Data Switch Corp, San Diego, California – and Maidenhead in the UK – has introduced its Model 9390 channel extender for IBM mainframes and claims that it enables IBM 3090s to communicate with disk drives that are installed at up to 1,300 feet. The thing is claimed to cost only 66% of the price of IBM’s 3044, yet to operate over a 62% greater distance. Benefits touted by the company are better physical security for disk drives, sharing disk among distributed computers, and isolation of disk farm operation – and the thing features dual load-sharing supplies for reliability. The 9390 extender is $19,800, available now.
