Video Tour of a Mainframe Computer Room circa 1990 Please also see my IBM Impact Printer Video

[@ComputerHistoryArchivesProject]

This brings back lots of great memories! Worked in a data center much like the one in your film. Loved the part about the mainframes needing clean power. Most folks today don't realized that clean, "conditioned power" was a vital requirement back in the day. We also had a "motor generator" combination that delivered clean power. Great tour and explanations you gave here. Thanks very much for posting this! ~ VK

[@The_Conspiracy_Analyst]

hi CHAP!

[@barriewright2857]

It all looks so antique.

[@TexDrinkwater]

I started on my computer science degree using VM/CMS on a 370, and spent countless hours sitting in front of a 3270. PCs weren't released until a year or so later, and it was a couple of years before we got a lab full of them.

[@TahreyUK]

3:40 "Halon will put out the fire, and any humans near it..." :-)

[@sm1else]

Oh wow. Such great memories. My mom used to drag me into work with her when I was a kid. That company was all IBM. I think they went from a 360 to a 4341 to a 4381 to a 3090 and finally to the Z Series. I interviewed at that company 20 years later just to see what the computer room looked like now. Didn't want the job but the walk through the building was fantastic!

[@darren6202]

The piles of coloured "write rings" ontop the tape drives bring back memories of frisbee throwing at sleeping nightshift ops :)

[@evneck]

Yes, I always say my career started "under the floor" ... this is a very nice clip showing you my working environment back then!

[@nickgrilli7302]

Started my career in an mvs/360 jes3 shop as a print pool operator, on 1980, and worked in many departments over the years. it was a different world back then, when work was fun. Troubleshooting hardware errors or job abends was the bomb.

[@darren6202]

"Abend" a term i've not heard in 30 years since my mainframe days.....

[@davestidham5190]

I worked in a JES 3 shop too when I was just starting out. Tape and print area. The good old days.

[@adelgado75]

Takes me back to when I worked in a computer room in 1989.

[@mrbrent62]

My laptop has 16gigs of memory. However the IBM 360 mainframe I programmed in college had 32k. Even with 96meg mainframes are very good with managing memory. Programs written back then tended to be smaller. Our datacenter at work is mostly Blade servers rack mounted. The apps are cloud based and run through a browser. That video brought back memories.

[@CFlow375]

Man, I wish I was around during the heyday of mainframes like this. I would love to say I was one of those guys who knew how to handle those beasts. Some people don't really understand how far we've really come in computing and technology to really appreciate it. Most just take it for granted. Thx for posting this vid.

[@paulanderson79]

I've worked on some big rigs. IBM 4381 and a suite of high end AS/400 systems.

[@marcor5000]

Thanks for uploading! I really LOVE this oldschool stuff. I think that more people should video-film their datacenter. It really gives i good impression of the time back then.

[@marcel911]

I used to work with an Amdahl 470 V7 in the late 80's and a lot of this stuff takes me back. MVS JES2 Happy days.

[@paulanderson79]

I worked on a relatively small IBM 4381 installation in Slough, Berkshire UK. It belonged to Trust House Forte hotel group.

[@sz42781]

My father used to run a mainframe room like this. Unbelievable computing

[@peterdegelaen]

Not my father. I did.

[@scottcass4243]

This type of equipment is where I started. Now a distant memory.

[@chem100]

Remember them well. I'm homesick now. Seriously, thanks for posting this. Nice (and sometimes not so nice) memories.

[@dougspair]

I worked on stuff like this in the early 1970's. This room full of stuff does what a couple of desktops can do now days.

[@paulanderson79]

One thing these monsters were good at was real time transaction processing. Hundreds, if not thousands of IO operations per second was the order of magnitude.

[@InvogueUK]

I used to work at a data centre with cartridge tapes like that. Also I used the 6250 tape reels. I started using mainframe computers in the 90's as a system operator. Wish I did a video of some. Would love to share the System/38 and AS/400 system set ups I used to work on. I also used WANG VS systems, RS/2000,HPCAD,SWIFT,DEC &other systems that people have no idea what they are these days.The WANG VS system had massive disk platters that held 72Mb on them. I'd love to be still working with them.

[@paulanderson79]

I have fond recollections of the S/36 and AS/400 machines.

[@chickywilly]

Thank you for sharing that interesting video.

