TIME SHARING SPECTRA 70 STYLE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-01092A000100100005-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 8, 2002
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: July 1, 1967
• Content Type: MAGAZINE

't:PER 3ACH ON COMPUTER TECHNOLO Y This ;rofcle of RCA's new time sharing sys-
Approved For Release 200205/13: CIA-RDP7,Q1~,AQ101QQQQ,'-lopments in the.
Spectra 70 line is extracted from a new 250-
page analysis of the RCA Spectra 70 hard-
ware and software in A.UERBACI-I Standard
EDP Repqrts, an analytical reference service
published by AUERBACH Info, Inc., of Phila-
delphia,
time i
spect 70 style
By J. F3URT TOTARO 4.
Associate. Editor, AUERBACH Standard EDP Reports
AUERBACI-I CORPORATION
Spectra 70 se-
ries of comput-
ers was an-
nounced in De-
cember 1964,
RCA entered
Recognizing these problem
areas, RCA quietly set about clos-
ing the "facilities gap" between it-
self and IBM. During the past year
RCA has added new and impres-
sive peripheral units to its Spectra
70 line and has greatly increased
the capacity and scope of its soft-
ware systems. Most recently, on
May 4, 1967, RCA announced the
long-rumored Spectra 70/46 Time
Sharing System, a development
that serves to plug the only re-
maining gap of any significance
in RCA's battle to match the proc-
essing capabilities of IBM in the
small-to-medium-scale ?computer,
market.
head - to - head
competition
with IBM and
its System 360, From the begin-
ning, RCA promised to provide
more computing power per dollar
than IBM.
Spectra 70 indeed offered much:
a family of five generally cornpati-
bjc computer systems, a high de-
gree of source and object program
compatibility with the IBM Sys-
tem 360, extensive use of mono-
lithic integrated circuitry, three
levels of integrated operated sys-.
terns, and an extensive line of
peripheral equipment.* But the
System 300 offered more--a great-
er variety of hardware and, espe-
cially, more "third generation"
software faciliti.. s, such as ran-
dom-access-oriented operating sys-
:- jurcc-language control of
devices, automatic
data ;,,d;;clement systems, com-
prcl:ensive data communications
control systems, and support of
time-shared processing.
'Fur r drtailed review of the Snectrr. 70 fam-
IIy of c'11 uter eyntemn, gee "RCA Spectra 70
.-A Cnn+natibtc Conrnclitor,?' by J. It. Totnro,
!rata Proer.einp Muva;incl. June 1066, gages
dose of so fra 4t'~ f om its virtual ad-
Approved For Rele SQP c5/ c} P
7, 's s 92A c ss b % o he corresponding
Vital statistics on the new drum
include a storage capacity that
ranges between 4.1 and 16:4 mil-
lion bytes, an average access time
of 8.6 milliseconds, and a peak
data transfer rate of 333,333 bytes
per second.
70/46 Processor
The RCA Spectra 70/46 Proc-
essor is basically a 70/45 Process-
or with additional features to fa-
cilitate time-shared operations. All
features of the 70/45 Processor
are also included in the 70/46.
The principal features added to
the 70/45 in designing the 70/46
Processor include:
? Two additional banks of read-
only memory.
? Virtual-to-real address trans-
lation logic.
? An interval timer with a 100-
microsecond resolution..
. ? Hardware control of paging
and segmentation.
? Interrupt capabilities for in-
terval timer run-out, paging errors,
and page queuing.
? Six microprograrned operators
to control use of the translation
Memory, interval timer, and page
queuing.
? Capacity to add up to four
high-speed selector ?I/O channels
(as compared to a maximum of
three medium-speed selector chan-
nels with the 70/45).
? Memory protection that in-
cludes both Store and Fetch Pro-
tect features. The Spectra 70/46
Processor has been designed to can be written as if 2,097,152
facilitate serving multiple users bytes of core storage were avail-
with multiple programs. To under- able for its use, even though the
stand this design, it is necessary actual core storage unit provides
to consider the concept of paging. only, 262,144 bytes of real storage.
