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IBM 37xx

{{Short description|Series of mainframe communication controllers manufactured by IBM}}

{{Refimprove|date=September 2012}}

{{Infobox information appliance

|name =IBM 37xx series

|processor =|frequency=|memory=|slots=|rom=|coprocessor=|ports=|cost=|power=|speed=|language=|weight=|type=

|discontinued =2002

|logo =File:IBM logo.svg

|logo_size =100px

|image =IBM 3725 (1).jpg

|image_size =250px

|caption =IBM 3725 controller

|predecessor = IBM 270x series

|successor = Communications Controller for Linux software

|release date ={{Start date and age|1972}}

|manufacturer =IBM|dimensions=}}

IBM 37xx (or 37x5) is a family of IBM Systems Network Architecture (SNA) programmable communications controllers used mainly in mainframe environments.

All members of the family ran one of three IBM-supplied programs.

  • Emulation Program (EP) mimicked the operation of the older IBM 270x non-programmable controllers.
  • Network Control Program (NCP) supported Systems Network Architecture devices.
  • Partitioned Emulation Program (PEP) combined the functions of the two.

Models

Image:IBM 3705 Front Panel Asmall.jpeg

=370x series=

  • 3705 — the oldest of the family, introduced in 1972 to replace the non-programmable IBM 270x family. The 3705 could control up to 352 communications lines.
  • 3704 was a smaller version, introduced in 1973.{{cite book|last=Pugh|first=Emerson|title=IBM's 360 and Early 370 Systems|year=1991|publisher=MIT press|isbn=0-262-16123-0|url=https://archive.org/details/ibms360early370s0000pugh|url-access=registration}} It supported up to 32 lines.{{cite book|last=IBM Corporation|title=IBM 3704 and 3705 Communications Controllers Hardware: Student Text|year=1979|url=http://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/370x/SR20-4544-2_IBM_3704_and_3705_Communications_Controller_Hardware.pdf|access-date=2012-09-01|archive-date=2011-03-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110322170327/http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/370x/SR20-4544-2_IBM_3704_and_3705_Communications_Controller_Hardware.pdf|url-status=dead}}

=371x=

The 3710 communications controller was introduced in 1984.{{cite news|last=Edwards|first=M.|title=Communications Processors Rise to Challenge of Larger, Faster Networks.|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Communications+Processors+Rise+to+Challenge+of+Larger,+Faster...-a0607601|access-date=September 8, 2012|newspaper=Communications News|date= April 1, 1985}}

=372x series=

File:IBM 4381.jpg system]]

The 3725 and the 3720 systems were announced in 1983. The 3725 replaced the hardware line scanners used on previous 370x machines with multiple microcoded processors.

  • The 3725 was a large-scale node and front end processor.
  • The 3720 was a smaller version of the 3725,{{cite news|last=Horwitt|first=Elizabeth|title=IBM Unveils low-end SNA connectivity|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rZEVTUgVGWsC&q=ibm+3720+description&pg=PA8|access-date=September 1, 2012|newspaper=Computerworld|date=May 26, 1986}} which was sometimes used as a remote concentrator.
  • The 3726 was an expansion unit for the 3725.

With the expansion unit, the 3725 could support up to 256 lines at data rates up to 256 kbit/s, and connect to up to eight mainframe channels.

Marketing of the 372x machines was discontinued in 1989.{{cite news|last=Guptill|first=Bruce|title=FEPs provide variations on networking theme|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DRIEAAAAMBAJ&q=ibm+3725+announcement&pg=PA44|access-date=September 2, 2012|newspaper=Network World|date=May 29, 1989}}

IBM discontinued support for the 3705, 3720, 3725 in 1999.

=374x series=

  • The 3745, announced in 1988,{{cite news|last=Brown|first=Bob|title=Low-end FEP market to expand through early 90s|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IRIEAAAAMBAJ&q=ibm+3725+announcement&pg=PA13|access-date=September 2, 2012|newspaper=Network World|date=April 25, 1988}} provides up to eight T1 circuits. At the time of the announcement, IBM was estimated to have nearly 85% of the over US$825 million market for communications controllers over rivals such as NCR Comten and Amdahl Corporation. The 3745 is no longer marketed, but still supported and used.{{when|date=September 2012}}
  • The 3746 "Nways Controller" model 900, unveiled in 1992, was an expansion unit for the 3745 supporting additional Token Ring and ESCON connections.{{cite news|last=Cooney|first=Michael|title=IBM adds rich array of network products|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DhQEAAAAMBAJ&q=ibm+3746&pg=PA89|access-date=September 2, 2012|newspaper=Network World|date=Sep 21, 1992}} A stand-alone model 950 appeared in 1995.{{cite news|last=Guruge|first=Anura|title=IBM's Nways: much ado about nothing|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BQ8EAAAAMBAJ&q=ibm+3746&pg=PA34|access-date=September 2, 2012|newspaper=Network World|date=July 24, 1995}}

Successors

IBM no longer manufactures 37xx processors. The last models, the 3745/46, were withdrawn from marketing in 2002.{{cite book|last=White|first=Bill|title=IBM Communication Controller for Linux on System z V1.2.1 Implementation Guide|year=2006|publisher=IBM Corporation|isbn=0-738-49665-0|pages=2|url=http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/redbooks/pdfs/sg247223.pdf|display-authors=etal}} Replacement software products are Communications Controller for Linux on System z and Enterprise Extender.

Clones

Several companies produced clones of 37xx controllers, including NCR COMTEN and Amdahl Corporation.{{cite news|last=Korzeniowski|first=Paul|title=Data dialog ditties|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kh0EAAAAMBAJ&q=ibm+3705+clone&pg=PA15|access-date=September 7, 2012|newspaper=Network World|date=December 15, 1986}}

References

{{Reflist}}

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37xx

Category:Computer networks

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