From the Editor Contents

Ten years ago this month - in June 1975 - Amdahl shipped its Rebels With A Cause 3 first product, the 470V/6. It was Eager to prove that an alternative to IBM mainframes a joyous event that proved to us was possible, a handful of high-tech visionaries formed and to the computer industry that . we had accomplished our mission: developing and manufacturing large­ scale mainframe computers that Risky Business 9 would run IBM and compete Why did Amdahl's early customers have the chutzpah with the industrial giant. The first to break with Big Blue? Because the 470 was fifty steps toward attaining that goal percent faster and cost at least a million dollars less. occurred fifteen years ago - in That's why. January 1971 - when a group of zealous engineers got together to form Amdahl Corporation - a Tales From The Field 11 company that would accomplish Veteran customer support employees share memories what many viewed as unthinkable. of the trials and tribulations of the early installations. This special retrospective issue celebrates the Amdahl phenomenon une 1975: It was ten months after President and highlights the events that led Amdahl's First Computer 13 Nixon resigned in the wake of the Watergate to the company's formation. It The plug-compatible mainframe industry was born Jscandal, one month before the launching of also describes the drama and excite­ on a Saturday afternoon in the winter of 1974. the first joint U.S.-Soviet space mission, and three ment that characterized the winning months before newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst - of our early customers, and the sub­ REBELS kidnapped by members of the Symbionese Liberation sequent shipments and installations. Building On Success 14 Army - was arrested for robbery of the Hibernia The stories in this issue illustrate Amdahl's main campus emerged from orchards and Bank in San Francisco. In the part of the the characteristics that successful onion fields. that was becoming known as "," another companies thrive on: the passion WITH historic event was taking place. Five-year-old Amdahl to pursue a dream; the business Corporation was celebrating the first shipment of its savvy to realize it; and the ability A Message From The President 16 first product, the 4 70V /6, the first large-scale non-IBM to guide it. These are the dynamics Amdahl's employees keep the dream alive. mainframe manufactured that could run IBM software, that launched Amdahl's success - and A CAUSE and therefore was an alternative to IBM's largest proces­ that will ensure a future as bright as sors. This meant that companies around the world our company's past. that had collectively spent billions of dollars on applica­ tion software were no longer confined to running that High-tech visionaries software on IBM machines. Now there was another Staff choice - one that was less expensive and, at the same pioneer an alternative time, offered higher performance. Editor The genesis of Amdahl's 4 70V / 6 goes back to the Marilyn Kochman to Big Blue mid-60's, to IBM headquarters in Armonk, New York, where some executives decided to form a new division Associate Editor Volume 10 Number 3 that would be solely dedicated to exploring the potential Rachel Oppedahl of large-scale processors. IBM assigned some of its Suggestions for articles can be mailed to : most talented employees - Bruce Beebe, Glenn Grant, Amdahl Update M /S 300,1250 East Arques Avenue, P.O. Box 3470, Sunnyvale, CA 94088-3470 or Mailbox I.D.: UPDATE . and Dick Tobias - to launch the Advanced Computer The Update is prepared and published by Amdahl's Amdahl Corporation is an Systems (ACS) division in Menlo Park, California. Graphics and Printing Departments. Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer. About the time that ACS was starting, Dr. , architect of IBM's System 360 computers,

2 Amdahl Update Amdahl Update 3 Dave Brewer Mike Clements Lyle Topham Glenn Grant Vice-President, Corporate Vice-President, Director, Director, Processor Products Chief Technical Officer Processor Products Design Architecture Quality

Bruce Beebe Richard Bishop Jim Henry Vice-President, Director, Director, Consulting Engineer Product Operations Advanced Systems Planning Project Manager

A 1985 view of eight original employees: They came aboard January 4, 1971 .

