
> >issue. I worked with mainframe computers for many years. "Mainframe"
> >really means the "main frame" (as opposed to other frames that contain
> >disks and other frames that contain channels and frames that contain
> >God knows what) and is the frame that contains the main processor
> >board. These processors boards can contain many processors and these
> >processors do real processing. There will be other processors elsewhere
> >outside the "main frame" that handle I/Os and other tasks. You even
> >have processors checking on the temperature of the parts. Some of these
> >processors will make telephone calls if they detect a part has failed
> >or might fail at some time. The "main frame" literally used to be a
> >frame with things in it. It is true that these computers have got
> >smaller, but generally hundreds of users are connected to them from
> >maybe various locations remote to the computer. As such these things
> >usually need a large space and the communication cables going into them
> >can run into the hundreds and weigh tons. The room they are in will
> >need to be cooled as well. I don't know if it is still the case, but
> >when I worked with IBM mainframes, these were water cooled as well. The
> >only mainframe manufacturers I am aware of now are IBM and Amdahl and I
> >think Amdahl are really Fujitsu and Siemens.
>
> What about Unisys?    A computer doesn't have to be IBM compatible to
> be a Mainframe.
>
> Your definition seems to fit mini-computers (such as a VAX) as well.
> Heck, I've seen a PC that had all of its disk drives external - does
> that make the PC a main frame?
>
> What's the difference between a mainframe and a mini-computer?

It's got a "main frame" with the processing power in it that is not
used to do other work like I/Os.

On 25 Oct 2005 07:14:35 -0700, "/*Dave" <rabidamerican@gmail.com>
wrote:

>A "Mainframe" is an architectural design and a generic term for the
>"Large" systems that use the operating systems such as VM, and the MVS
>derivatives(MVS, OS/390, z/OS).

Certainly the Unisys folk disagree with this definition.   I'm not
sure that the IBM folk want to require that it use the MVS type
operating systems.   If we take their biggest mainframe, remove its
OS, and replace the OS with Unix, do we now have a mini-computer?

>Although the mainframes of today are barely larger than a commercial
>refrigerator, the older systems had a very large footprint.
>
>It provides the utmost in reliablility, scalability, and securability.
>
>Just remember "It don't rust", "It don't bust", and "Won't collect
>dust"...
>/*DW

Sounds like a definition made by the marketing department.    How do
they sell the product as IBM continues to push Unix?

MVS "type" was a term used for simplicity to the newbie asking a
question. We could go on for hours/days/weeks delving into
dissertations about the MVS mainframe architecture but why not just
give'm a taste for curiosity sake?

As for the saying above, it's not from marketing but experience.....

;-)

/*DW