CDC 6600
The CDC 6600 was the flagship supercomputer of the CDC 6000 series of mainframe computer systems manufactured by Control Data Corporation (CDC). Launched in 1964, it was designed by the legendary computer architect Seymour Cray. The CDC 6600 is historically significant as it held the title of the world's fastest computer from 1964 to 1969, outperforming its contemporary rivals.
Design and Architecture
The architecture of the CDC 6600 was revolutionary, featuring a central processor supported by 10 peripheral processors. Each of these processors was individually less powerful but collectively enabled efficient handling of input/output operations and reduced the central processor's workload. This design allowed for more efficient multitasking and was a precursor to modern parallel processing.
Central Processor
The central processor in the CDC 6600 was a 60-bit machine that could perform calculations at a speed of up to 3 million instructions per second. It was built using discrete transistors, a significant technological advancement at the time. The central processor's clock speed was 10 MHz, another notable feature that contributed to its superior performance.
Peripheral Processors
The peripheral processors in the CDC 6600 were simpler 12-bit machines. They managed data input and output, as well as other routine tasks, thereby freeing the central processor for more complex calculations. This division of labor was one of the key innovations that set the CDC 6600 apart from its predecessors and competitors.
Software
The CDC 6600 ran on the CDC SCOPE (Supervisory Control Of Program Execution) operating system, which was specially designed to manage the multitasking capabilities of the machine. SCOPE was instrumental in efficiently handling the various tasks assigned to the peripheral processors.
Legacy and Successors
The CDC 6600's influence extended beyond its years as the world's fastest computer. It was succeeded by the CDC 7600, which was also designed by Seymour Cray and continued to build on the architectural innovations introduced in the CDC 6600.
CDC Cyber Series
The architectural principles of the CDC 6600 also served as the foundation for the CDC Cyber series, another line of supercomputers from Control Data Corporation. These machines continued to push the boundaries of computing performance and were widely used in scientific research and other fields requiring high computational power.