Paging
The Spectra 70/46 core storage
unit is divided into many blocks
of equal size called "pages." The
basic page size is 4,096 bytes, but
2,048-byte page lengths can also
be specified through the software.
Spectra 70/46 programs are coin-
piled in blocks.of 4,006-byte pages,
and only a limited number of
pages of each program need be in
core storage at any given instant
of program execution.
dressed program pages that ? any Sharing System. If a specific bit is
program can contain. This means set in the processor's Interrupt'
that every Spectra 70/46 program Status Register and a correspond-'
The Spectra 70/46's provision of , ations of the Function Call in-
about two million bytes of virtual
core storage could be expanded to
eight million bytes without sub-
stantial hardware change, but RCA
has not indicated that such an ex-
pansion is forthcoming.
Address Translation
Before executing instructions in
program pages that are dispersed
randomly through core storage, the
70/46 Processor must translate
each non-I/O instruction and op-
ing bit is set within the virtual
address of an instruction or opcr-
and, automatic virtual-to-real ad-
dress translation takes place and
the various microprogramed oper-
struction can ac utilized. This
processing mode is called the 70/
46 or time-sharing mode. All user
programs compiled by the Spectra
70/46's Time Sharing Operating
System (TSOS) software include
virtual addresses with the trans-
late bit set.
. The other processing mode is
called the 70/45 mode. In this
mode all object program addresses
are treated as direct addresses,
and no address translation occurs.
DATA PROCESSING MAGAZINE
Approved For Release 2002/05/13 : CIA-RDP78-01092A000100100005-4
permit a large number of programs real address that is relative to the
(or program segments) to reside current location of the pave in core
concurrently in core storage in a storage. Virtual-to-real address
manner that permits execution translation takes place autornati-
control to be passed easily between cally in the Spectra 70/46 Proc-
the resident pros rams, either on essor, and generally without any
an interrupt basis or a time-slicing increase in instruction execution
basis. Thus, even modest-sized time. (Instruction execution times
core memories can accommodate for the 70/46 Processor are gen-
the processing needs of a large erally equal to those of the 70/45
number of users,. since. only a lim- Processor.) -
ited number of pages of each re- When the Spectra 70/46 Proc-
quested program require use? of essor is operating in the time-shar-
core storage at any one time. Ing mode, 24-bit virtual addresses
Program pages not immediately are translated to 18-bit real ad-
required for execution in a Spec- dresses by means of an associative
tra 70/46 system are stored in ran- table-lookup search through the
dom access secondary storage- Translation Memory portion of
typically a 70/564 Disk Storage read-only memory. The 12 low-
Unit. When these program pages order bits (i.e., the "displacement"
are called for execution, they are field) of the virtual address are
relocated by the Time Sharing Ex- used intact as the 12 low-order bits
ecutive routine to any available of the z..1 address. The next 11
page in core storage. If active resi- bits of the virtual address repre-
dent pages must be displaced by sent the segment and page num-
higher-priority program pages, ? ber of the program address. These
they are temporarily dispatched to bits are translated via the Transla-
the system drum unit, from which tion Memory to a 6-bit real page
they can be quickly called and re- address which is combined with
instated in any available page of the untouched 12-bit displacement
core storage. field to form an 18-bit real address
The 512-word Translation Mein- that is capable of directly address-
ory is used by the software when ing up to 262,144 bytes of core
assigning and relocating program' storage.
pages to specific blocks of core
storage. The Translation Memory
Processor Modes
sets a limit of 512 pages as the Two processing modes are avail-
maximum number of uniquely ad- able for users of the 70/46 Time
 Spectra 70/45 object programs,
including the TOS and TDOS soft-
ware control routines, in a Spectra
70/46 Processor operating in the
70/45 mode, with results identical
to those obtained in a 70/45 Proc-
essor.