was named an IBM Fellow, and was given the freedom former colleagues to lunch at the Santa Clara Ramada Rodriguez, a former Litton Industries engineer, and says Jim. "When you leave IBM , it's like leaving your to work wherever in the corporation he desired. Enticed Inn. Then he unveiled his plans. He wanted to develop Marjorie Slaughter and Susie Warren, secretaries. family. You get disowned. They don't take you back." by the opportunity to explore new architectures for a mainframe that would offer better performance than Joining the new startup meant something different According to Bruce, making the decision to join large computers, Gene chose to work at ACS. According the comparable IBM machine, cost less, and run IBM to each employee. Glenn recalls, "I had confidence Gene Amdahl's new venture was very simple. to Dick, "Gene wanted to show IBM that there was software. in Gene Amdahl's business plan, even though in those "MASCOR had just closed the doors. We were on the a technology and an architecture that could be made Jim Henry recalls his reaction to the plan. "When days, people didn't understand the concept of startups. street without a job. Gene had money and a plan for to work well in a high-performance market and that I heard Gene give his speech, it just felt right. The time They didn't understand the kind of successes that a challenging product. It was an easy decision to make." could result in a computer that had a higher performance was good, also. There were many antitrust suits against were possible to achieve. To me, this was simply an The venture was on, and so the work began. "We than anything else IBM had yet developed." IBM, so they wanted to be able to point to a startup interesting job with intereresting people." simply transferred the MASCOR organization to But that goal w~s never reached. In 1969 ACS began like Amdahl and say, 'See, Amdahl just started. It Dick reflects on his reasons for joining the new Amdahl," says Dick. "We worked in the same areas focusing on disc products. Bruce, Glenn, Dick and has made it against us, so what are we being accused startup. "Dr. Amdahl was the greatest optimist in the we had worked in at MASCOR. My specialty was the Mike Clements left ACS and helped form MASCOR, of?' Besides, Gene Amdahl is a brilliant man. We use world," he says. "He was the shining light. He had storage system portion of the mainframe; Glenn worked a new startup located in Cupertino. Later other IBM the term 'creative' in Engineering, but I think Gene fantastic goals, as far as how much the 4 70 would cost, on instruction sequencing; Mike worked on the E unit; employees like Jim Henry, Dave Brewer, and Rudy is even a step above that. I would say he is a visionary. how quickly it could be developed, how much it would Richard Bishop, on the I/O System; and Jim, on the Bovier joined the firm. So did some non-IBMers like Anybody who would say he could start a company be sold for, and what the performance would be. He console. We were a group of people who knew what Russ Young, Lyle Topham, Jim Meyer, Richard Bishop, that could compete against IBM - and make that was optimistic, and as it turned out, unrealistic. The each other could do. We could start, almost from the Reed Larsen, and Warren Yenney. stick - knew what he was talking about." goals weI ' so high, though, that it didn't really matter first day, developing a product." After a year, Gene Amdahl also left ACS to spend Bruce also recalls the historic luncheon. "Gene was if they were reached or missed by a factor of two or Russ Young, who was hired in March 1971, a summer in Europe as a guest lecturer at a NATO very enthusiastic about his new company and at one three. Also, I knew from my experience at MASCOR observes, "The original Amdahl employees were the summer school for computer architecture. During this point during his speech, he said that it would be ·realistic that failure wouldn't be catastrophic to my career. cream of the crop. They had been pre-selected by trip, Gene had plenty of time to ponder what went to assume that the Amdahl stock price would go to The people from MASCOR already had been through IBM. They were committed computer designers who wrong at ACS. "The gestation period of Amdahl took $1,000 a share." failure. We were motivated in part by the attitude, had been at ACS , seasoned their skills at MASCOR, place when Gene was thinking about what it would On January 4,1971, twenty-two employees showed 'Let's do this so we don't fail again.' We knew it didn't and were now ready to tackle the challenge of working take to get something else going," says Dick. up for their first day of work at Amdahl Corporation feel good to stand in the unemployment line. We knew at Amdahl." It