IBM System/370 - Series and Models

Series and Models

The following table summarizes the major S/370 series and models. The second column lists the principal architecture associated with each series. Many models supported more than one architecture; thus, 308x processors initially shipped as S/370 architecture, but later offered XA; and many processors, such as the 4381, had microcode that allowed customer selection between S/370 or XA (later, ESA) operation.

Note also the confusing term "System/370-compatible", which appeared in IBM source documents to describe certain products. Outside IBM, this term would more often describe systems from Amdahl Corporation, Hitachi Ltd., and others, that could run the same S/370 software. This choice of terminology by IBM may have been a deliberate attempt to ignore the existence of those plug compatible manufacturers (PCMs), because they competed aggressively against IBM hardware dominance.

First year
of series
Architecture Market
level
Series Models
1970 System/370 (no DAT) high-end System/370-xxx -155, -165, -195
1970 System/370 (DAT) mid-range -145 and -135
1972 System/370 high-end -158 and -168
entry -115 and -125
mid-range -138 and -148
1977 System/370-compatible high-end 303x 3031, 3032, 3033
1979 entry/mid 43xx 4331, 4341, 4361
1980 high-end 308x 3081, 3083, 3084
1981 System/370-XA
1983 mid-range 4381 4381
1986 high-end 3090 -120 to -600
1986 System/370-compatible entry 937x 9370, ...
1988 ESA/370 high-end ES/3090 ES/3090
1988 mid-range ES/4381 -90, -91, -92

Notable machines in the 370 range include the IBM 370/195, the IBM 370/168, the IBM 3033, the IBM 3090 mainframe/supercomputer with its optional vector facility (VF) extension, and the relatively inexpensive IBM 9370 tailored for small-to-medium size businesses.

Read more about this topic:  IBM System/370

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