Mainframes

Mainframes are high-performance computers designed to run core enterprise applications with extreme reliability, availability, and security. They manage large-scale transaction processing, batch workloads, and concurrent access by many users and applications. Mainframes are commonly employed by banks, insurers, retailers, airlines, government agencies, and other institutions that require consistent performance and uptime.

The concept dates to the mid-20th century, when the most powerful machines were housed in centralized data centers. Over time, architectures evolved from early batch-oriented systems to modern mainframes that emphasize virtualization, scalable I/O, and robust fault tolerance. The IBM System/360 introduced in 1964 is widely credited with shaping the mainframe paradigm; today the IBM Z family is the dominant platform, along with other vendors and Linux on IBM Z.

Hardware and software: Mainframes use multi-processor CPUs, large memory configurations, and high-throughput I/O channels, with virtualization support that allows logical partitions (LPARs) and multiple virtual machines. Operating systems include IBM z/OS, z/VM, z/VSE, and TPF; Linux can run on IBM Z as well. Modern features include pervasive encryption, extensive logging/auditing, live partition mobility, and seamless disaster recovery capabilities.

Workloads and trends: Mainframes host critical financial systems, core banking, payment processing, and large-scale data processing. They integrate with cloud and analytics ecosystems and support hybrid IT strategies. The combination of reliability, security, and scale continues to make mainframes a core component of many large enterprises, despite competition from distributed servers and cloud services.