didn't take long for him to figure it out, and it - a company that had been in existence since October what not to do, because of our previous experiences." By the end of 1972, just two years after founding didn't take long before he found an opportunity to 1970, and had been staffed by Gene Amdahl, Ray Jim and Bruce had more practical reasons for working his company, Gene Amdahl had raised more than make his plan public. In 1970, MASCOR was unable Williams, a former IBM financial employee, Ralph for Amdahl Corporation. "When MASCOR folded, $27 million. Limited and Heizer Corporation, to procure the funds it needed to continue, and the we didn't have the opportunity to go back to IBM ," the Chicago-based venture capital firm, were the pri­ company was forced to close. Gene invited some of his mary backers. According to Dick, "Fujitsu invested

Amdahl Update 5 4 Amdahl Update in Amdahl because it was a way for them to acq uire the new technology that Amdahl was developing. They liked what Amdahl was doing in the area of semiconductors and packaging technology. About fifteen to twenty Fujitsu engineers worked with us side by side in the development portion. Some of them stayed here for two years." Hard times for any new venture are usually inevitable. Amdahl met adversity in August 1972 when IBM announced its first computer with virtual memory. Amdahl was forced to scrap its plan for a non-virtual computer, a machine that would not be competitive with IBM's new product - and concentrate instead on one that would be. Enter Eugene R. White, former key senior manager with General Electric's Computer Operations, and a highly respected businessman with the reputation for making organizations work. In February 1974, the board of directors asked Gene to serve as a consultant to Amdahl. They gave him a big job: reorganizing the company, defining the work that had to be done, refining the business strategy, interviewing candidates for company president, and identifying sources for raising money. Gene Amdahl (left) and Gene White are all smiles on a September afternoon . Gene Amdahl (third from left),Ned Heizer(fifth from left) and other Amdahl employees and well·wishers toast Amdahl's success at the company's groundbreaking ceremony. in 1975 - when the NASA/Goddard Institute for Space Studies formally accepted P1, Amdahl's first production 470.

"During those few months as a consultant," reflects Due to the company's rapid growth in the mid­ Gene, "I grew increasingly more enthusiastic about seventies, Gene knew the time had come to search for Amdahl. I appreciated the technical skills and the another talented executive who could help guide the competence of the staff. The job was full of challenge company to even greater success. In 1977 Gene and excitement. I felt as though I was pioneering recruited John C. Lewis from his post as president of a new concept in the marketplace that could have Xerox Business Systems. John became Amdahl's chief significant impact - and of course, it did." operating officer. In 1983 he was promoted to chief In August 1974 Gene White became president of executive officer. Amdahl Corporation. Through Gene's superb manage­ The entrepreneurial spirit that launched the company ment skills, Amdahl eventually was transformed from can serve as a modern-day model for conducting busi­ a financially faltering company to one that had a ness today. Bruce attributes the success of the 470 sound economic base, loyal customers, and a growing to "significant team accomplishment. Many people reputation in the computer industry. One of Gene's gave much of their lives to making the product success­ early business decisions was especially significant. ful ," he reflects, "and there was a lot of pride and "The original business plan was to lease our equip­ enthusiasm when the product went out the door."D ment," Gene recalls. "We soon realized that this would not be financially feasible. In February 1975 we decided that we could only sell our equipment. The customer would have to pay cash - upon acceptance - and wire-transfer the money. Many people at the company said, 'It can't be done.' I insisted, 'It's the only way.'" With that, Gene took the next step. "I went to the initial customers and said, 'Give us a $4 million check and have faith that we will be here in five years supporting you." Gene got the checks. In the next decade, many other First·year employees hired after Day One: 1) Anthony Wong, 2) Uli Spannagel, 3) Seymour Stern, 4) Robert Maier, 5) Allen Buskirk, customers were to benefit from the talents, integrity, 6) Russ Young, 7) Dave Anderson, 8) Rudy Bovier, 9) Chuck Ramba, and commitment of Amdahl Corporation. 10) Warren Yenney. (Not pictured: Jim Meyer and Steve Tulloh.)

