Enterprise System/9000

Announced September 5, 1990 and withdrawn May 24, 1998.

The following is the text of an IBM product brochure published in September 1990.

The IBM Enterprise System/9000 (ES/9000) provides the most extensive computing range ever offered within a single processor family. Based on IBM's newest technologies and proven systems architecture, this powerful processor family provides over 100-fold growth from the smallest rack-mounted systems to top-of-the-line, general-purpose computers.

The result is a new era in computing that redefines management of the computing environment and lifts computing power to new levels of performance, designed to generate new and better solutions to specific business needs.

Based on IBM's Enterprise Systems Architecture/390 (ESA/390), the IBM ES/9000 family offers users a common platform across all of its 18 processor models. This unprecedented potential for growth along clearly defined paths provides exceptional granularity in computing power.

Using state-of-the-art technology and design, the ES/9000 processors introduce the advantages of Enterprise Systems Architecture/390 (ESA/390) to these operating system environments: VSE/ESA, VM/ESA and MVS/ESA. The powerful new processor family also extends such benefits as 31-bit addressing, larger virtual storage addressing and dynamic channel subsystems -- making use of the increased central storage and expanded storage capacities that these processors provide.

In addition, the ES/9000 family offers an array of powerful capabilities. These include vector processing, cryptography, an Enterprise Systems Connection Channel Architecture (ESCON) implementation that includes a channel-to-channel capability, and parallel channels with data rates of up to 4.5MB/sec. Advanced features and functions such as these are designed to break new ground in application opportunities.

The IBM ES/9000 family includes eight water-cooled models: the 330, 340, 500, 580, 620, 720, 820 and 900.

As the need for added processing capability increases, upgrade paths are available from existing Enterprise System/3090 Model J and the new Enterprise System/3090-9000T (ES/3090-9000) models into selected water-cooled models of the ES/9000 family. And upgrade paths are available within the ES/9000 family to satisfy additional processing needs, as well.

(* Upgrades from 620 to 820 and from 720 to 900 involve substantial change to the customer's existing processor. It is the customer's responsibility to determine the tax and accounting handling of processor installations and upgrades within the customer's own organization.)

The ES/9000 family Models 330 through 720 contain the proven technology and packaging of the Thermal Conduction Module (TCM). The Models 820 and 900 use TCM packaging that has been significantly enhanced.

Additionally, design enhancements for ES/9000 Models 820 and 900 include a second-level high-speed buffer, a split first-level high-speed buffer and improved interprocessor communication. These technological and design enhancements are key elements underpinning the heightened speed and performance of the top-of-the-line family models.

The water-cooled ES/9000 processor models provide these advanced functions:

• Logical partitioning. The IBM Processor Resource/Systems Manager (PR/SM), a standard function on ES/9000 processors, allows different operating systems to run concurrently in separate logical partitions (LPARs), with a high degree of isolation. In LPAR mode, up to seven logical partitions can be simultaneously active, and up to 14 in physically partitioned configurations. LPAR mode supports System/390 and System/370 architectures.
  
  
• Dynamic Reconfiguration Management. This new function works together with the appropriate level of the MVS/ESA operating system to allow changes to the current system I/O configuration. Channels, control units and devices can be added or removed without the need for a power on, reset and IPL -- an important contribution to increased system availability.
  
  
• Integrated Vector Facility The optional Vector Facility provides a specialized execution element to process vectorized programs. Many vectorized application programs are available, encompassing a broad range of engineering and scientific solutions.
  
  
• Integrated Cryptographic Feature. The new optional Cryptographic Feature is designed to strengthen your data processing installation an network security. This facility supports encryption, decryption, message authentication, personal authentication and key management.
  
  
• Multisystem management. The ES/9000 processor family takes important steps toward key goals, such as "lights-out" operation and increased control of multiple system configurations.
  
  Connection options, enhanced with the use of fiber optics, now permit communication links between data centers, as well as between systems within a data center. In addition, a remote data center location can be powered on and off and environmentally monitored using the IBM ESCON Monitor System product.
  
  Within a data center, the ESCON capability allows a systems-complex (sysplex) configuration, enabling workload balancing and backup capability between systems. Multi-system configurations requiring exceptionally accurate time-of-day coordination can now use the IBM Sysplex Timer feature to assure accuracy when timing interconnected systems operations.
  
  
• Environmental changes. The ES/9000 family Models 330 to 900 come with a 50/60 Hertz (Hz) power source and a two-inch water feed between the chiller and the coolant distribution unit. These changes improve power utilization and heat transfer performance of the new models.

Improved availability. In response to user requirements for continuous operations, the ES/9000 processors provide for:

• Concurrent repair of an off line central processor, while remaining central processors continue to function
  
  
• Replacement of critical air-moving devices on the processor and of motors and pumps on the coolant distribution unit
  
  
• Dynamic Reconfiguration Management to allow less disruptive configuration changes
  
  
• Enhanced power system to provide continued system operation for most power-supply failures
  
  
• Removal of the Model 3089 motor generator to eliminate a potential point of failure