3. Multi-Access Computers

 

What are Multi-access Computers?

These are powerful computers that enable many users to:

1. Access the system at the same time.
2. Share the processing power of the system.
3. Share the available memory.
4. Share the data on the backing storage.

 

 

Multi-access computers have many terminals attached to them. These terminals are made up of keyboards and monitors that people use to:-

• Interact with the main processor.
• Load data to and from backing storage.
• Display data held on the system.

 

Dumb terminals: The main thing about these terminals is that they have little or no local processing or memory and are merely used to access the processing power available on the central powerful computer system.

 

How they work!

The central computer gives each terminal a slice of the processor's time.

It goes round the users very quickly, so quickly in fact that users are often unaware they are sharing the system with lots of other people.

 

 

 

Where you find them!

Large organisations like banks, insurance companies, mail order companies, colleges and universities use them to share and process their data.

 

Banks	Colleges/Unversities

 

 

 

What you have to do!

Answer the following questions under a heading "Multi-Access" either in your "Brain" or a new Word document.

1. What is the difference between a network and a multi-access computer?
2. What are the types of business and organisations that use multi-access systems,

 

What you should be able to do!

1. Explain the difference between networks and a multi-access computers.

2. Provide examples of businesses that use multi-access computers..

 

Continue to 4. Network Security