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January1993 INPUT Vol.IV,NAoCC.OR1 Routeto: Research Bulletin APublicationfromINPUT — Deja Vu Electric Power in the 1800s and Computer Power in the 1900s Intheindustrialrevolution,apowerplantwas timeinthe19thcenturytherewasamajor builtforeachfactory. Thisprocesswasoften argumentastowhichwouldbecomethelargest carriedoverintootherbuildingsincluding cityintheworld:Buffalo,NewYork,withits mines,governmentbuildings,largehouses,etc. accesstohydropowerfromNiagaraFalls,or Theseplantswereusedtoinitiallyprovide Liverpool,England,whichwasontopofthe powerforwork;heat,light,andventilation world'slargestknowncoaldeposit! camelater. Inmanycases,gaswasusedfor heatandlight. Astherequirementstodistributeelectricpower tousersbecamemorepronounced,tlieneedfor Theplantsoperatedonwaterpoweroron transmissiongridsandstandardsgrew. The steam. PowerdistributionwiUiinabuilding choicesinstandardswerenotonlybetweenAC wasbymeansofcumbersomen—etworksof andDCdistributionbutalsoinvolvedthe pulleys,belts,axles,gears,etc. inother numberofcyclesandvoltagetobeused. words,mechanicalmeans. Oncethesegridsandstandardsbecame Whenelectricitywasdiscoveredandapplied, established,theneedtohaveapowerunitfor plantsconvertedtoit. However,therewas eachgeograpliicunitdisappeared. Plantscould initiallynowaytoapplytherightamountof befreelymoved. EventuallybothBuffaloand powertoeachtask(steppingdown). Sothere Liverpooldeclinedintosecondarycities. wasacombinationofmechanicalandelectrical Powermanagementinanorganizationbecame distributioninplants—butessentiallystillone anadministrativefunction:insomecases,such centralsource. Characteristicsofelectric asinanaluminumplant,anextremely poweruseinthe1800sareshowninExliibit1. importantone. Becausepowercouldnotbetransmitted,itwas Consumers,whetherbusinessorindividuals, thoughtthatthecitieswherethefuelforthe boughtelectricapplianceswithmotorssuitable powerunitswaslocatedwouldgrow foreachtask. Theuseofelectricpower substantiallyasfactoriesandthesupporting becameintegratedintoeverydayfunctionsof infrastructurewerebuiltthere. Thusatone businessandworkinglife. ©1993byINPUT.Reproductionprohibited. RESEARCHBULLETIN Exhibit1 ElectricPowerEvolutioninthe1800s • Mid-ISOOs Plants/buildings/estateshadownelectric powergenerators Importantseparateunit Applicationswerelightingandwork Usuallydrivenbysteam • Notransmissioncapability Nofractionalmotors Mechanicallocaldistribution . Competing"protocols" 1—alt? 1OWUo 1rdrisiTiissiongnusuecameavaiiaDie Standardsemerged(ACoverDC) ridoinjiidiiiioiorsappiieu appropriatepowertotasks Dedicatedpowerunitsdisappeared a)generators b)organizations "Local-areanetworks"emerged Source: INPUT Onecanlookattheemergenceoftheuseof microprocessorormicrocomputer. This computerpowersince1960inananalogous enablestheeffectivedistributionofpowerin mannerasshowninExhibit2. Centralpower theamountneededtothepoint-of-work unitsgreweverlargerthroughthe1970sand (POW). 1980s. However,inthe1980swesawthe emergenceofthe"fractional"motorofthe Telecommunicationsnetworksthatenablethese informationsystemsindustry,the POWstobeconnectedhavealsoemerged. 2 1993byINPUT.Reproductionprohibited. INPUT Exhibit2 ElectricPowerandComputerPowerAnalogs ElectricPower ComputerPower initiallystandalonegenerators Initiallystandalonedatacenters Standards(ACorDC)evolved Standardsevolved Emergenceoftransmissiongrids Emergenceofnetworks Step-downmotorapplied Microprocessorappliedpower powertoPOW* toPOW* Providedphysicalillumination Providesinformation(intellectual illumination) Electricpowerapplication Computerpowerapplication eventuallyabsorbedbyusers eventuallyabsorbedbyusers TOW=PointofWork Source: INPUT Thesenetworksprovideinterfacesbetween power. Thisisnotsomuchinthesmallelectric non-standarddevicesofvariouspowerasdid motorsthemselvesbutinthewholedevi—ces, electricpowernetworks. Justastransmission e.g.,ovens,drills,vacuumcleaners,etc. in gridsenabledwidespreaduseoflighting,so otherwords,applications. computernetworksenablewidespreaduseof information. Inthecomputerindustry,initiallythemoney wasmadeinthemainframebusiness. Now Theanalogycanbedrawnfurther. increasingly,profitisintheservicesand productsthatprovideapplicationofcomputer Initiallythemoneytobemadeintheelectric powerdirectlytoPOWs. Aswiththefractional industrywasinbuildingelectricgeneratorsfor electricmotor,thereisnotsomuchprofitinthe factoriesandotherbuildings. Theutihties microprocessoritself,the"engine"fortliese (electricpowergeneratingandtransmission) devices. companiestlienstartedtobecomelarger customersforthemanufacturersbutalsodrove Ofcourse,theanalogycanbedrawntoofar. tliemoutofthegeneratorbusiness. Therearesubstantialdifferencesasshownin Exhibit3. Therealmoneythenwasmadeinthe applicationdevicesusedforthemyriadtasksto However,electricpowerhasbeenperhapsthe whichhumaningenuityhasappliedelectric mostsignificant"drivingforce"inthegrowth e1993byINPUT.Reproductionprohibited. 3 INPUT RESEARCHBULLETIN cxniijiiO ElectronicPowerandComputerPowerDifferences •Electricpowerworkswithphysical,tangiblethings •Computerpowerworkswithintellectual,intangiblethings •Applicationdevicesforelectricpowerarephysicallydriven •Applicationdevicesforcomputerpoweraresoftware, intellectuallydriven •Electricpowernetworkisaone-wayconsumptionsystem •oompuierpowerneiworKisaiwo-waynowoiiniormation •Electricpowerutilitieswereheavilyregulated •Computerpower"utilities"arenon-regulated •Fipptrlrnnwpr"^tandpirrl'i"variprlhvnpnnrpnhv •Comoutsroowerstandarri'?willhpninhalC^) •Electricpowerrequireshugegeneratingfacilitiesand expensivephysicaldistributioncapabilities •Computerpowerrequireseversmallerand cheaper generatingfacilitiesandtransmissioncapabilities •Electricpowerisphysicallydangerous •Computerpowerisintangiblydangerous Source: INPUT ofourcivilizationinthe1900s. Computer evolutionofelectricpoweranditsusecanbe powermaywellbethemostsignificant valuableinpredictingwhatwillhappentothe "drivingforce"inthegrowthofourcivilization computerindustry. Perhapsthecomputer inthe2000s. Therefore,anexaminationofthe utilitiesarealreadyhere:EDS,ISSC,etc. ThisResearchBulletinispublishedbyINPUT. Ifyouhavequestionsorcommentsonthisbulletin,pleasecallyourlocalINPUTorganizationor INPUT,1280VillaStreet,MountainView,CA94041-1194(415)961-3300 4 e1993byINPUT.Reproductionprohibited. INPUT