6 Amdahl Update Amdahl Update 7 largest machine, the Texas A&M learned 370/95. This meant a that Michigan had pur­ lot to a New York- chased the second based operation like machine, they were a WHERE WE ARE TODAY NASA/Goddard , where little upset. "Texas floor space was expensive A&M had been talking and at a premium. to us on and off, but In 1980, it became clear that we had to diversify Amdahl's Communications System Division (CSD) Despite the 470's didn't think we were our product line to meet our customers' many data supplies networking communications products superior features, how­ really serious about processing needs. According to Kip Witter, Amdahl including the 2200 series multiplexers and the ever, the early sales building a machine treasurer, 'Supplementing our main product line 4400 series network concentrators, which allow 1 were not easy. "People that would compete has generated incremental revenue at minimum large numbers and varieties of remote terminals to RISKY BUSINESS were afraid to buy with IBM 's," says Jim. expense because the products can be sold and communicate with central processors. ) anything but IBM ," serviced through the existing sales and support says Charlie Pratt, organizations, respectfully." Instead of one product Software/Professional Services senior account executive. line, there are now four, serving mainframe users of Amdahl develops software products that Early customers- "There was a feeling that System/370 software: accommodate the large system user's special needs. it was a safe bet to stay In addition to supporting the major operating gamble on an upstart with them. That is why Central Processors systems installed in our customers' operations we needed to find Amdahl's 580 Series consists of seven field­ (MVS and VM), Amdahl now supports the * somebody who had the upgradeable models. The 1100 and 1200 Vector . UTS** permits UNIX to run on n 1975 , the biggest, we did business back backbone to say , "It Processors are two high-performance super­ Amdahl 470 and 580 series computers, as well as fastest computers then. This was a govern­ really makes sense to computers that are compatible with System/370 on Amdahl-compatible processors. The Education I in the world were ment installation, which buy a machine that is "However, when Texas scientific application software. and Professional Services division provides high­ made by IBM and by meant that we should fifty percent faster A&M heard about the quality system-level education products and ser­ Amdahl. So when the have had a bid in. Instead, and costs a million NASA installation and Storage Products vices to users of Amdahl and Amdahl-compatible NASA/Goddard Institute we just showed up with dollars less. That is a the Michigan purchase, The 6000 Series Storage Products include the products. for Space Studies decided our machine in a truck." reasonable risk to take.' " they were at our door­ high-performance 6280 and the large-capacity It is clear that Amdahl's technological it needed a powerful Amazingly, NASA/ Charlie adds, "You'd step. They literally 6380 storage devices. innovations and customer-oriented attitude will computer to track data Goddard allowed its think that would be an walked around and ensure Amdahl's continued success in the years from its Nimbus weather bureaucracy to be cir­ easy sale, but people kicked the doors on the Communications ahead. satellite, the choices cumvented in order to were quaking in their machines like you do The 4705 Series Communications Processor is a were narrowed down purchase the 470. boots at the thought to the tires on a used high-performance processor that serves as a front­ * UNIX is a trademark of AT&T Bell Laboratories. to these two companies. Amdahl had acquired of doing it." car, and said, 'Is this end or remote concentrator in SNA networks. ** UTS is a trademark of Amdahl Corporation. Amdahl was hopeful, its first customer. After the N AS A/ really real?' " They because it was confident Goddard purchase, the grabbed the third mach­ that its product rivaled next brave souls to take ine, and from that PRODUCT REVENUE PROFILE IBM's. But NASA/ a chance on Amdahl point on, academic (Less Maintenance) Goddard already owned NI\SI\ were two universities. institutions became an an IBM system, and like The University of important segment of 1983 1984 most IBM customers at I t is easy to under­ Michigan, which became Amdahl's customer SOFTWARE/ stand why NASA/ base. PROCESSORS the time, it was a little the second customer, PROFESSIONAL nervous about choosing Goddard - and sub­ used the 470 in its Sales to Computer SERVICES Usage Corporation SOFTWARE/ a different computer sequent customers - education center, where PROFESSIONAL company. decided to buy. The students learned pro­ (CUC) , a data processing SERVICES PROCESSORS Another factor seemed processing power of the gramming. Texas A&M, service bureau, and to 2% COMMUNICA­ ~ 64% to stack the deck in 470 was faster than that the third customer, used Massachusetts Mutual TIONS~ 1 IBM's favor. Amdahl of IBM's machines - the Amdahl computer Life Insurance Company ~ ~ 14%~ } did not have time to and it was from one to to meet education and were also milestones follow standard govern­ four