[@LOGINCLtv]

Wow! DASD Gods were being nice to you, allowing a video recorder in the site. Must be in Ontario, given that you call power "Hydro". Around that time I was working on Sys/38 AS400 after being in Sys/36 & Sys/3 shop. Always had problems with those "automatic" reel loaders, never used them. After that I went to VAX/VMS, said goodbye to 5250 protocol converters. Always had a secret love to have my own 36 some day. Funny, one of the 4 3340 units was called R2D2. Naaahhhhh

[@CoolDudeClem]

How far we have come, to think that one of those can now fit in the palm of your hand!

[@paulanderson79]

In terms of processing power yes, but in terms of transaction processing and thousands of simultaneous I/O operations per second definitely not.

[@TheRuddydoom]

this takes me back to the good old days of 2mb hard drives

[@peterposto8984]

Those were the days .. thanx!

[@adelgado75]

This takes me back to my days as a Tape Pool Operator in 1989. Good times. Now they have VSM and it isn't fun.

[@onionofdeath]

all of those tapes would easily fit onto my PORTABLE 500 GB hard drive with plenty of room to spare. We have come a long long way in just 19 years.

[@rocketman221projects]

Now this would all fit in a single server rack with room to spare! All of those tapes probably fit on a few lto-5 cartridges too.

[@skipplet]

Damn, I remember going to work with my dad sometimes. Their computer room was EXACTLY like this one, suspended floor and all.

[@trashman1320]

I remember taking my son to work and being afraid he would hit "the button" that powered off our whole system. It was located about 3 feet off the ground. He was and is still a very good boy.

[@Puzzoozoo]

Back in 1990(s) they were probably perpetuating the urban myth of the 'IT skills shortage' just as they do today.

[@keithwing1814]

We still have all of our old Tandys. Model I, Model III, Model 4s, and my Color Computer 2 and 3.

[@careh1]

I'm not sure - there was Amdahl equipment in the room but that was a long time ago...

[@adelgado75]

Takes me back to Smith Barney and the Tape Pool.

[@rtfordy]

Thanks for posting, took me back to our datacenter. Was that an Amadahl CPU?

[@nikolaykrotov8673]

That surely was not an IBM.

[@Stevanhale]

The fire supression system is impresssive! "It will put out the fire and any human near it"(3:24) They would rather you die than risk the $5,000,000 computer!

[@paulanderson79]

It's not the computer they're worried about. It's business continuity and data they're preserving. In practice there is substantial time for staff to vacate the area before the Halon is discharged.

[@cullyvan]

A mainframe is a mans machine. Todays IT specialists are welcome to their "nintendo"systems :)

[@summer20105707]

I doubt a single high end computer replaces these. High end pcs in my opinion necessitate modern high end data centers to complement them. Remember people that the Internet is growing.

[@srobak]

very cool. took me back. this was nice - reminded me of my days at the Michigan State University data center. Where was this shot ?

[@metalmachine974]

I really like these computers you can program them alot and they are so cool. Wish i had a computer which you could talk to and ask anny question he could answer and program him to perform alot of tasks

[@cyborgtroy]

WHOO TAPE CARTRIDGE!

[@dwillson1]

old school that its best!!!

[@VideyoJunkei]

and ram prices had a lot to do with all the tape storage these machines had, to keep ram costs down.

[@Killtacboy]

OH GOSH! The cable management must be agonizing!

[@paulanderson79]

Been there. It is indeed just that. Agonizing.

[@chuckcornelius194]

isn't it "raised floor", not "suspended". at least, i never heard the term suspended. the floor you walk on is 15-18 inches or so above the actual cement floor.

[@richardhaas39]

Yes, the ceiling is suspended and both can be return air plenums.

[@ranjukanwarcharan8400]

मेनफ्रेम कम्प्युटर ऐसे होते हैं

[@metalmachine974]

Nowadays computers are more programable. Well actually i'm living arround manny computers so i've the knowledge of alot of different systems. For examole: a group of computers that are having connections to each other and you can program them to perform tasks. Well i don't know which operating systems are being used as yet I'm 12 years of age

[@macmula5931]

I HAVE NOW WITNESSED A VIDEO WITHOUT ANY DISLIKES!

[@joshernzen9554]

I wonder if you could develop a program that emulates a 486 and try installing Windows 95 or 98 on it.

[@AK-nb6hz]

VMware does.. You can install 3.1 and DOS 6.2 if you want... It runs quite a lot quicker than a 486 though..

