【 MACROCOMPUTERS 】What are they and their Characteristics ▷ 2022

Computers have never been easy. Even now that we have them so close at hand, in any home, there are many users who use them without knowing anything about them beyond knowing how to do the task they want to carry out.

Part of all this mess is given by the different types of computers that exist and among which is the macrocomputer, which is our protagonist today.

Let’s see what exactly it is, in addition to knowing why it is characterized. We will finish by comparing it with one of the most important computer equipment today: the mainframe.

What are Mainframe Computers in computing? Definition

Its about concept contrary to which is a computing machine that includes a microprocessor.

Today they all have these, so that, according to the definition of the concept, we could say that mainframe computers no longer exist. However, we will limit ourselves to talking about these machines as they were conceived at the time, half a century ago.

Therefore, we have to a mainframe is a large computerseveral meters in fact, based on the use of what were once conventional processors (which today they are no longer, of course); It is nothing more than a large, very large, scale computer.

To better understand the concept, we can say that differs from the latter in that the latter is completely modularthat is, it has a large number of microprocessors, which work together to execute both a single task and several.

What main characteristics does this type of macro-sized computer present?

Let us always remember that we are talking about this machine as it would have been conceived when it was designed and invented. Thus, we have as characteristics:

• a huge size: As we have said, these machines, which required thousands of vacuum tubes, could measure many meters, a characteristic that obviously was reduced over the years thanks to innovations such as mercury delay lines . Even so, they are still devices the size of a closet or even larger on some occasions.
• Its power and processing speed are very high: Of course, we are talking about the computers that were at the top, the most exclusive and designed for highly important tasks, so its CPU was undoubtedly the best of the moment in any aspect. Even so, the number of processes prevails that are performed at the same time or from open programs above the speed at which they can be resolved the problems (speed would be the star feature of the supercomputer).
• It had to be possible to carry out a huge number of operations per second: That was the purpose of computing machines in their early days and it was maintained for a very long time.
• Another essential aspect to mention is engineering quality in designwhich allowed repairs and programming readjustments to be “easy”.
• All of the above makes this team undoubtedly highly expensivebeing available only to companies and large organizations.
• Additionally, , which is a type of mainframe computer, was characterized by its storage capacity and data managementso of course we can also consider this as a feature of mainframe computers.

Is a Macrocomputer the same as a Mainframe?

Yes and no. A mainframe is a type of mainframe computer., since it complies with all the characteristics that we have seen in the previous point. However, this In addition, it acts as a serverbeing a team to which several others are connected.

On the contrary, not all mainframe computers were designed, far from it, for this purpose. Many of them have only worked like calculating machines, without even having databases. Many others, yes, they can and do work as servers, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

However, it should be noted that the mainframe, as such, no longer exists (the “bicharraco” par excellence is the supercomputer), because, as we have seen, the essence of the concept has long since disappeared. In this way… it seems to be the decision of each one to say if mainframe and mainframe are the same.