million dollars administrative require­ because the companies COMMUNICATIONS"'~ ment procedures required cheaper. In addition, ments. In mid-I975, were the first com­ 10% 1- to offer a formal bid for the 470 was about one­ when the machines were mercial customers. STORAGE STORAGE the contract. According third the size of IBM's purchased, the two CUC bought machine PRODUCTS to Jim Shaw, director, schools were rivals, number four. Massachu­ PRODUCTS 20% 12% Market Development, particularly in the area setts Mutual bought the Planning and Analysis, of data processing sixth 470 in December These diagrams illustrate the percentage of revenue generated by each Amdahl product line. and at that time, a soft­ technology. So, when 1975. This account was ware engineer, "We were significant because it a little naive about how placed an Amdahl ma-

8 Amdahl Update Amdahl Update 9 In 1975, Phil was presi­ that are field upgrade­ Dave Blackwell says he dent of 1ST , a data able, and developing has never had any regrets chine - for the first processing service bureau a special emphasis on in choosing Amdahl. time - into an extremely in Montreal, Canada. product support and "In making that first complex, interactive data After examining the serviceability. Also, decision to go with processing environment. 470, 1ST became prices have come down Amdahl, we were, "We were hooked up to Amdahl's fourteenth by a factor of ten since quite frankly, a little all kinds of equipment, customer, and within we entered the market­ bit worried that the including IBM systems," one year of the first place. Prior to Amdahl's company might not says Jim. 1ST installation, switched first shipment, the large stay in business," says With six machines totally to Amdahl (from CPUs had been increasing Dave. "But we did an installed in just six IBM). in price by about ten analysis, and found that months, Amdahl was The customer list percent a year." even if Amdahl folded, well on its way. How­ in the first few years or if the machine was ever, customer number grew to include such worth zero in four years, seven - the South­ accounts as Bell Labs, we would still be money western Ohio Regional Western Electric, Liberty ahead - the product Computing Center National Life Insurance, and the price/perform­ (SWORCC) - was a Pacific Northwest Bell, ance were that good." real cliffhanger. American Airlines, Charlie praises the According to Jim, Canadian Pacific Rail­ courage of companies IBM brought in the big way, Sundstrand, Out­ like Massachusetts board Marine, the Mutual, and understands guns to keep us from Early customer support employees (left to right): Frank Nehse, Ed Cardinal, Tom Weathers, Bud Enochs, Jim Shaw, getting the account. Williams Company, how important they were Bill Ehrman, Loren Dewey. (Not pictured: John Matthews and Gregg Peterson.) "IBM told SWORCC, Reynolds Metals, and Wayne McIntyre, to Amdahl's success. 'We are going to stop the Library of Congress. director of Special "One of the things we Amdahl here. It's growing By far, one of the most Purpose Systems, and pitched strongly in those too fast.' They flew in important accounts Amdahl's fourth sales­ days was the need for TALES FROM dozens of people - from those early days man, says that despite competition, the need technicians, sales people, is AT&T (and the Bell the obstacles, the energy for a choice," he says. and some top brass - operating companies), level at Amdahl was "I think that was one of THE FIELD which was unheard of which has become our "almost mystical. We the key motivators for for them." Despite the largest customer. were going up against some of our customers. John Matthews, director of technical support, and one of Amdahl's earliest field competition, SWORCC For the early salesmen, a juggernaut," says They were rebels in a decided to buy the 470. there was a special Wayne. "Everyone way, the 'lunatic fringe' engineers, explains the tension, excitement, and sense of purpose that characterized Amdahl's price, product excitement in being was telling us that the as some people called the work environment of Amdahl's early customer support organization. "In the performance, and service involved with Amdahl. 470 couldn't work, them, and thank God proved to be that good. "I think we developed and that there was no they were, because that early days, if someone bought our less costly, faster machine - and it worked - "Clearly, Amdahl had a feeling that we were way to compete with is what our business he'd be a hero," says John. "If, on the other hand, he spent all that money and a better product in terms on a mission," says IBM. But we believed was built on."O Amdahl folded - or the machine couldn't be fixed - he might get fired." of technology and price/ Ollie Nutt, vice president in the product - so much performance," says of Marketing, U.S. Field so, that when we lost Phil Lemay, vice Operations (South). a sale, we knew it wasn't president, Corporate "We felt we were doing because our machine he job of Amdahl's original field employees of Michigan, our second customer. "Gene White would Information Services. something important wasn't good enough. was to create heroes out of Amdahl's early get on the company intercom about twice a day