Midrange computer
Encyclopedia
Midrange computers, or midrange systems, are a class of computer
systems which fall in between mainframe computer
s and microcomputer
s.
The class emerged in the 1960s and machines were generally known at the time as minicomputer
s - especially models from Digital Equipment Corporation
(PDP
line), Data General
, Hewlett-Packard
(HP3000 line), and successors), and Sun Microsystems
(SPARC Enterprise
). These were widely used in science and research as well as for business.
IBM favored the term 'midrange computer' for their comparable more business-oriented System/3
, System/34
, System/32
, System/36
, System/38
, and AS/400 ranges.
Since 1990s, when the client–server model of computing became predominant, computers of the comparable class are instead universally known as server
s to recognize that they usually "serve" end users at their "client" computers. Since the client–server model was developed in Unix-like
operating systems, using this term frequently implies support of standard—rather than proprietary—protocols and programming interface
s.
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
systems which fall in between mainframe computer
Mainframe computer
Mainframes are powerful computers used primarily by corporate and governmental organizations for critical applications, bulk data processing such as census, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise resource planning, and financial transaction processing.The term originally referred to the...
s and microcomputer
Microcomputer
A microcomputer is a computer with a microprocessor as its central processing unit. They are physically small compared to mainframe and minicomputers...
s.
The class emerged in the 1960s and machines were generally known at the time as minicomputer
Minicomputer
A minicomputer is a class of multi-user computers that lies in the middle range of the computing spectrum, in between the largest multi-user systems and the smallest single-user systems...
s - especially models from Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation was a major American company in the computer industry and a leading vendor of computer systems, software and peripherals from the 1960s to the 1990s...
(PDP
Programmed Data Processor
Programmed Data Processor was the name of a series of minicomputers made by Digital Equipment Corporation. The name 'PDP' intentionally avoided the use of the term 'computer' because, at the time of the first PDPs, computers had a reputation of being large, complicated, and expensive machines, and...
line), Data General
Data General
Data General was one of the first minicomputer firms from the late 1960s. Three of the four founders were former employees of Digital Equipment Corporation. Their first product, the Data General Nova, was a 16-bit minicomputer...
, Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
(HP3000 line), and successors), and Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
(SPARC Enterprise
SPARC Enterprise
The SPARC Enterprise series is a range of UNIX server computers co-developed by Sun Microsystems and Fujitsu introduced in 2007. They are marketed and sold by Sun Microsystems , Fujitsu, and Fujitsu Siemens Computers under the common brand of SPARC Enterprise, superseding Sun's Sun Fire and...
). These were widely used in science and research as well as for business.
IBM favored the term 'midrange computer' for their comparable more business-oriented System/3
System/3
The IBM System/3 was a low-end business computer aimed at new customers and organizations that still used IBM 1400 series computers or unit record equipment...
, System/34
System/34
The IBM System/34 was a minicomputer marketed by IBM beginning in 1978. It was a multi-user, multi-tasking successor to the single-user System/32. Most notably, it included two very different processors, one based on System/32 and the second based on older System/3. Like the System/32 and the...
, System/32
System/32
The IBM System/32 introduced in January 1975 was a low-end business computer. It was used primarily by small to midsize businesses for accounting applications.RPGII was the programming language for the machine....
, System/36
System/36
The IBM System/36 was a minicomputer marketed by IBM from 1983 to 2000. It was a multi-user, multi-tasking successor to the System/34. Like the System/34 and the older System/32, the System/36 was primarily programmed in the RPG II language...
, System/38
System/38
The System/38 was a midrange computer server platform manufactured and sold by the IBM Corporation. The system offered a number of innovative features, and was the brainchild of IBM engineer Dr. Frank Soltis...
, and AS/400 ranges.
Since 1990s, when the client–server model of computing became predominant, computers of the comparable class are instead universally known as server
Server (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
s to recognize that they usually "serve" end users at their "client" computers. Since the client–server model was developed in Unix-like
Unix-like
A Unix-like operating system is one that behaves in a manner similar to a Unix system, while not necessarily conforming to or being certified to any version of the Single UNIX Specification....
operating systems, using this term frequently implies support of standard—rather than proprietary—protocols and programming interface
Application programming interface
An application programming interface is a source code based specification intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other...
s.
See also
- IBM mainframeIBM mainframeIBM mainframes are large computer systems produced by IBM from 1952 to the present. During the 1960s and 1970s, the term mainframe computer was almost synonymous with IBM products due to their marketshare...
- MinicomputerMinicomputerA minicomputer is a class of multi-user computers that lies in the middle range of the computing spectrum, in between the largest multi-user systems and the smallest single-user systems...
- MicrocomputerMicrocomputerA microcomputer is a computer with a microprocessor as its central processing unit. They are physically small compared to mainframe and minicomputers...
- List of IBM products