MAINFRAMES

WHAT IS MAINFRAME? Powerful computers supporting thousands of applications, input/output devices and supporting thousands of users simultaneously.

MAINFRAME WORKLOADS Batch Processing: a running mainframe process that does not need user interaction Online Transaction Processing (OLTP): a running transaction process that occurs interactively with the end user

MAINFRAME OPERATING SYSTEMS z/OS z/VM z/VSE Linux for zSeries z/TPF Mainframes can run multiple combinations of operating system in the same platform. Popular mainframes operating system include

WHO USES MAINFRAMES? Most Fortune 500 companies use a mainframe environment. 60% of all data available on the Internet is stored on mainframe computers.

WHY MAINFRAMES? Large-scale transaction processing. Thousands of transactions per second Support thousands of users and application programs. Simultaneously accessing resources. Terabytes of information in databases.

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO MAINFRAME USE RAS -- reliability, availability, serviceability Security Scalability Centralized control Workload management Partitioning / virtualization Continuing compatibility Evolving architecture Application enablement, complexity, variety Potential for thousands of users

ADVANTAGES Concurrent users High Processing Speed Storage Multiprogramming Multiprocessing Security Reliable Batch Processing

DOMAINS Banking Finance Insurance Market Research (Retail) Telecom

SO FAR Mainframes is a very stable environment It has been there in the Software Industry for more than 40 years No new technology can totally replace Mainframes because of its architecture and efficiency

CURRENT TREND Around 80% of Mainframes projects are maintenance projects Only 20% or less are development projects The reason being the cost factor. The hardware maintenance cost and the initial investment required is too high.

CURRENT TREND Migration projects are the current trend in the market. Reasons: Maintenance cost

FUTURE A survey to determine the current demand for mainframes found that more than half of the respondents still have major applications running on mainframes.

Done by Zahra Farhood

REFERENCES Wikipedia.(2010, April 28). Mainframe computer [Online]. Available: Mike Ebbers, Bill Ogden and Wayne O’Brien, “Introduction to the New Mainframe: z/OS Basics,” International Technical Support Organization, Vol.1, pp.5–710, July IBM Systems Software Information Center. z/VM Center concepts [Online].Available: topic=/diricinfo/vsd0_c_zvm.html Mike Ebbers, Wolfgang Bosch, Hans Joachim Ebert, Helmut Hellner, Jerry Johnston, Wilhelm Mild et.al.,“Introduction to the New Mainframe: z/VSE Basics,” International Technical Support Organization, Vol.1, pp.5–460, March IBM TPF Product Information Center. Introduction to the z/TPF system [Online].Available: p?topic=/com.ibm.ztpfztpfdf.doc_put.cur/gtpc3/c3sysov.html IBM, “z/Architecture Principles of Operation,” International Technical Support Organization, Vol.7, pp.20–1100, February 2008.

REFERENCES Competition in mainframe and associated services in India.