and Phil should know, since for the industry by It was because the T customers. "I never worked so hard and long provide a status report on the installation," he says. he was one of Amdahl's providing competition. customer was too timid, and enjoyed it so much," recalls Loren Dewey. "You "In those days we lived by a simple, but meaningful first international cus­ It wasn't just the sale too afraid to consider were effective. You made a difference." slogan: 'It is better to ship than to receive.' " tomers prior to joining that mattered. The an IBM alternative." John, Loren, and other long-time customer support In 1972, Bud Enochs, a seasoned field engineer the company in 1979. industry needed us, One company that personnel, are filled with memories of the trials and with twelve years of IBM experience, was hired to and the customers dared to make the tribulations they experienced during the 470's first start a customer support organization that would be needed us. We have switch was Massachusetts few installations - installations that would lay the ready to install and service 470s at the time of their done a lot of innovative Mutual Life Insurance groundwork for Amdahl's startling success. shipment. Joining Bud were Loren Dewey, Gregg things since then, like Company. Vice President Bill Ehrman, hired in 1975 as one of the first SEs Peterson, Ed Cardinal, and Frank Nehse. These new introducing products (system engineers), recalls the high-spirited comradery employees had a specific mission: planning for future that evolved during the 470 installation at the University field support, working on 470 bringup, and writing

10 Amdahl Update Amdahl Update 11 manuals for the 470. "Most of all, our people con­ all of the 470's outer panels, rushed to the local Cadillac tributed to the serviceability of our machines," says dealer, and requested a paint job. Bud. "We influenced the engineers to change part of For John, the installation at the University of Alberta, the design so that it would be easier to repair. We Canada, our fifth customer, was particularly memorable. worked many hours, but had a lot of fun." "I was there for three months," he recalls. "It was AMDAHL'S Bud, who was instrumental in developing AMDAC forty-five degrees below zero - not counting the wind­ - Amdahl's Remote Diagnostic Assistance Center - chill factor. I had daily talks with the data center has fond memories of the early installations, especially director. He kept asking me , 'Is Amdahl going to FIRST the one at the . "Dr. Bartels, continue? Was it safe for me to buy an Amdahl director of the computer center, was obviously very computer?' His job depended on its performance." excited about the installation," recalls Bud. "Although Occasionally, an early customer developed an unex­ COMPUTER he was well into his sixties, he ran around like crazy, plained attachment toward an Amdahl FE. Herb Beatty, helped to unload the truck, pushed the machines from the Williams Company (our twenty-sixth installa­ By Russ Young around, operated the elevator - things a data center tion), in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is a case in point. "After director usually doesn't do." the installation was completed," recalls John, "Herb Bud ended up doing some things he normally didn't and I agreed there was a tough bug somewhere. He How does Amdahl do, either - like playing air conditioner repairman. was confident that I could fix it because he thought know if a new computer One hot, muggy night, the rubber hose in the computer I was a good technician. I went home for a few days, system will function as room's air conditioning system malfunctioned. Since flew back to Tulsa, and - sure enough - fixed the computers cannot operate in an un cooled room, the bug. But I wanted to go home for New Year's. I told intended when it is data center was going to shut down. But just in the him I was leaving. He said, 'No you're not. You're finished? Does Manu­ nick of time, Bud had an idea. "In the middle of the staying here.' I repeated, 'I have to go home.' Then night, I went to my car, lifted up the hood, and re­ I said , 'Look, Herb, I just got married on my last trip facturing just build it moved the air vacuum hose," he says. "Then I went home. I have plans with my wife over New Year's, and hope for the best? back to the computer center and replaced the broken and I want to be with her.' Herb said, 'That's not Not on your life. hose with the one from my car. The system continued a problem. Bring her here.' So my wife and I ended Amdahl's "V" Log Sim can be viewed by nostalgia buffs. operating for several days." up spending New Year's day in Tulsa." But not every customer developed this attachment. ong before any hardware is built for Amdahl's wizard, now with Amdahl's Software Development in In fact some - like AT&T in Piscataway, New Jersey current products, the new design undergoes a Dallas; Dennis Terry, a streetwise former IBM engineer "I never worked so hard and long and (our twenty-second customer) harbored the exact Lsoftware simulation. Here is what happens. A (no longer with Amdahl); and Tom Hirst, a brilliant enjoyed it so much. You were effective. opposite sentiments. computer model of the new system is