?lnstruction Set
The Spectra 70/46 Processor in-
cludes the full instruction reper-
toire of the Spectra 70/45 Proc-
essor, plus two new instructions;
Test and Set, and I action Call.
The 'I'.st and Set instruction can
be 'executed in either the 70/45 or
70/46 mode. This instruction is
used for bit-testing anywh.cre in
main memory. The Function Call
and its several microprogramed
operations (called Special Func-
tions) can be executed only in the
70/46 processing mode, and an.
attempt to execute them in the
70/45 mode results in an inter-
rupt.
The purpose of the Special Func-
tions is to reduce overhead times
normally associated with time-
sharing systems by implementing
in hardware (i.e., read-only mcrn-
ory) functions which are usually
performed by relatively slow soft-
ware control routines. This ap-
proach to reducing the overhead
delays associate(] with software
operating systems has been widely
discussed but rarely used to date.
? A similar use of read-only mem-
ories to implement emulators for
successfully accomplished by IRA
and I13M, and is currently being
developed by several other manu-
facturcrs.
I/O Capacity
Like the Spectra 70/45 system,
the 70/46 Time Sharing System
can concurrently execute one ma-
chine instruction, one input-output
operation on each of the installed
selector channels, and one data
transfer operation on each of the
eight subchanncls included In the
standard multiplexor channel. Up
to 256 low-speed I/O devices can
be connected to a 70/46 system
via the multiplexor channel.
Selector channels are optional
equipment, and two, three, or four
such channels can be installed.
Each selector channel has two
trunks, permitting two I/O con-
trol units to be connected. Input/
output data is transferred into and
out of core storage in 2-byte blocks
over the Selector Channels, and
.(he 70/4.6 Processor is delayed a
maximum of 1.44 microseconds
for each block transferred. Thus,
the I/O throughput capacity of the
70/4G system is --1.4 million bytes
per second. (The 70/45 Processor,
by contrast, is delayed 1.44 micro-
seconds for each single-byte I/O
transfer, resulting in an I/O
throughput capacity that is half
that of the 70/46.) The r,aximu-,
data rate possible over a single ?e-
t
RCA's NEV/ SPECTRA 70/552 Alphanurnorlc Video Data
Terminal provides keyboard Input and CIiT output facill-
ti
es.
JULY - 1037
It will be possible t~pprov ed For Release 2002/05/131: CIA-RDP78-0 092AO00100100005 44GS,000 bytes per
Time-Sharing Software
To complement the
p promising
hnrdwarc design of the Spectra
70/46, RCA has announced an
Impressive software package calls l
the Time Sharing Operating Sys-
tem, TSOS promises an efficient
random-access-oriented multipro-
graming Operating system plus ca-
pabilities for providing up to 48
users at remote terminals with im-
mediate,. -conversational access to
the central 70/46 computer. In-
cluded in the software package
will be a complete range of batch
and conversational language proc-
essors, remote syntax checking, de-
bugging and file editing systems,
an extensive data management
system, and a powerful executive
control program, RCA plans to de-
liver the entire Time Sharing Op-
erating System during the third
quarter of 1968.
The nucleus of TSOS is its net-
work of system control programs
used in the "privileged" mode by
the central Spectra 70 system. The
principal control programs in-
clude; the resident Executive pro-
gram; the File Control Processor
(FCP) for catalog, file, and data
management; an interactive data
communications input-output sys-
tem; an interactive software de-
bugging system; and haxdware
diagnostic routines.
