Re: System/34 -- Stinkin' NT _AGAIN_

Pedro,

In a message dated 98-02-23 12:03:48 EST, you write:

<<    While i do agree with you in most of what you say, let me correct 
 you in a little something:
 
 >much-maligned OS/2 Warp Server, let alone NetWare.  My current 
 >primary client has 3 people running _ALL_ systems management 
 >functions on_SEVEN_ AS/400's in support of 5 live facilities and 
 >close to 3K users.  We have C/S applications running core areas of 
 >the plants, and an average of 50Gb of data at each plant.  Can a 
 >similar NT shop boast the same support staff?
 
     If it was possible to have 3K dumb terminals on a NT server, why 
 shouldnt it? Please when you translate that into NT'ish please be 
 sensible, and do it well. Its obvious that 3 people supporting 7 
 AS/400 with 3K users with dumb terminals (if they were all CA/400 
 they wouldnt be enough) on them, isn't quite the same as having 3 
 people supporting 7 NT's with 3K users with Win95 machines. It would 
 be the nearest thing to hell on earth. They are different tasks, left 
 for different people.
  >>

For starters, it was implied that NT would be a viable option for replacing an
AS/400 for GUI applications.  As stated above, we _ARE_ running GUI
applications on the mentioned configuration.  In fact, our most critical
applications (without which, product wouldn't get shipped out the door) are
GUI.  Yes, the majority of our applications run on PC's with Rumba or on
industrial terminals -- but the most important are GUI on touch screens
interfaced with VB and ESS/400.

The second point was a supposed cost savings over the AS/400 for NT.  Hardware
cost savings (should they ever materialize) would be rapidly consumed by the
salaries of the myriad Network Administrators required to replace the 1
(underpaid) person that runs an average AS/400 shop.

Finally, NT was being touted as such a fine network product.  Sorry, but this
same client has far _MORE_ systems, users, and sites on its NetWare WAN than
it does on its AS/400's.  The NetWare support staff isn't much larger than
that running their AS/400's.  I doubt that NT could do the same.  The
ComputerWorld article I mentioned stated that it took approximately three NT
servers to replace the function of a single NetWare server.  Apples to
apples...

Yes, use the right tool for the right job.  Use NT/Workstation on the desktop
if '95 is your only other choice.  Use NT on the IPCS if you must.  But do not
even _PRETEND_ to believe that you should replace OS/2, NetWare, or an AS/400
as your server with NT at this time if you work for one of the few companies
that will actually hold you responsible for the results.

JMHO,

Dean Asmussen
Enterprise Systems Consulting, Inc.
Fuquay-Varina, NC  USA
E-Mail:  DAsmussen@aol.com

"It is impossible to make anything foolproof, because fools are so ingenious."
-- Anonymous
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