Mainframes

Mainframes are designed to handle very high volume input and output (O/I) and emphasize throughout computing. It is used mainly, by large organizations for critical applications, typically bulk data processing, industry and consumer statistics, ERP and financial transaction processing. The term problaby originated fromthe early mainframes, as they were housed in enormous, room-sized metal boxes or frames. Later the term was used to distinguish high-end commercial machines from less powerful units which were often contained in smaller packages. Today in pratice,the term usually refers to computers compatible with the IBM System/360 line, first introduced in 1965. (IBM System z9 is IBM's latest incarnation.) Otherwise, systems with similar functionality but not based on the IBM System/360 are referred to as "servers". However, "sever" and "mainframe" are different (see client-server).