The - chief components of the
THE SPECTRA 70/530 Data Gathering System transmits
data from input stations such as this to a Spoctra 70 come
Approved For Release 2002/05/13 A6li&-RDP78-01092A000100100005-4
 r
AJERBACH'
Approved
maintains catalogs of all flies in (i.e., single record) basis. The
For Reldhs(i;;l;flO2/051431)a-CIAeR[D1t iBtR:I092AQ@QtlQJ OM?rdlcl drove of great
Executive program will be the fol-
lowing:
? Task Scheduler, to maintain a
singgle, task queue from multiple
input sources, including remote
terminals, and to schedule on a
priority basis the concurrent cxc-
cWion Of as many programs as
the system resources will allow.
The Task Scheduler will also in-
clude a time-sharing algorithm to
control responsive tinge-shared op-
erations.
? Memory Manager, to control
the dynamic allocation of program
pates and to manage the use of
the more than two million bytes
of virtual storage available to the
progra Hauer.
? Device Allocator, to manage
the pool of input-output devices
available to the system, and to as-
sign free I/O devices to the pro-
grams' device-independent I/O
requests.
? Peripheral Input-Output, to
provide optional buffering of
punched-card: input files and print-
er-destined output files on random
access devices or magnetic tape
units.
? Job Control, to accept user-
specified Job Control Language
statements used to enter and de-
fine batch processing jobs at the
central 70/46 computer center.
? Command Language Control,
to enable users at remote terminals
to communicate With the central
system in either conversational or
batch mode. The Command Lan-
guage Is an extension of the Job
Control Language. it permits the
users at remote terminals to iden-
tify themselves, to specify the
tasks the system is to perform,
and to monitor the execution of
these tasks. Command Language
procedures can be prestored for
Afficiency of operation..
Data ?,Management
A major system control program
in the Time Sharing Operating
System is the File Control Process-
or (FCP ). The I CP provides com-
prehensive file management and
data :management systems. In the
area of file management, the FCP
for indexed sequential access to
files stored on random access de-
vices. Options available to the user
include the capability to specify
file names and characteristics at
execution time rather than at as-
sembly or compilation time, and
the capability to share files among
users through the use of pass-
words.
Also controlled by the FCP is
the TSOS Data Management Sys-
tem. Two types of file organization
are supported: sequential and in
dexcd sequential. The Data Man-
agement System provides facilities
for manipulating either type of file
by means of the following func-
tions: describe, create, access copy,
change, and delete. A file protec-
tion system prevents unauthorized
reading and writing of files in a
dynamic time-shared environment.
Processing Programs
In addition to the. network con-
trol programs. TSOS provides a
large set of processing programs
available for use by the system
aird problem programmers. The
TSOS processing programs include
language processors and utility or
service programs. Both the process-
ing programs and the users' pro-
grams are executed in the "non-
privileged" mode under control of
the TSOS control programs.
Language processors are sup-
plied in conversational and batch
form. The conversational language
processors include an interpretive
FORTRAN compiler that uses a
FORTRAN subset language, and
syntax checking programs for
source-level FORTRAN, COBOL,
and assembly-language programs.
The more conventional language
processors that operate in batch
mode are a FORTRAN IV com-
piler, a COBOL compiler, a Macro
Assembler, and a Report Program
Generator.
Utility programs are also pro-
vided in both conversational and
batch mcdcs. The two conversa-
tional service programs are the
Desk Calculator and Text Editor
programs. Usin the Text Editor,
the remote user can create, =modify,
and display nlcs on a line-at-a-time
value in maintaining symbolic pro-
grams and their associated data
files. The batch utility programs
include a sort/merge pro ;ram, a
file maintenance routine for sys-
tem and user programs, and a
test data generator.
All software comprising the
Time Sharing Operating System is
currently scheduled for delivery
during the third quarter of 1965.
In sunirnary, the Time Sharing
Operating System and its many
components represent RCA's an-
swer to the large-scale, random-
access-oriented software systems
offered by IBM with its Operating
System 360 and the Model 67's
Time Sharing System. TSOS sup-
plants the long-discussed Disk Ov-
-crating System in the RCA Spectra
70 software line. Because TSOS
includes not only time-sharing fa-
cilities, but also impressive multi-
programming and data manage-
ment facilities, it is likely that the
Spectra 70/46 Time Sharing Sys-
tem (including TSOS) will prove
attractive to some users whose
processing requirements do not in-
clude remote, time-shared process-
ing.
