Host Connectivity News and Articles (8/27)
When you hear somebody use the term 'Big Iron', they're probably referring to the IBM mainframes that rose to prominence in the 1960s. These computers are large, expensive and powerful, often taking up entire rooms with their own cooling systems. In the '60s, large corporations in key industries such as banking, telecommunications and airlines began using the large scale computer system architectures commonly referred to as Big Iron, and these architectures continue to play an important role today. In this article we'll look at the history of Big Iron, as well as how the traditional "green screen" terminals used to access them became obsolete, being replaced with user-friendly terminal emulation software.
When you hear terms such as 'IBM 3270 emulation' or 'Stratus emulation', you may balk. You know they have something to do with computers, but you probably haven't the foggiest idea beyond that. Well, allow us to explain. These are examples of terminal emulation software. It may sound obvious but, to put that simply, this software mimics or 'emulates' terminals.
One of the most amazing thing about the short history of computers is that the early mainframes of the 1960s and ‘70s – supercomputers that took up entire rooms and required their own air conditioning systems just to keep them at the optimum temperature – were less powerful than the handheld smartphone that most of you are probably carrying in your pocket even as you read this. It’s even more amazing when you consider that the technology required to access these mainframes can now be emulated on smartphones. From 3270 emulation to Wyse and Stratus emulation, it’s all available from your handheld device. In a way, it's all come full circle.
Terminal emulation refers to a type of software that allows end users to access a host computer or mainframe. The original terminals of the 1960s and '70s were crude pieces of hardware that performed a single function: accessing their host. Because of these limited capabilities, terminals did not survive in the multi-functional modern computing environment. Instead, terminal emulation software was introduced to mimic the original terminal hardware on a modern PC.