What Is a Mainframe?
A mainframe computer, often referred to as “big iron”, is a powerful computing system used by large organizations for essential tasks such as mass data processing and enterprise resource planning. Although mainframes are smaller than supercomputers, they offer higher computing power compared to other computers classes.
The meaning of the word “mainframe” originates from the term “main frame”, referring to the large cabinet that enclosed the central processing unit and main memory of early computers. Over time, the term “mainframe” evolved to identify high-end commercial computers, setting them apart from less capable machines. Developed primarily in the 1960s, mainframe architectures continue to evolve and are frequently employed as servers.
Characteristics of a Mainframe
High Reliability: Mainframes are known for their robustness and reliability, ensuring uninterrupted operation for critical applications.
Large Scale: Tailored to manage extensive workloads and vast amounts of data, mainframes are suitable for enterprises with extensive computing needs.
Scalability: Capable of seamless scalability, mainframes can easily accommodate growing workloads and data processing demands without sacrificing performance.
Security: Advanced security features protect sensitive data and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
Virtualization: Integrated virtualization technologies enable the concurrent operation of multiple virtual machines and maximize resource efficiency.
Transaction Processing: Facilitating high-speed processing of business transactions such as banking, reservations and inventory management, mainframes excel in transaction processing.
Compatibility: Supporting a wide range of applications and capable of running multiple operating systems, mainframes ensure compatibility with both legacy systems and modern software.
Centralized Management: Centralized management capabilities empower administrators to oversee, control and manage the entire system seamlessly from a single point.
Longevity: Mainframes have a long lifecycle and are designed for continuous operation, making them a reliable investment for organizations with long-term computing needs.
Cost-Effectiveness: Despite their initial investment, mainframe computers offer cost-effective solutions for enterprises with high-performance computing requirements, providing efficient resource utilization and low total cost of ownership over time.
Supercomputer vs. Mainframe: What’s the Difference?
The terms mainframe and supercomputer are often used in the same breath, but what exactly is the difference? A supercomputer stands at the forefront of computing speed, designed for tackling scientific and technical challenges requiring intensive data processing, known as high-performance computing. In contrast, mainframes specialize in transaction processing.
Supercomputers are evaluated based on FLOPS (floating-point operations per second) or TEPS (traversed edges per second). These are metrics that are less relevant for mainframe tasks, which are often measured in MIPS (millions of instructions per second). Mainframes favor integer operations such as adding numbers and moving data in memory, which is critical for tasks such as I/O operations. While supercomputers excel in floating-point operations for tasks such as weather forecasting, mainframe are more efficient at I/O operations and memory tasks.
Mainframes are engineered for reliable transaction processing, which is essential for business operations such as inventory control, airline reservations and banking processes. These transactions involve various operations that go beyond CPU processing and speed. These include disk operations and data transfers between subsystems that are critical to maintaining operational efficiency.
Until the early 1990s, the distinction between mainframes and supercomputers was blurred, with many supercomputers incorporating mainframe architecture alongside supercomputing enhancements.
The Future of Mainframe Computers
Despite the growing popularity of cloud services, mainframes retain their significance in many companies’ IT setups. Major banks, insurance firms and telecom providers still rely on them for their unparalleled reliability, robust security features and efficient data management capabilities. While the initial investment and maintenance costs of mainframes are high, organizations deem these expenditures justified given the substantial benefits they offer in terms of stability and data protection.