IBM 9370 Mainframe Specs?

From: Christian Fandt <cfandt_at_netsync.net>
Date: Wed Nov 17 12:33:08 1999

Upon the date 05:55 PM 11/17/99 +0000, Philip.Belben_at_pgen.com said
something like:
>
>
>
>
>[9370]
>
>> Mainframe? Yeah, I guess it could still be called that because of its
>> intended application to handle a whole enterprise plus it is a CMOS
>> implementation of the good ol' S/370 iron. However, its performance was
>> rather poor compared to IBM's newer AS/400 family launched about the same
>> time as or just before the 9370.
>
>I know that this is not very helpful but I think the 9370 was announced in
>1987,
>since I saw stuff on it during my summer job at IBM that year, and not the
>previous year. I never saw anything about the AS/400 at that date, nor even
>during my summer job the following year (although that latter was building
cash
>dispensers, so I was a little out of touch with the rest of IBM)

I wasn't sure exactly when the AS/400 came out except that around the late
80's there was comments about them being able to certainly outrun the 9370.
I figured they were somewhat close in time released. I know the 9370 was
released for production in '87 as the one I have was told to us as being
the very first sold. SN is (mumble)0001. We received it in late 1987.

>
>Anyway, at the time I regarded it as a mini-mainframe. Mini because it didn't
>need a separate computer room (and was advertised on this basis), mainframe
>because it was still huge and packed full of IBM custom hybrids (which were
>probably built of IBM custom chips), as well as the 370 compatibility...

Good description. I was thinking along the same lines when trying to
describe it to visitors. Indeed it is full of the custom devices. It is the
CMOS implementation of the S/370 architecture.

Regards, Chris
-- --
Christian Fandt, Electronic/Electrical Historian
Jamestown, NY USA cfandt_at_netsync.net
        Member of Antique Wireless Association
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Received on Wed Nov 17 1999 - 12:33:08 GMT

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