Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
z/OS
The
z/OS
is IBM's first 64-bit enterprise OS. It supports IBM's z900 and z800 lines of
mainframes that can come with up to sixteen 64-bit processors. (The z stands for zero down-
time.) The OS provides several new capabilities to make it easier and less expensive for users
to run large mainframe computers. The OS has improved workload management and ad-
vanced e-commerce security. The IBM zSeries mainframe, like previous generations of IBM
mainframes, lets users subdivide a single computer into multiple smaller servers, each of which
can run a different application. In recognition of the widespread popularity of a competing
OS, z/OS allows partitions to run a version of the Linux OS. This means that a company
can upgrade to a mainframe that runs the Linux OS.
HP-UX and Linux
The
HP-UX
is a robust UNIX-based OS from Hewlett-Packard designed to handle a variety
of business tasks, including online transaction processing and Web applications. It supports
Internet, database, and business applications on server and mainframe enterprise systems. It can
work with Java programs and Linux applications. The OS comes in five versions: foundation,
enterprise, mission critical, minimal technical, and technical. HP-UX supports Hewlett-
Packard's computers and those designed to run Intel's Itanium processors.
Red Hat Enterprise
Linux
for IBM mainframe computers is another example of an enterprise operating system.
Operating Systems for Small Computers, Embedded
Computers, and Special-Purpose Devices
New OSs and other software are changing the way we interact with personal digital assistants
(PDAs), smartphones, cell phones, digital cameras, TVs, and other appliances. These OSs
are also called
embedded operating systems
because they are typically embedded within a device,
such as an automobile or TV recorder. Embedded software is a multibillion dollar industry.
Some of these OSs allow you to synchronize handheld devices with PCs using cradles, cables,
and wireless connections. Cell phones also use embedded OSs (see Figure 4.8). In addition,
some OSs have been developed for special-purpose devices, such as TV set-top boxes, com-
puters on the space shuttle, computers in military weapons, and computers in some home
appliances. Some of the more popular OSs for devices are described in the following section.
Figure 4.8
Mobile Phones Have Embedded
Operating Systems
Many cell phones and smartphones,
such as this BlackBerry, have an
embedded OS that can support
access to communications, media,
and information.
(Source: Courtesy of PRNewsFoto/
Verizon Wireless.)