developed. The escapee from Berkeley, and today a bringup specialist. "When we installed the system, someone forgot to model is a large, complex software program that repre­ They, along with other bright design engineers and You made a difference." -Loren Dewey- order a cable, and eventually the machine failed ," sents the new design. This large program then runs on field engineers, were presented with the challenge of John recalls. "The director of the data center was very an existing large computer system. As problems are running an IBM operating system on a non-IBM But the achievements of that early installation went upset. He came by one morning and said, 'Do you want found and the design is corrected, the model is run machine, and were reminded that this had never been beyond home remedies for broken air conditioner to have a cup of coffee?' I said 'Yes.' When we got to again. done before. systems. The most memorable coup was a record- the cafeteria he said, 'Do you still have the boxes this Amdahl's first design - code named the "A System" At 1 p.m. on Saturday, February 3,1973, the first \ breaking engineering change. It took sixteen hours to thing came in?' I said, 'Yes, I have them.' He said, - was for a machine that would compete with IBM's operating system message was received on a 2150 implement - one of the fastest engineering changes 'Well, just pack it up and send it back. It was a good then-current top-of-the-line computer, the 370/165. typewriter console. After several months of debugging, in Amdahl's history. "We had a channel bug," Bud try, but it didn't work.' In June 1972 - about a-year-and-a-half after the the operating system testing began in earnest in October. recalls, "that was created by the university's tele­ "We tried to talk to him but he wouldn't listen," company was founded - the computer's architecture On January 2,1974, the "A" Log Sim ran its first job processing controller. When we finally figured out what says John. "All he said was, 'I'm about to retire and was defined, the circuits were designed, and the logic stream. At that moment the plug-compatible main­ was wrong it was two in the afternoon. We took our you guys are going to mess up my retirement.' I quickly was connected. It was time to test the product to see frame (PCM) industry was born. - spare MCC, rushed it to the airport, and sent it to called back to headquarters. The next thing I remember if it would work. But back in those days, we were On January 3,1974, the "A System" was cancelled. San Jose. An Amdahl courier picked it up. Th~n things ... it was morning and Gene White was meeting with unable to run a software simulation because we didn't Amdahl decided to compete with IBM's newest main­ began to happen fast. A manufacturing employee the data center director. When Gene walked out of the yet have the large, complex computer program, and frame, the virtual memory Model 168. Amdahl then came in for rework. She finished about ten or eleven office there was a smile on his face. AT&T had decided we didn't have a large computer. focused its limited resources on the "V" Log Sim, the at night. By seven the next morning, that MCC was to purchase another machine." What did we do? Using old-fashioned technology, logic simulator for Amdahl's virtual memory system. back in the 470 at the University of Michigan - and Had Gene resorted to magic to win over AT&T? Engineering built a logic simulator to test the operation This machine became the legendary 470V/6. the computer was up and running." No sir. He simply told the customer what he had been of the new product. Each 470 LSI chip became a Whatever happened to the "A" Log Sim? At first it Problems of all sizes, shapes, and colors - literally - telling customers from the beginning, and what has, 5" x 6" printed circuit card, and each MCC became was ignored; later it was shoved into a corner; and beset the early installations. When the 470 was installed in fact, become the backbone of Amdahl's sales and a card cage with a twisted-pair back panel. And the finally, it was pushed out into an Amdahl parking at Texas A&M University, our third customer, there customer support efforts: "I told them not to worry," elegant 470 became a monster of MSI (medium scale lot, where it weathered a rainstorm. Finally, the was one major dilemma. The university did not like Gene recalls. "I said I'd make it right for them. " 0 integration) circuits, double-sided printed circuit cards machine was cut up for scrap. But the "V" Log Sim is the computer's red-orange color. It was the same as that and miles and miles of twisted-pair wire. The complete intact today and can be viewed by nostalgia buffs in of one of the school's rivals: the University of Texas. system stood six feet tall and was forty feet long. the Martin Street Warehouse. 0 Before Amdahl FEs could comprehend the magnitude How was life breathed into this monster? Amdahl of this complaint, the data. center director had removed went out and found Fritz Schneider, a system software

12 Amdahl Update Amdahl Update 13 In the early seventies, orchards and farmhouses dotted the future Headquarters site. The idyllic setting (opposite) was gradually replaced by the main campus, a modern·day office complex.

