892 Part 4 ½
Family Range, Compatibility, and Evolution Section 5 ½
The System/360 and System/370 Family
Conclusions
The IBM System/360 and System/370, by achieving a production record, have fulfilled this principal design objective. The technical goals, however, are of interest to us here. The most interesting aspect of the design is achieving a performance range and a primary memory size range each in excess of 100:1 for both series. Thus a user is given a very large set of configuration alternatives.
There is a vast array of secondary memory and terminal devices to couple with almost any other system. The System/360 is the first computer to make extensive use of microprogramming. Microprogramming is used for the definition of the System/360 instruction-set processor, but more important, microprograms define previous IBM computers so that a user can operate satisfactorily during the interim period when older programs are being updated to use the System/360. Microprogramming also plays a major role in the SystemI37O. There are provisions for multicomputer structures. Within a single computer structure there is adequate means of peripheral switching so that reliable and high-performance structures can be assembled.
References
Adams [1962]; Amdahl, Blaauw, and Brooks [1964]; Arden et al. [1966]; Bell and Newell [1971]; Connors, Florkowski, and Patton [1979]; Conti, Gibson, and Pitkowsky [1968]; Data Pro [1978]; Grosch [1953]; Sharpe [1969]; Solomon [1966]; Tucker [1967]; U.S. Steel [1978]; Wilkes [1965].
Selected Bibliography
Architecture and logical structure: Amdahl, Blaauw, and Brooks [1964]; Blaauw [1964]; Blaauw and Brooks [1964]. General implementations: Amdahl [1964]; Carter et al. [1964]; Padegs [1964]; Stevens [1964]. Microprogramming: Greene, Dean, and Updike [1964]; Tucker [1967]; Weber [1967]. Formal description of Pc: Falkoff, Iverson, and Sussenguth [1964]. Performance and reviews: Hillegass [1966]; Solomon [1966]. Model 40 modifications for multiprogramming: Lindquist, Seeber, and Comeau [1966]. Model 67: Arden et al. [1966]; Fikes, Lauer, and Vareha [1968]; Gibson [1966]; Lauer [1967]. Model 85: Conti [1964]; Liptay [1968]; Padegs [1968]. Model 91 architecture and technology: Anderson, Sparacio, and Tomasulo [1967]; Anderson et al. [1967]; Boland et al. [1967]; Flynn and Low [1967]; Langdon and Van Derveer [1967]; Lloyd [1967]; Sechler, Strube, and Turnbull [1967]. Servicability: Carter et al. [1964]. IBM reference manuals: System/360 and System/370 functional characteristics manuals for each model; System/360 and System/370 configurator (diagram) for each model; System/360 Principles of Operation; System/360 System Summary; processor facts folders for the 4331 and 4341; Guide to the System/370 Model 135; Guide to the System/370 Model 145, 6th ed.; Guide to the System/370 Model 155, 1st ed.; product announcements for the System/370 Models 135 and 145, System/370 Model 138, System/370 Model 148, and System/370 Model 168; 4341 Processor Functional Characteristics and Processor Complex Configurator.