Compatibility
The Spectra 70/46 Time Shar-
ing System is compatible with the
RCA Spectra 70/35, 70/45, and
70/55 systems to the extent that
all instructions, character codes,
interrupt facilities, and special fea-
tures available in the nontirnc.
sharing systems are also available
in the 70/46 system and function
in the same manner. Therefore,
when operating in the 70/45 mode,
the 70/46 system will be able to
use the TOS and TDOS software
systems and execute object. pro-
grams compiled for 70/35, 70/45,
and 70/55 systems, provided that
the programs are timing-independ
ent and system optional features
are identical.
Functioning in the 70/46 mode
under the specialized Time Shar-
ing, Operating System, the 70/46
will be able to co; :pile all source
programs originally written to
function under TOS or TDOS in
70/35, 76/45, or 70/55 systems.
Approved For Release 2002/05/13 : CIA-RDP78-010 S2~iII00'1 b0 55-4 MAGAZINE
 The Job Control L & Reled~9 ~fb 1~'51?fd': M' iI*DP78 ~F~T92AOUOVD&lWd A5C4and Software
used with the Spectr 0"/- `de 'mum response time of eight see- In addition to the 70/46 Time
Sharing Operating System is an
expanded version of JCL as used
with the Tape and Tape/Disc Op-
crating Systems, but is not fully
compatible with the latter.
Because of the high degree of
compatibility between the 70/46
and the general-purpose Spectra
70 computer systems, users of the
70/35, 70/45, and 70/55 systems
should be able to upgrade to the
more advanced facilities of the
Time Sharing System with a mini-
mum of conversion-time difficulty.
Like the RCA Spectra 70/35,
70/45, and 70/55 systems, the
Spectra 70/46 In 70/45 mode is
largely compatible (both In terms
of programs and data) with the
general-purpose models of the IBM
System 360 computers.
Performance
A prototype Spectra 70/46 sys-
tem is currently operational and
being used by RCA for software
development, but no detailed per-
formance estimates are available
to date. As a preliminary perform-
ance indication, RCA states that
onds for each of 48 interactive re-
mote terminals, assuming that all
terminals are concurrently active
and that four background pro-
grams are also being processed
concurrently.
The Spectra 70/46 hardware/
software combination as specifico
is impressive and descrying of fur-
ther scrutiny by the industry as
its implementation progresses. The
70/46 Time Sharing System is not
startlingly revolutionary in its de-
sign nor extravagantly bold in its
goals (and, as such, may not ap-
peal to the industry's confirmed in-
novators). Yet, the 70/46 may
work, It appears to combine the
better features of efficient multi-
programing systems with more ad-
vanced remote data communica-
tions and time-sharing facilities.
Its approach to time-sharing is evo-
lutionaty-a natural, continuous
progression from the time-tested
batch processing facilities to those,
that may be better suited to cope
with the processing needs of the
future.
Table 1. Profile of the RCA Spectra 70/46 Processor
Core storage cycle time, microseconds
1.44
Bytes accessed per cycle
2
Core storage capacity, bytes
262,144
Selector channels
0, 2, 3, or 4
Multiplexor channels
1
Selector channel capacity, bytes per second
465,000
Multiplexor channel capacity, bytes per second
465,000
Maximum combined 1/0 data transfer rate,
bytes per second
Processor speeds, microseconds'
Fixed-point binary
1,388,888
c=a+b
25.2
c=aXb
Fixed-point decimal
81.9
ca+b
42.2
C=a X b
Floating-point (short)
127.0
c=a + b
37.4
c=aXb
Floating-point (long)
67.6
c = a + b
52.6
c....aXb
211.5
"The fined-point btnnry and short floating.point operations use 32-bit binary operands; tong
floating-point operntlonnu+o t;4-bit binary operands. The fixed-point decimal times are Sascd
on signed Co-digit (3-byte) decimal operands.
