What is Mainframe Operating System?

Operating System is a fully integrated set of specialized programs that handle all the operations of the computer. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system. Examples of Operating Systems are Windows, Linux, Mac OS, etc. Let’s understand the Mainframe Operating System in this article.

What is a Mainframe Operating System?

A mainframe operating system is software that manages the resources and activities of large, and powerful mainframe computers. The mainframe operating system is designed so that it can handle multiple jobs simultaneously. To deal with large amounts of transactions is one of their features which is why they are used by large organizations such as banks, and governments. For example, IBM z/OS, and IBM z/VSE. The services provided by the mainframe operating system are:

• They perform operations like clustering and partitioning.
• They act as the base for extensive applications.
• It divides the jobs into different batches.
• It provides data security and efficient task management.
• It performs a large amount of transactions.

History of Mainframe Operating System

The existence of the mainframe operating system came in the 1940s. IBM was the major supplier of mainframe hardware and software in the 1950s when very few companies afford it. A major innovation came after the introduction of IBM System/360. The existing mainframe operating system was improved by IBM in the 1980s by introducing new features. In the 2000s IBM introduced IBM z/OS and IBM z/VSE.

Applications of Mainframe Operating System

• Mainframe operating systems are used by governments in domains like education, health, defense, and infrastructure development because of their scalability and availability.
• It is used by transportation systems like railways, and airlines to manage their operations.
• It is used by enterprises that have to handle large databases every minute because of its high processing power and flexibility.
• Used by banks and financial institutions to handle large amounts of transactions made by credit cards and other mediums because they provide reliability, compatibility, and high security.

Types of Mainframe Operating System

Below are different types of Mainframe Operating Systems.

• IBM Z/OS: It transcends from OS/360. It is made to provide high security, and stability and handle large amounts of operations. It also supports multiprocessing and cloud computing. It is the mainframe operating system that is widely used in large organizations like banks, governments and educational institutions.
• IBM Z/VM: It is a mainframe operating system equipped with virtualization. It allows running thousands of guest servers on a single IBM Z servers. It provides highest efficiency and flexibility. The migration from one release to another is very much simplified. It is suitable for testing new software configurations. It provides compatibility. It supports formation of virtual machines.
• IBM Z/VSE: It is a mainframe operating system designed for smaller mainframe computers. It supports extensive batch processing and transaction processing. It was previously called Disk Operating System. It is used by firms with small number of transactions and who doesn’t have such large needs.
• Linux: It is an open source operating system that can run on IBM Z. It provides high performance. It can run natively or under hypervisor. It is very much suited for hybrid cloud infrastructure. It also allows to run linux applications.

Advantages of Mainframe Operating System

• Mainframe operating system have very high and massive processing power.
• They are scalable and can handle large scale of users and applications.
• They are fault tolerant and reliable.
• They provide great security measures to protect the system from hacking and other cyber security threats.

Disadvantages of Mainframe Operating System

• Mainframe operating system are very costly so only large institutions can afford them.
• They are very complex to operate. Specialized knowledge is required to use it.
• Mainframe Operating System aren’t flexible.
• They aren’t available so easily.

Frequently Asked Questions on Mainframe Operating System – FAQs

What is mainframe used for?

Mainframe is used for tasks requiring high input data and deals with large number of transactions.

What are mainframe languages?

COBOL is one of the major mainframe language while C++ and Java are also used.

Are mainframes used in banks?

Yes, mainframes are used by many banks to host their databases.

What are the advantages of mainframe?

The advantages of using mainframe are high processing power, security, compatibility, and scalability.