[@elkioklo9363]

Whst were there purpose ?

[@1TW1-m5i]

A whole 96mb, wow

[@t18c97]

Funny to see someone else that stacked their 3174’s

[@dwill123]

We used IBM 3725s and Comten 3690s. No stacking those bad boys.

[@t18c97]

@@dwill123 We didn't stack our 3745-900's either.

[@raynethackery1]

I used to have nightmares about having to IPL the machine.

[@davestidham5190]

Nothing like having an unplanned IPL with company VP's and directors standing over your shoulder.

[@jeffffff]

@SoldierDDR Ugh I hate when people say that too. Mostly because I know they have a shit ton of viruses and random programs running in the background. :(

[@rocketman221projects]

I don't think it's an lto cartridge, they didn't come out until 2000.

[@stonent]

It was a 3480 tape.

[@peterdegelaen]

@@stonent Indeed. It is no LTO. The successor of this type of cartridge was the 3490.

[@kinmanyuen]

lol i feel like an ant on a motherboard

[@thatguyalex2835]

What model number is that mainframe computer?

[@saidjonasrorov1721]

😮

[@YFNGamer1]

0:24 Intruder alert! RED spy in the base!

[@RoyHess666]

Can a todays single high end computer replace this whole facility? :)

[@paulanderson79]

In terms of processing power yes. By thousands of orders of magnitude. In terms of transaction processing and I/O no.

[@miles2378]

mmm haylon.

[@peterdegelaen]

Halon.

[@gck86]

of course our grand children will laugh in the future.future computer will have more storage and ram up to perabyte or more to zottabyte.

[@Icebeam47]

It has enough ram for windows 2000! =O

[@EberKlaushartinger]

It was a Mainframe, not a PC! For the Work a Mainframe does, that was needed back then.

[@careh1]

Wow - lots of fan noise.

[@VideyoJunkei]

I HOPE he meant gig!

[@paulanderson79]

No. 96 megabytes is correct.

[@RetroJack]

Cue all the "my cellphone...", "my laptop...", etc. comments.

[@masonb81]

Is it high tech ?

[@summer20105707]

Eh :-) Quit picking on the VC20. At least it doesn't get bogged down with viruses.

[@patardlelephant9309]

I see a duck at 1:05

[@dinox4]

but 96 gigs of ram is a lot

[@paulanderson79]

96 Megabytes !!

[@dixiefire1337]

my computer has 16gb of ram :)

[@pinkfloydeffect]

Oh god HAHAHA!

[@steviebrochdale]

"This mainframe computer has 96 MB of RAM". My desktop has over 6000 MB of RAM. It is truly amazing how far computers have evolved over the last few decades!

[@EberKlaushartinger]

That was 1990! Back then 96MB was A LOT of Memory! My 1st PC 1995 only had 4MB of RAM!

[@dwill123]

@@EberKlaushartinger Just for comparison in the early 1980s our office got a IBM XT PC with a 10MB hard drive for storage. I clearly remember about 6 of us crowding around this thing asking each other how were we ever going to fill 10MB. Back then most of us could get by with two or three 5.25-inch floppies (capacity of 360KB each).

[@blacksattackinpacks8407]

a 96 meg mainframe what years is this, 1912?

[@careh1]

This computer is from the 1992 - 1995 timeframe. In 1912 they did not have computers.

[@blacksattackinpacks8407]

careh1 I bought my first PC in 1982 or 1984 and it was 3500 dollars!

[@SkuldChan42]

In the early 90's - 96 megabytes of ram was a ton of ram - it would be like having a computer with 128 gigs of ram today.

[@daniluvsuall]

+SkuldChan42 That's crazy the Commodore had 64k!

[@keithwing1814]

My machine is several years old, and has 128GB of RAM.

[@herefordmsv]

96 Meg of ram...today my phone has more than that!

[@EberKlaushartinger]

That was 1990! Back then 96MB was A LOT of Memory! My 1st PC 1995 only had 4MB of RAM!

[@schtaan2]

My gaming computer from 1987, Atari ST 1040, have (i have it still in a drawer) 1 meg of ram and that was seen as crazy alot!

[@SiquidProductions]

This is some stone age shit

[@paulanderson79]

In its era this was cutting edge business computing.

[@evneck]

Yes, I always say my career started "under the floor" ... this is a very nice clip showing you my working environment back then!