Sharing System, RCA has expand-
ed and improved its product line
in other areas during, the past
year. New hardware products in-
clude a controller for Burroughs,
IBM, or NCR MICR sorter-readers,
a high-speed (1,000 cps) paper
tape reader, "quietized" printers
with 96-character sets, an im-
proved CRT display device, and 7-
track magnetic tape units that
provide tape compatibility with
earlier RCA 301 and 501 systems.
More specialized hardware sys-
tems of recent development are
the Spectra 70/510 Voice Response
System, which delivers recorded
human-voice responses to on-line
inquirers at Bell System Touch-
Tone telephones, and the Spectra
70/630 Data Gathering System
(DGS), designed to gather infor-
mation,-t remote, point-or-transac-
tion input stations (such as badge
readers, 'card readers, etc.) and
transmit it to a central Spectra 70
computer system.
Software improvements have
centered on adding random access,
device capabilities to the Spectra
70 language processors and ex-
panding the support of data com-
munications devices. Also, the
Spectra 70 Basic Time Sharing Sys-
tem (BTSS) is being developed as
an all-software approach to limited
time-shared processing with Spec-
tra 70/45 systems.
By means of these develop-
ments, RCA has improved its posi-
tion as a worthy competitor of IBM
in all areas of the small-to-medium
scale computer market. RCA has
accomplished this feat with the aid
of a maturing market and product
planning philosophy that dots not
attempt to match in every detail
the vast facilities of the IBM Sys-
tem 360, but instead attempts to
analyze the demands of the marka
place and to implement whatever
facilities are required to remain
competitive, but on a scale that is
feasible and potentially profitable.
The hardware and software de-
sign of the new Spectra 70/46
Time Sharing System is an excel-
lent case in point.
JULY a 1067
Approved For Release 2002105/13 : CIA-RDP78-01092A000100100005-4
 Appr1oved For Releas 2Z/95f4i3 : CIA-RDP78-01092A000100100005-4
Approved For Release 2002/05/13 : CIA-RDP78-01092A000100100005-4
 Approved For Release 2002/05/13 : CIA-RDP78-01092A000100100005-4
TIME SHARING SYSTEM
2050-I
1052 Adapter
6980 Selector Channel 1st
6981 Selector Channel 2nd
2821-1
Control Unit
1,000
3615
1100 LPM Printer Adapter
77
1990
Column Binary
103
8637
Univ Char Set Adapter
15
1403-N1 Printer
1416--1 Inter Changeable Train Cartridge
2540 Card Read Punch.,
2848-3 Display Control.
435
2260---1 'Display Station (8 @ 51)
408
2702-1. Transmission Control
1,075
2841 Storage Control
766
2321 Data Cell Drive
2,885 ,:.._.
2314-1 Direct Access Storage Facility
5,410
2803-1 Tape Control
670
2401-3 Tape Units (3 @ 810) ?
2,430
39,251
Approved For Release 2002/05/13 : CIA-RDP78-01092A000100100005-4.
 COINS
Approved For Release 2002/05/13 : CIA-RDP78-01092A0001001'00005-4
2040 -- H
101505
1052
Adapter
232
6980
Selector Channel
360
1052-7
.65
2702-1
Transmission Control.
X1,075
2741-1
Communication Terminal (5 @
87.50)
437.50
2841
Storage Control
540
2311-1
Disk Storage Drive (6 @ 590)
3,540
2701-1
Data Adapter Unit
1,1001
17,755.50
COINS System
17,755.50
TS System
'39,251.00
Switching hardware
1',000.00
$ 58,006.50
__. Approved.Far.-F. eleasa2042/05 -13 CIA-R-DP7T8-01492A00010041=05-4