Host System

A **host system** is a computer running a matrix operating system. A host system can be connected to the matrix, providing a SAN to other hosts or grids. Hosts can stand alone or virtual and come in several sizes, ratings and colors.

## Classes

* Lots of small host systems are **micro computers**. The smallest book size micro computers that are usable weigh around 450 gram(1 lb) while the heavier portable **super micros** are around 3 kg (6 lbs). The desktop sizes of bricks and mini towers are more common. Micro computers use CISC or RISC CPUs and emulate matrix operations. Micro computers can only run blue operating systems, while super micros can be equipped with DAT/VM assist memory option to run green operating systems. Micro computers are sold off the shelf within one day, and come with a bundled set of operating system and utilities, and customer grade SOTA. A wide range of commercial and free software can enhance or replace the system core to match the needs of the owner. Its possible to lease a super micro together with a maintenance contract to keep the operating system at stable SOTA grade.
* Typical for the **mini computer** class is to fit into a 19 inch rack. The smaller mini computers have a height of 6", while the bigger **super minis** fill up the complete rack with core, memory and I/O. Mini computers use a micro programmed core to run matrix operations, including DAT/VM. Mini computers are shipped with orange operating system cores, but super minis could be equipped with a DAT/LPAR assist option and shipped with red operating system cores. It's more common to lease a mini together with a maintenance contract to keep the operating system at stable SOTA, than to buy it, and to run a green free operating system.
* The term **main frame** denotes the 19 inch frame containing the core. Small mainframes have half a dozen additional 19 inch rack next containing memory and io. The large ones, where the core spawns several racks, might have rooms of racks next to them for memory and io. Its not possible to run a free operating system on a mainframe, because mainframes have a hard wired matrix operation core and normal run red operating systems. Some are mainframes are hardwired to run ultra violet systems. Mainframes are ordered several month before, and are assembled on site by a technical team. Upgrades and changes to the core requires hardware installation or replacement. Mainframes are therefore normally leased together with maintenance contract for a team of technicals to stay on site.
* The term **real iron** is was the nickname for mainframes, but it became common to point to the real iron, even if its only a super micro, to highlight that its a real computer and not a VM or LPAR somewhere in the grid.

### Class limits

The following limits are only a guide and not fixed. A data storage host might have much more memory at same class, while an io host might have more io, and pure science computer more tps, and still fits into a class. The core architecture and presence of the data address translation assist options is a real difference.

* **micro**: tps 10, io 600mps, available 1 day, max blue
* **super micro**: tps 20-90, io 1gps-5gps, available day\*tps/10, max green, price\*(1+tps/100), vm assist for core price increase
* **mini**: tps 100, io 6gps, available 1 week, max orange, vm assist default
* **super mini**: tps 200-900, io 10gps-50gps, available week\*tps/100, max red, price\*(1+tps/1000), lpar assist for core price increase
* **mainframe**: tps 1000, io 60gps, available 1 month, max uv, vm default, lpar default
* **real iron**: tps 2000++, io 100gps++, available 3 month, price\*(1+tps/10000)

## Core ratings and transactions

The host core is running the matrix operations. Each operation is one core transaction. The speed of a host is measured in **tps**, transactions per second. The core has a color, security rating and five subsystem ratings. Those squared, summed up and multiplied by the tps speed results in the core rating.

## Memory and IO

The price of the memory and IO depends on the security color. A typical host has 100megapulse memory and 6 megapulse/second IO per tps. These colors, from lowest to highest security are: blue, green, orange and red.

### VM/LPAR/HMS memory assist options

The data address translation for virtual machines assist (DAT/VM) option defines if a micro computer is a normal micro or a super micro. DAT/VM is a requirement for green operating systems. Mini computers and mainframes always have DAT/VM memory assist. DAT/VM allows to run a virtual machine, on same host, at lower security and subsystem ratings. Each rating must be reduced by at least two. A VM with a rating of zero or negative is not possible. In addition a VM can limit tps, memory and io bandwidth consumption. Those limits do not provide a warranty, but an upper mark. One can overload a host with VM hosts, so each of them will be delayed by load. You can rent a VM at any matrix hosting provider for a relatively modest monthly fee. The cheapest providers use HMS to reduce the memory cost of a VM.

The data address translation for logical partitions (DAT/LPAR) assist option defines the super mini. DAT/LPAR is a requirement for red operating systems. Mainframes always have a DAT/LPAR. DAT/VM allows to run a host in a LPAR, dedicating hardware to this partition at same or lower security rating, but one step lower security color. DAT/LPAR is faster than a VM, as a logical partition defines hardwired fixed warranties. Most matrix hosting providers offer LPAR, though the additional speed and security attract a higher price.

Data center mainframes can be equipped with hierarchical memory systems (DAT/HMS). The data address translation for hierarchical memory option reduces the price by partitioning the data into storage sections of different speeds. Frequently-accessed data is held in the quicker, more expensive memory, while data that is seldom accessed is migrated to the slowest memory. Many matrix service providers offer the option of HMS for a large data storage LPAR.

## To Free or not to Free?

New host systems come bundled with an operating system. But matrix software design is a well known topic, and alternates exist to enhance or even replace the bundled operating system for micro computers. Free operating system and utilities come free of charge, free of warranty in source code, and can be found in nearly any data heaven, and even the public area in shadowland and magicknet have a living community of hackers sharing the free matrix operating system. 2nix, pronounce two nix, was created as a joke, hyped by a flame war, and provides stable, old, unstable and testing SOTA grades for blue and green micro computer systems. A green 2nix on a mini is a certain sign that this host was either stolen, or some other reason prevents official operating system maintenance. 2nix could be ported to a mainframe, but its seldom seen in the wilds.