3033 Technical press release

The following is the text of a March 25, 1977 IBM Data Processing Division Technical Press Release on the IBM 3033.

White Plains, N.Y., March 25. . .The new 3033 Processor, announced today by International Business Machines Corporation, brings an improved level of price/performance to large system users.

A compatible member of the System/370 family, the new processor can provide internal performance generally in the range of 1.6 to 1.8 times that of a comparable Model 168-3.

The 3033 processor complex includes the 3033 Processor and channels, the 3036 console and the 3037 power and coolant distribution unit.

The new processor features improved logic circuitry that is significantly faster and has twice the density of the technology used in the 168-3. The denser circuitry shortens CPU cycle time to 58 nanoseconds, compared to 80 nanoseconds on the 168-3.

The 3033 has a buffer storage capacity of 65,536 bytes -- double the capacity of the 168-3 -- making data available more rapidly to the processor at any given time.

Available in three standard configurations of four, six and eight million bytes of monolithic processor storage, the new processor is capable of an instruction execution rate generally in the range of 1.6 to 1.8 times that of a 168-3 processor. This comparison is based on an identically-configured 168-3 using Operating System/Virtual Storage 2 Release 3 Multiple Virtual Storages (OS/VS2 MVS). Generally, the higher performance range when compared to the 168-3 is characterized by commercial and interactive data processing tasks. Actual throughput measurements depend on configuration, applications and workloads.

The new dual-display 3036 console is designed for enhanced system availability and serviceability. It contains two console processors, each with a dedicated cathode ray tube display, keyboard, console file and input/output channel connection.

Certain maintenance tasks may be performed through one of the console displays, while an operator continues to run production jobs at the other station. During maintenance, the console can display the status of the system, log buffer information and store other valuable servicing information.

The newly designed 3033 Processor channels are integrated within the processor. Two groups of six channels are standard and each group -- which consists of one byte multiplexer channel and five block multiplexer channels -- operates independently.

The byte multiplexer channel operates in the range of 40-75 thousand bytes a second, and each block multiplexer is capable of a maximum data transfer rate of 1.5 million bytes per second.

Users may optionally attach a two-byte wide, three million byte per second channel, which replaces the first block multiplexer in each group. Users also may add up to two channel-to-channel adapters, allowing them to link computers together.

Additionally, an optional channel group is available consisting of either four block multiplexer channels or one byte multiplexer and three block multiplexers.

The 3033 offers, as a standard feature, System/370 Extended Facility, which is supported and utilized by the MVS/System Extensions program product, also announced today.

The new program product offers increased performance through reduced supervisor path lengths, more effective resource control, and reduced software contention.

MVS/System Extensions can be used on System/370 Models 158 and 168, including their attached and multiprocessor versions, equipped with the new System/370 Extended feature, also announced today. While performance gains are significant in single processor systems, throughput improvements can be even greater in multiprocessor and attached processor installations.

Additional enhancements are also being provided for users of the Virtual Machine Facility/370 (VM/370) operating system through the use of a new program product called VM/System Extensions. The new program provides major improvements in a number of areas of resource management, resulting in improved throughput and better terminal response time.

The 3033 Processor is supported by OS/VS2 MVS, as well as Single Virtual Storage, and by the VM/370 and ACP (Airline Control Program) operating systems.

First customer shipments of the new 3033 Processor are scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 1978.

Under a 48-month contract, the new 3033 processor complex can be leased for $70,400 monthly with four million characters of main memory, and $77,480 and $84,400 for six and eight million character configurations, respectively. Monthly rental prices for the 3033 in four, six and eight million character versions are $77,430, $85,210 and $92,810. Purchase prices are $3,380,000, $3,605,000 and $3,825,000.

MVS support for the 3033 will be available at the time of first customer shipment. VM/370 and ACP support will be available in the first quarter of 1978 while SVS support will be available in the second quarter.

The MVS/System Extensions program product will be available in the first quarter of 1978 for a monthly license fee of $1,250.

The System/370 Extended feature for System/370 Models 158 and 168 will be available in the second quarter of 1978. Prices will vary with system configurations.

The VM/System Extensions program product will be available in the first quarter of 1978 for a monthly license fee of $1,200.