What is AS400 vs Mainframe?
AS400 vs Mainframe: While both the AS400 (now IBM i) and traditional mainframe systems are powerful computing platforms used by large organizations, there are notable differences in their architecture, cost, and scalability. The AS400 was designed to be a midrange server solution, providing an integrated environment that combines the hardware, operating system (OS/400), and database into a single system, making it ideal for businesses with moderate to high-volume workloads. In contrast, mainframe systems like IBM’s zSeries are designed to handle very large-scale, high-transaction environments with the ability to support thousands of users simultaneously. Mainframes are often more expensive, require specialized expertise, and are suited for massive enterprise applications. The AS400 offers cost-effectiveness, easier management, and strong backward compatibility with legacy applications, while mainframes are typically used for mission-critical applications that require extreme reliability and scalability.