IBM Corp’s plans to build future MVS mainframes out of 390 architecture microprocessors have met with incredulity from those that find the idea of writing a parallel version of an operating system that is 18 years old under its present name little short of ludicrous – but the company has made it clear that a parallel DB2 database back-end will be launched later this year, and that a full parallel mainframe is in the plan. The hardware side is the least of its problems – apart from the fact that it makes the present generation of ES/9000s looking like the end of the present line and therefore unattractive investments – and the company says it is working on a cost-efficient CMOS microprocessor-based 390 for the second half of the year. It says it’s already built a prototype. It paints a picture of a moderately parallel 390 with 50 to 100 processors for complex query-based applications. Next year, it says, it will have a transaction processing offering. The chip, for cost efficiencies, will come off the same line as the RS/6000 chips but will implement the basic System 390 instruction set and architecture.
