Eric Chevalier writes: >Your example of Company XYZ, deciding to replace 100 Windows/Unix >servers with z/VM and Linux, implies that the firm is purchasing its >*first* System z box. After the server migration is completed, when >XYZ decides they need that high-reliability database server, I suspect >they will likely look first at continuing to use Linux as their >platform of choice. Oracle and DB2 are both available for that >platform (and are marketed as high-reliability database engines), as >well as MySQL and PostgreSQL. And since the firm's IT skill base is >probably very deep in the Linux/*nix culture, building the database >server on Linux would probably be a quicker and less costly approach >than bringing in a completely new platform (z/OS).
Perhaps, but I often deal in probabilities, as here. To continue the narrative, it's easier to bring z/OS in the door if the iron is already on the floor. (It's only a CP activation and LPAR definition away.) And, for example, both Oracle and DB2 on Linux on z, while competent products certainly, are no DB2 for z/OS. The workloads they can run well just aren't the same. Not that getting the iron in the door is much of a problem either. IBM recently announced a new "fast start" service offering. IBM can deliver a System z9 to a new customer and get it up-and-running on-site with DB2 for z/OS within an 8 hour business day. After that, IBM will provide training and education to the new administrators. In my part of the world we have customers that are running 10 hours of batch (and climbing) during 8 hour windows. :-) Many of them have figured out that only a z/OS mainframe can neatly and efficiently solve this urgent, costly business problem. Which is not to say that Linux isn't wonderful, especially on the mainframe. It is wonderful. - - - - - Timothy Sipples IBM Consulting Enterprise Software Architect Specializing in Software Architectures Related to System z Based in Tokyo, Serving IBM Japan and IBM Asia-Pacific E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
