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SYSTEM OVERVIEW
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3) System Modularity
IBM's System/38 is a general purpose data processing system
designed to significantly improve the user's productivity in
developing, maintaining and enhancing applications in an
interactive workstation environment.
The system provides 5l2K to 1 ,536K positions of main storage,
64.5 to more than 2672.6 million bytes of nonremovable auxiliary
(disks) storage, a diskette magazine facility, and a system
console with keyboard and display. A mUlti-function 96-columm
card reader/punch, up to two 650 line per minute system printers
and up to four 3410 magnetic tape subsystems may be attached.
The system supports direct attachment of up to 40 local 5250
workstation displays and printers and a large number of remotely
attached workstations through SOLe teleprocessing lines.
The workstations can be placed where they are needed in the
organization (in the offices, departments, plants and the
warehouses) so that company personnel can share a common
data base and the processing power of a computer. System/38
supports this workstation environment with the function
required to maintain up-to-date business data available for
retrieval on request by any of the workstation users. By
providing these users with information that is current and
accurate, the efficiency of an organization can be greatly
improved.
The workstation environment requires many unique functions
such as the ability for workstation users to share programs,
data files, and system resources without significant delays
to any user. This environment also requires the ability to
access data records by more than one access path (index).
For example, one user may need to access inventory item
records by item stock number while another user is accessing
the same records by vendor number.
On most current systems the unique functions required by the
workstation environment have either been added on to the
existing batch programming system or they are programmed by
the user in the application programs. In contrast, System/38
is an entirely new system developed specifically for the
workstation environment. The needed function has been
designed into the system. Major advantages in the level of
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system function and ease of use of that function enable the
System/38 user to develop workstation applications in a
shorter time and with a lower level of expertise than was
required on previous systems.
System/38 can support a range of environments from one
consisting almost entirely of batch processing to one that
makes extensive use of workstation applications. System/38
is designed to allow the user to make easy transitions
through this range of environments while making optimum use
of system resources. In general, installations that make
full use of workstations still require the execution of a
considerable amount of batch work.
Therefore, the System/38 has been designed to manage a
mixture of batch and interactive work providing fast response
to workstation user requests and suitable throughput for
batch jobs.
Upgrading the System/38 to provide increased capacity is a
relatively simple chore. When adding memory or auxiliary
storage devices, the system will automatically start using
these facilities when the configuration record is changed.
User programs are not affected by these changes because
of the System/38's use of single level storage addressing.
This technique provides for addressing up to 281 trillion bytes.
The System/38 will automatically start using additional
capacities when the configuration record is changed. Providing
a minimum impact on programs and the user when the system is
changed to meet the increasing demands of the city.
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SYSTEM/38 HARDWARE
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SYSTEM/38 FEATURES
7A) Overview
In developing System/38, first the desired functions were
specified. It was then determined which of these functions
should be performed by the control program and which part
should be performed by the machine. Next, a machine that
consists of electronic circuitry and micro-programs was
designed with a functionally high level interface. The
machine does much more than just add, subtract, move data
and execute I/O. The machine performs complete functions
such as: Finding a file or program in system storage,
locating a record in a file through a key (index), initiating
a new process, manipulating queues and allocating storage.
The high level System/38 machine interface ensures compatibility
of the control program facility and the users' programs
implemented on different models of the machine. New physical
devices can be added to the system without requiring repro-
gramming. A user can expect greater reliability because
basic system functions are built into the machine.
Additional high usage micro-programmed functions can be
implemented in the circuitry of the machine to provide
improved performance without impacting the control program
facility or the users' program. New functions can be added
to the high level machine interface in an upward compatible
manner because of its extendable design.
IBM's emphasis on advanced technology and the development of
a highly integrated system enables System/38 to provide
users with an improved level of productivity, ease of use,
data integrity, functional capability, reliability and
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non-disrupted growth in applications.
HARDWARE SUMMARY
System/38 is available with a variety of input/output devices
and a wide range of storage capabilities.
7A) IBM 5381 SYSTEMS UNIT
By design, Sys 38 is oriented toward a multi-user s stem
environment Logical functions within t e system unit are
implemented in an advanced high density hardware technology.
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The major functional units of the system consists of the
following:
o Processing unit and its related control storage
o Virtual address translator
o Input/Output channel
o Main Storage
The primary characteristic of the System/38 identifying it
as a major advance in computer system 2rchitecture is its
high level machine interface. This interface embod1es many
of the basic supervisor and'resource management functions
previously found in system programs .