Maybe if you told us why you're asking, people could give better answers.
On 7/31/2023 11:12 AM, Jon Perryman wrote:
> On Monday, July 31, 2023 at 03:41:35 AM PDT, P H
<000004843e86df79-dmarc-requ...@listserv.ua.edu> wrote:
IBM's definition of mainframe (Source: DICTIONARY OF IBM & COMPUTING
TERMINOLOGY)
mainframe n. A computer, usually in a computer center, with extensive
capabilities and
resources to which other computers may be connected so that they can share
facilities.
Originally referred to the central processing unit of a large computer, which
occupied the largest or central frame (rack).
Using IBM's definition, every server computer at every company is a mainframe.
The all have the same capabilities as a z16. Other computers connect to these
servers to share facilities. All modern servers have extensive capabilities. A
z16 has 16 CPUs (Central Processing Units) versus the same sized AMD Ryzen with
4 CPUs. A z16 has 4 frames that is mostly occupied by the 1,536 PCIe+ slots.
Why are Googles 5,500,000
In case of IBM z, a single component doesn't make it a mainframe.
What makes a z16 a mainframe but a Google server is not a mainframe?
It's the whole system i.e. microprocessor, cache, memory, I/O Subsystem, PR/SM,
microcode/firmware, instruction set , RAS, Security etc etc etc.
Everything you mention is design philosophy. As a whole, a Google server has
everything you mention. Granted that IBM is 21st century design but you can't
name 1 missing feature. Even PR/SM is available thru products like VMWare.
I suggest, comparison of individual components of IBM z
with individual components of other technologies is not valid.
I agree that an individual component will identify a mainframe. My point is that a
mainframe must have at least 1 thing (hardware or software) that is different from
Google's servers. The difference between IBM and Google is design philosophy. For
instance, you mention RAS but ignore that Google's RAS (data replication,
clustering, ...) is a philosophical difference to IBM (hardware & software).
Why isn't a Google server a mainframe?
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