Amdahl Introduces Powerful IBM-Type Mainframe Systems

Amdahl Corp. on Tuesday unveiled a line of machines that it described as the most powerful IBM-compatible mainframes ever introduced, but it faces stiff competition in the lucrative market for improved high-end computers.

Amdahl said its 5995-8650M eight-way multiprocessor offers nearly three times the capacity of any previous Amdahl mainframe and is the first IBM-compatible system to use eight central processing units.

Industry analysts have said that with Amdahl’s growing reputation for reliability and quality of service, the company should be able to capture a good part of the growing mainframe market.

But the machines face stiff competition. Their introduction trailed by two weeks the unveiling of new generations of mainframes by International Business Machines Corp. and Fujitsu Ltd.