There are other reasons to use Linux on Z as well. In our case, we are using it as a front end to handle XML input from our users. We run libXML under Linux, convert the inbound XML messages back to our existing message formats and process them right into the existing CICS applications running under z/OS. That way, there were no changes to the existing CICS applications to handle those users that desire to use XML.
BTW, the overhead of the XML schema that we were required to use has a HIGH overhead (bad for transmission purposes) when compared to the current message formats (especially when images are shipped in or out of the system (due to the base64 encoding required to ship images in XML)). Kevin -----Original Message----- From: Linux on 390 Port [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Alan Altmark Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 12:48 AM To: LINUX-390@VM.MARIST.EDU Subject: Re: Linux community, was Re: Demo of OpenSolaris running on Systemz On Thursday, 11/29/2007 at 06:42 EST, Anton Britz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Thanks for the explanation but my background is IBM and maybe I am still > trying to get use to "the need to change" everything to a Hierarchal file > structure and many Linux's, below VM. You sound as though you think IBM (or someone else) is trying to get you to convert z/OS to Linux. No dice. IBM would simply like you to consider consolidating your distributed servers onto a mainframe using Linux and z/VM. Or instead of growing the server farm physically, grow it virtually! > VM, the operating system we all tossed out of the "Big Computer Center" > window in the 70's.. and the 80s, and the 90s. > Based on the "Google Story" and "The History" of Linux, they are not > competing with SRM/WLM or HSM or RACF etc. but with the escalating > Infrastructure cost of "The Big Computer" center. Exactly right. > Maybe this was because of the introduction of Escalating Software prices > every time you upgrade the Hardware but the Magician behind the curtain, was > always IBM. Several years ago VM pricing was changed to be a one-time charge per CPU without regard to the size of the CPU. The same is true for Linux middleware marketed by IBM. (And see the references to IFLs, a cheaper CPU type.) You can upgrade the h/w and you don't incur any additional software cost unless you add CPUs. The cost of z/OS, however, remains tied to the capacity of the machine. > Now you are asking us again, to trust IBM... move your Linux Servers onto > our boxes and we will take care of you. I will admit that there were some IBM salespeople with egg on their faces because they whispered "get rid of VM" in the few years before Linux appeared. > In the mean time, we have to gradually "interlace" Linux with zOS, duplicate > "Scheduling software", "Accounting" packages etc. because IBM and zOS has > failed us. You're ignoring the fact that you already using scheduling and accounting packages on your distributed systems. THEY aren't [necessarily] tied to z/OS and there's no reason to do so just because Linux is on z. Until the management software stack becomes more ... "hypervisor aware", you do on zLinux the same things you do on x86 Linux. Alan Altmark z/VM Development IBM Endicott ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For LINUX-390 subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: INFO LINUX-390 or visit http://www.marist.edu/htbin/wlvindex?LINUX-390 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For LINUX-390 subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: INFO LINUX-390 or visit http://www.marist.edu/htbin/wlvindex?LINUX-390
