IBM System/390 Integrated Server 3006

This is a relatively new implementation of an IBM 370 mainframe. It can have up to 4GB of RAM, 216GB of disk (DASD), Ethernet, Token Ring, and can use lots of the ancient peripherals from IBM mainframes. It can run OS/390, VM/ESA, VSE/ESA operating systems, and even Linux.

It boots OS/2 Warp on the Pentium II I/O and Service Processor (IOSP). All of the normal S/390 disk, tape, communications, and display controllers are emulated by the IOSP. The CDROM, Floppy, and 4mm DDS/3 DAT tape are also connected to the IOSP. The S/390 processor and 256MB of RAM are on a single boards plugged into the IOSP.

We need to power up this system to inventory the hardware, find out what hardware is enabled by the licenses, and to see if the IOSP and S/390 software is installed.

We have a 3174 11R SNA display controller that supports 64 3270 devices and 24 ASCII devices in the collection, and should be able to connect it to the S/390.

Front View

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The beginning of the OS/2 boot sequence.

The OS/2 desktop after boot.

One of the power supplies was not plugged in, so it reported an error.

It is configured for 8x disk drives (DASD).

It currently has 3x 18GB disks, CDROM, 4mm DAT, and a 5 1/4" floppy.

The empty bays at the left can hold batteries.

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We installed VM/ESA V2.4.0 and it actually booted!

The cables at the lower right connect to the Pentium II Service Processor.

This connections include VGA, PS2 keyboard & mouse, serial, parallel, and Ethernet.

The connector at the middle right is for a Parallel Channel Adapter for Bus/Tag peripherals, but we don't have the cable.

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The S/390 CPU and 256MB of RAM.

A few decades ago this would have filled several cabinets.

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The S/390 parallel channel adapter.

It lets us connect tape drives, printers, display controllers, and communication controllers to the system.

The big board set at the bottom is the Pentium II server that runs OS/2 and emulates most of the mainframe's peripherals.

The next board up is the S/390 processor. That is an entire 370 mainframe CPU and memory on a board.

The board up is the Parallel Channel Interface. This can be used to connect traditional disks, magnetic tapes, and printers.

There is room for a lot of expansion.

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The Pentium-II Server board that runs OS/2, boots the S/390, and emulates the peripherals.

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The Ethernet board.

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The Ethernet board.

There is an Ethernet port on the Pentium-II server board, so this Ethernet port is probably for the S/390.