Mainframe computer

Mainframes (often colloquially referred to as big iron) are large and "expensive" computers used mainly by government institutions and large companies for mission critical applications, typically bulk data processing such as censuses, industry/consumer statistics, ERP, and financial transaction processing.

History

Several manufacturers produced mainframe computers from the late 1950s through the 1970s. In those "glory days" it was "IBM and the Seven Dwarfs": Burroughs, Control Data Corporation, General Electric, Honeywell, NCR, RCA, and UNIVAC. IBM's dominance grew out of their development of the 360 series mainframes; this basic architecture has continued to evolve into their current zSeries/z9 mainframes which is arguably the only mainframe architecture still extant that dates from this early period. That said, while they can still run 24-bit System/360 code, the 64-bit zSeries and System z9 CMOS servers have almost nothing physically in common with the older systems. The larger of the latter IBM competitors were also often referred to as "The BUNCH" from their initials (Burroughs, UNIVAC, NCR, CDC, Honeywell).

Related Topics:
1950s - 1970s - IBM - Burroughs - Control Data Corporation - General Electric - Honeywell - NCR - RCA - UNIVAC - 360

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Notable manufacturers outside the USA were Siemens and Telefunken in Germany and ICL in Britain.

Related Topics:
Siemens - Telefunken - Germany - ICL - Britain

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Shrinking demand and tough competition caused a huge shakeout in the market in the early 80s—RCA sold out to UNIVAC and GE also left; Honeywell was bought out by Bull; UNIVAC (a division of Sperry) later merged with Burroughs to form Unisys Corporation in 1986 (dubbed "dinosaurs mating"). In 1991, AT&T briefly owned NCR.

Related Topics:
Bull - Sperry - Unisys Corporation - 1986 - 1991 - AT&T

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For a period of time companies found that servers based on microcomputer designs could be deployed at a fraction of the acquisition cost and offer local users much greater control over their own systems. "Dumb terminals" used for interacting with mainframe systems were gradually replaced by personal computers. Consequently, demand plummeted and new mainframe installations were restricted mainly to financial services and government. For a while, there was a consensus among industry analysts that the mainframe was a dying market as mainframe platforms were increasingly replaced by personal computer networks.

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