Re: Offload from the AS/400

>         Art,
>         It looks like you already have some data to back
>         up staying with the 400.
>         I'd suggest trying to find out all the areas they say
>         it is slow, ie. Interactive too slow or daytime batch
>         or overnight batch.
>         If it is batch, then PC front-ends won't help near as
>         much as a bigger 400.
>

This all started because users complained they needed another printer to finish
their jobs in time.  It turned out that they were having terrible response
times.  We identified the problem as their main data entry program trying to
write records to a 1 million record file, with approx 400,000 deleted records,
and REUSEDLT(*YES).  It took a long time to add records.  They could not give us
any downtime to run a RGZPFM, and we had to use REUSEDLT because our disk usage
was hovering around 90%.  We made some quick CLP changes to add records to a 
work
file, then add them in batch to the live file.  That solved that.

>         Your user community might be some help too.
>         You don't want to alienate the exec, but maybe
>         someone besides you remembers why the got
>         a 400. If the exec is being honest about not being
>         hot for GUIs, what does he think he'll get with
>         PCs and C/S ? I'd bet a fair number of the users
>         entering all those transaction would hate to leave
>         their green screens.
>

That is the question.  What will you get with C/S?

>         From a purely financial side, don't forget these
>         potential costs of C/S (not all will apply but
>         some may):
>         New PCs for those users who don't have them,
>         Upgrade to users PCs to handle heavy transaction app.,
>         Upgrade to network to support heavier C/S traffic,
>         Training for users to learn new app.,
>         Additional staff to support new app.
>

Booth mentioned the same cabling issue.  This one I hadn't thought of.

>         Another way to justify new 400 costs is to divide
>         by the number of users. Compare how much your
>         client spends now per year, per person on PCs
>         versus the AS/400. Unless all the users are on
>         terminals the PC cost much more. Going to C/S
>         tends to make the per person PC costs go even
>         higher.
>

Another excellent point.  I know that they spend big bucks on their existing
Novell/Sybase/Powerbuilder App.

>         HTH & Good Luck
>          -Steve Cotes
>          -cotess@data-io.com

Thanks!

--
Art Tostaine, Jr.
Creative Computer Associates, Inc.
Parlin, NJ
atostaine_at_crecomp_dot_com


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