Turning points in systems architecture

The changes in computer systems and architecture since the inception of the IBM Systems Journal in 1962 are enormous. Technology and innovation have transformed the computer systems landscape from tremendously expensive devices found in locked glass houses in the bowels of large institutions and accessible only to experts, to flexible systems large and small, found almost everywhere, and accessible to many millions of people. Underlying this transformation are system architectures that have provided durable foundations for continued enhancement and enrichment of systems for an ever growing diversity of applications. We have highlighted as turning points some of the key architectural constructs documented in the IBM Systems Journal that have contributed substantially to this evolution.