Artifact Details

Description

This object is part of the 7094 system donated by Paul Pierce.
There are four bags of loose parts, including modules, adjusting feet and fastening hardware, stored with object.

The IBM 7302 Core Storage unit was designed in 1957–1958 for the IBM 7030 (Stretch) computer. The IBM 7302 Core Storage is a fast, random-access storage unit. Access time is 2.18us (microseconds). This means reading or writing a word of stored information takes 2.18us.

The core memory in the IBM 7302 contains a core stack of 72 core planes. Each plane is an array of 128 x 128 or 16,384 cores. Thus each word in the stack is 72 bits wide and there are 16,384 words. The core stack was heated or cooled to stabilize its operating characteristics. There is a temperature gauge on the front panel to indicate the core stack temperature. Both a heated or cooled oil bath or forced air were used to control temperature.

The IBM 7302 is the memory system for a number of different IBM mainframe computers. These included the IBM 7094, IBM 7090 and IBM 7030. The IBM 7030 used the core stack as 16,384 – 64-bit words and an 8-bit for Error Correction Code (ECC). ECC is a mechanism to detect incorrect bits and correct them during a memory cycle. The IBM 7090 and the 7094 used the core stack as 32,768 – 36-bit words. A full 72-bit word was accessed and based on a bit in the memory address, either the upper 36-bits or the lower 36-bits were used.

Date

1960 ca.

Manufacturer

International Business Machines (IBM)

Identifying Numbers

Model number	7302	On IBM nameplate.
Other number	01G02A	Handwritten on white adhesive label in lower left corner of front.
Other number	12007	Stamped into metal of frame on front.
Other number	6/78	Handwritten on circular adhesive sticker adjacent to nameplate.

Dimensions

overall: 67 in x 78 3/8 in x 29 in

Category

Memory/core

Collection Title

Paul Pierce Collection

Credit

Gift of Paul Pierce

Lot Number

X7021.2014