"When we were located in the Kern Avenue building Of course, we didn't go from a single building to the Dave. "The paperwork to approve the project dragged in the early seventies, I would look out my present-day complex overnight. After occupying several on and on, and meanwhile, there were construction office window and see people riding horses," facilities on Kern Avenue, employees moved, in stages, deadlines with contractors. The documents finally says Dave Brewer, vice president, Processor Products. to buildings A (Administration), E-l (Engineering), made their way to the responsible officer, and just as "And there were onion fields where we are now. You and M-l and M-2 Manufacturing). And signs of future he was about to sign the forms, he looked out his '\ could smell them during the harvest. It was a very growth were evident, even then. "Those of us who window and saw the construction crew putting the bucolic setting." Bud Enochs, in Group Operations, worked in the Administration building could look out finishing touches on the project. We were told to slow also has fond memories of the early days. "There were the window and see 'Mount Amdahl,' says Dave Brewer. down our activities after that!" (Later that summer, huge open fields all around us. We used to fly kites " It was a large mound of dirt for future construction, Amdahl received a community award for making the during the lunch hours." which was home to a lot of squirrels." In 1977 and facility available to the handicapped.) Back in the early seventies, when Amdahl was still 1978, the balance of the present-day Sunnyvale In the last decade, our facilities have grown and a young firm, the surrounding area was, indeed, idyllic. complex - more than twenty buildings occupying matured with the people, and the business. We have There were orchards, farmhouses, and a distinct absence 1.2 million square feet - was constructed. added a host of U.S. and international sales and service DU IL 0 IN G According to Dave Newgen, who joined Amdahl offices, as well as a manufacturing site in Ireland. And in 1978, and is now director of Facility Projects, the while most of the farmhouses may be gone, occasionally ;~~r:f:~~~:~~l!fmi~~t activity level in those early days was hectic. "We had you might see, on a warm, spring day, a kite soaring to change. The onion fields and the construction crews here sixteen, eighteen hours a day high above an Amdahl building. 0 ON SUCCESS orchards were being replaced by in order to keep up with Amdahl's facility needs," modern office complexes that would support an industry he says. "For months, we worked every weekend." that seemed to thrive on change. Amidst this flurry of construction, there were a few Fifteen years after the company's inception, and ten times when projects were completed before the paper­ years after our first product shipment, Amdahl can work was finalized , "something that would never boast an impressive growth in facilities. We have ex­ happen today," says Ed Hartford, vice president, panded our operations from one small building on Corporate Facilities. Dave describes the mix-up. "In East Arques (the Kern Avenue facility was Amdahl's the spring of 1979, we undertook a major construction second) to more than 100 buildings worldwide that project in front of buildings H and A, in order to occupy approximately two million square feet of space. provide access for our handicapped employees," says

14 Amdahl Update Amdahl Update 15 Since its beginning fifteen years ago , Amdahl has become a major international corporation with a reputation for quality products. The company's phenomenal success could not have happened without the talents, integrity, and dedication of our employees. They have worked hard to develop, manufacture, sell and service a series of products that offer high perform­ ance and reliability at a superior price. Our employees persevered through the company's hard times, as when our first computer design had to be shelved at the last minute, and when our first public offering did not get public support. They also rejoiced at such triumphs as learning that the new operating system worked, and shipping the first 4 70V /6 in J un e 1975 . Today Amdahl continues to thrive. Instead of one product line, we now have four. In 1984 we added two new proces­ sors to the 580 series; we introduced two additions to the 6000 Series of storage products; and we entered the high-per­ formance scientific processor business with the . The future looks bright. We are expand­ ing in areas that represent some of the A MESSAGE highest growth segments in the data processing industry: central processors, FROM THE PRESIDENT storage products, communications products, and software. And we will continue to offer Amdahl employees a challenging and rewarding environment that will provide opportunities for pro­ fessional growth and a sense of contribu­ tion to the company. 0

16 Amdahl Update