3033 Multiprocessor

The following is the text of a March 30, 1978 IBM Data Processing Division technical press release on the IBM 3033 multiprocessor.

White Plains, N.Y., March 30 ... The new 3033 multiprocessor complex announced today by International Business Machines Corporation provides increased power and capacity for advanced applications such as online business data communication networks and round-the-clock data processing operations.

The 3033 multiprocessor complex includes:

• Two processors with main memory capacity ranging from 4,194,304 to 8,388,608 characters of information each -- in 2,097,152-character increments -- giving users a choice of 8, 10, 12, 14 or 16 million characters of shared storage.
  
  
• A 3038 multiprocessor communication unit that connects the two computers; two 3037 power/cooling units and two 3036 consoles, each with separate maintenance and control displays.

Internal performance of 1.6 to 1.8 times the instruction rate of a single 3033 processor is based on similar configurations and identical programs running under Operating System/Virtual Storage 2 Release 3 Multiple Virtual Storages (OS/VS2 MVS).

Each processor has a cycle time - - the time needed to perform a basic operation -- of 58 billionths of a second. Information can be moved from the processor's memory by a high-speed, 65,536-character buffer.

Up to 16 channels, 12 standard and 4 optional, are available on each processor, for a maximum of 32 per multiprocessing system.

A switching function permits program control of channel communications - - allowing either processor alternate use of the other's channels if one of the processors needs service.

Multiprocessing operations of the 3033 complex are managed automatically by IBM's Operating System/Virtual Storage 2 Multiple Virtual Storages (OS/VS2 MVS) system control programming. Single processor 3033 systems can be upgraded to multiprocessing at the user's location.

IBM's System/370 Extended Facility is a standard feature of the 3033 multiprocessor, and can be used with IBM's MVS/System Extensions Program Product to simplify certain control program tasks.

Monthly lease charges under terms of a 48-month contract range from $154,130 for a system with 8,388,608 characters of main storage to $182,130 for a maximum capacity of 16,777,216 characters. Monthly rental charges for these systems are $169,520 and $200,280. Purchase prices are $7,160,000 and $8,050,000.

First customer shipments of the 3033 multiprocessor are scheduled for the third quarter of 1979.