Definition: Unisys

(Unisys Corporation, Blue Bell, PA) An information technology company that was created in 1986 as a merger of the Burroughs and Sperry corporations. At that time, it was the largest merger of computer manufacturers in history. Today, Unisys offers a wide range of consulting and support services, which make up the bulk of the company's revenues. It continues to provide hardware with its ClearPath line of enterprise servers. ClearPath uses native CMOS-based CPUs and Intel CPUs that can run Windows, Linux, MCP (Burroughs) and OS 2200 (Sperry) operating systems simultaneously.

Unisys traces its roots back to the earliest days of computing and data processing. Sperry started in 1933 in navigational guidance and control equipment. In 1955, it merged with Remington Rand, creator of the UNIVAC I, and became Sperry Rand. Sperry became known for its mainframes and for providing communications and real-time systems to the military and NASA. In 1971, it absorbed RCA's computer division and supported the Spectra 70 series until it was phased out. From the 1960s to the 1980s, Sperry's UNIVAC line provided state-of-the-art mainframe processing.

Burroughs started as a maker of calculating machines and cash registers in 1886. It was first involved with computers by supplying memory for the ENIAC in 1952. A decade later, it introduced the B5000 computer, which was hailed for its advanced operating system. Burroughs computers became well established in the banking and finance industries throughout the 1960s and 1970s.

Burroughs Adding Machine

This adding machine was built circa 1895 and was an example of the exciting new machinery at the turn of the 20th century. (Image courtesy of Unisys Corporation.)

The UNIVAC I

In 1951, Remington Rand had the jump on the computer industry when it introduced the UNIVAC I. For a while, the words "Univac" and "computer" were synonymous (see UNIVAC I). (Image courtesy of Unisys Corporation.)