ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the technological and managerial trends that led to distributed computing, including the movement from mainframes to timesharing, from minicomputers to departmental computers, to microcomputers and local-area networks (LANs). It introduces the concept of the “virtual data center” and examines future implications. The 1970s saw minicomputers begin to encroach on the mainframe’s arena. Microprocessor-based personal computers (PCs), workstations, and servers evolved in 1980s. Initially introduced as standalone desktop machines, they have increasingly become interconnected on LANs and wide-area networks, both communicating with each other and interacting with central servers. The support of client/server systems is, to some degree, an extension of PC support. In most cases, client/server systems support requires the same support group, but with a few added skills, particularly in the area of LAN technology, which includes equipment; cabling; and so on. Physical centralization indicates a combination of organizational structure, physical proximity, and communications technology that operates as if everyone were part of a single department.
