Computers for Organizations

Some computers handle the needs of many users at the same time. These powerful systems are most often used by organizations, such as businesses or schools.

Network Servers

Today, most organizations’ networks are based on personal computers. Individual users have their own desktop computers, which are connected to one o r more centralized computers, called network servers. A network server is usually a powerful personal computer with special software and equipment that enable it to function as the primary computer in the network. Mobile users, however, may be able to connect a notebook PC or a handheld device to the network by wireless means.

Mainframe Computers

Mainframe computers are used in large organizations such as insurance companies and banks, where many people frequently need to use the same data. In a traditional mainframe environment, each user accesses the mainframe’s resources through a device called a terminal. There are two kinds of terminals.

A dumb terminal does not process or store data; it is simply an input/output (I/O) device that functions as a window into a computer located somewhere else.

An intelligent terminal can perform some processing operations, but it usually does not have any storage. In some mainframe environments, however, workers can use a standard personal computer to access the mainframe. Mainframes are large, powerful systems. The largest mainframes can handle the processing needs of thousands of users at any given moment.

Minicomputers

First released in the 1960s, minicomputers got their name because of their small size compared to other computers of the day. The capabilities of a minicomputer are somewhere between those of mainframes and personal computers. For this reason, minicomputers are often called midrange computers. Like mainframes, minicomputers can handle much more input and output than personal computers can. Although some ‘‘minis’’ are designed for a single user, the most powerful minicomputers can serve the input and output needs of hundreds of users at a time. Users can access a central minicomputer through a terminal or a standard PC.

Supercomputers

Supercomputers are the most powerful computers made, and physically they are some of the largest. These systems can process huge amounts of data, and the fastest super computers can perform more than one trillion calculations per second. Some supercomputers can house thousands of processors. Supercomputers are ideal for handling large and highly complex problems that require extreme calculating power. For example, supercomputers have long been used in the mapping of the human genome, forecasting weather, and modeling complex processes like nuclear fission.