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From: mitchalsup@aol.com (MitchAlsup1)
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Subject: Re: Article on new mainframe use
Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2024 17:44:42 +0000
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On Thu, 15 Aug 2024 0:02:11 +0000, Lawrence D'Oliveiro wrote:

>
> Mainframes are obsolete. The mindset of “the CPU is expensive, let’s
> surround it with complex channel controllers to handle batch I/O”
> stopped being relevant sometime in the 1980s, if not before.

If one defines a mainframe computer as having the ability to remove and
replace every component without taking the computer off line--then
mainframes are still relevant. Reliability, Availability,
Serviceability.

And when I say everything I mean everything:
power supplies, memories, disks, NICs, other devices, CPUs, cooling,
...

Reliability may trade speed for never failing as a good trade off
Availability 100% up time 24/7/365 for a decade or longer without
outages
Serviceability replacement of any and all modules while keeping the
system "up"

Thus a mainframe is more about how it is constructed than what parts
are used to construct it.