science

Transaction processing system

Transaction processing system is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Transaction processing system rather than just read about it. In short: A transaction processing system (TPS) is a software system, or software/hardware combination, that supports transaction processing. History The first transaction processing system was SABRE, made by IBM for American Airlines, which became operational in 1964.

Key takeaways

Transaction processing system belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Transaction processing system to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Transaction processing system from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A transaction processing system (TPS) is a software system, or software/hardware combination, that supports transaction processing.

History The first transaction processing system was SABRE, made by IBM for American Airlines, which became operational in 1964. Designed to process up to 83,000 transactions a day, the system ran on two IBM 7090 computers. SABRE was migrated to IBM System/360 computers in 1972, and became an IBM product first as Airline control Program (ACP) and later as Transaction Processing Facility (TPF). In addition to airlines, TPF is used by large banks, credit card companies, and hotel chains. The Hewlett Packard Enterprise NonStop system (formerly Tandem NonStop) is a hardware and software system designed for Online Transaction Processing (OLTP) introduced in 1976. The system provides an extreme level of availability and data integrity.

List of transaction processing systems IBM Transaction Processing Facility (TPF) – 1960. Unlike most other transaction processing systems TPF is a dedicated operating system for transaction processing on IBM System z mainframes. Originally Airline Control Program (ACP). IBM Information Management System (IMS) – 1966. A joint hierarchical database and information management system with extensive transaction processing capabilities. Runs on OS/360 and successors. IBM Customer Information Control System (CICS) – 1969. A transaction manager designed for rapid, high-volume online processing, CICS originally used standard system datasets, but now has a connection to the IBM Db2 relational database system. Runs on OS/360 and successors and DOS/360 and successors, IBM AIX, VM, and OS/2. Non-mainframe versions are called TXSeries. Tuxedo – 1980s. Transactions for Unix, Extended for Distributed Operations developed by AT&T Corporation, now owned by Oracle Corporation. Tuxedo is a cross-platform TPS. UNIVAC Transaction Interface Package (TIP) – 1970s. A transaction processing monitor for UNIVAC 1100/2200 series computers. Burroughs Corporation supported transaction processing capabilities in its MCP operating systems using GEMCOS (Generalized Message Control System of 1976). As of 2012 UNISYS ClearPath Enterprise Servers include Transaction Server, "an extremely flexible, high-performance message and application control system." Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) Application Control and Management System (ACMS) – 1985. "Provides an environment for creating and controlling online transaction processing (OLTP) applications on the VMS operating system." Runs on VAX/VMS systems. Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) Message Control System (MCS-10) for PDP-10 TOPS-10 systems. Honeywell Multics Transaction Processing. Feature (TP) – 1979. Transaction Management eXecutive (TMX) was NCR Corporation's proprietary transaction processing system running on NCR Tower 5000-series systems. This system was used mainly by financial institutions in the 1980s and 1990s. Hewlett Packard Enterprise NonStop system – 1976. NonStop is an integrated hardware and software system specifically designed for transaction processing. Originally from Tandem Computers. Transarc Encina – 1991. Transarc was purchased by IBM in 1994. Encina was discontinued as a product and folded into IBM's TXSeries. Encina support was discontinued in 2006.

Processing types Transaction processing is distinct from and can be contrasted with other computer processing models, such as batch processing, time-sharing, and real-time processing.

Batch processing

Batch processing is execution of a series of programs (jobs) on a computer without manual intervention. Several transactions, called a batch are collected and processed at the same time. The results of each transaction are not immediately available when the transaction is being entered;[1] there is a time delay.

Real-time processing

"Real time systems attempt to guarantee an appropriate response to a stimulus or request quickly enough to affect the conditions that caused the stimulus." Each transaction in realtime processing is unique; it is not part of a group of transactions.

Transaction processing

A Transaction Processing System (TPS) is an information system that collects, stores, modifies, and retrieves the data transactions of an enterprise. Transaction processing systems also attempt to provide predictable response times to requests, although this is not as critical as real-time systems. Rather than allowing the user to run arbitrary programs as time-sharing, transaction processing allows only predefined, structured transactions. Each transaction is usually short, and each transaction's processing activity is programmed in advance. It is an MIS model.

Transaction processing system features The following features are considered important in evaluating transaction processing systems.

Performance Fast performance with a rapid response time is critical. Transaction processing systems are usually measured by the number of transactions they can process in a given period of time.

Continuous availability The system must be available during the time period when the users are entering transactions. Many organizations rely heavily on their TPS; a breakdown will disrupt operations or even stop the business.

Data integrity The system must be able to handle hardware or software problems without corrupting data. Multiple users must be protected from attempting to change the same piece of data at the same time, for example two operators cannot sell the same seat on an airplane.

Ease of use Often users of transaction processing systems are casual users. The system should be simple for them to understand, protect them from data-entry errors as much as possible, and allow them to easily correct their errors.

Modular growth The system should be capable of growth at incremental costs, rather than requiring a complete replacement. It should be possible to add, replace, or update hardware and software components without shutting down the system.

Types of transaction processing

Processing in a batch Transactions may be collected and processed as in batch processing. Transactions will be collected and later updated as a batch when it is convenient or economical to process them. Historically, this was the most common method as the information technology did not yet exist to allow real-time processing.

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Transaction processing system: A network structure — A network structure

Transaction processing system: A relational structure — A relational structure

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Transaction processing system

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Transaction processing system claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Transaction processing system before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Transaction processing system ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Transaction processing system

In research: Transaction processing system appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Transaction processing system in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Transaction processing system is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Information systems, Transaction processing, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Transaction processing system outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Transaction processing system in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Transaction processing system means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Transaction processing system out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Transaction processing system in simple terms?

A transaction processing system (TPS) is a software system, or software/hardware combination, that supports transaction processing. History The first transaction processing system was SABRE, made by IBM for American Airlines, which became operational in 1964.

Why does Transaction processing system matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Transaction processing system?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Transaction processing system.