Re: Using RISC as development, ... -50S

[Vernon Hamberg <hambergv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 08:50 AM 7/2/1998 -0500, you wrote:
>Vernon wrote:
>I _would_ question using a server box like the 50S. You could get poor
>interactive performance. Admittedly it's supposed to be better now, but we
>got bit verrry badly with a 50S. If you can keep your interactive CPU % <
>10%, you'll probably be OK.
>
>I say:
>We use a S20 for development.  We've always liked the server models for
development machines.  They are very fast on compiles.  Most of our
upgrades have been because of more disk space needed, and to test out
machines prior to going to new hardware for our production machines.  The
server models are tailored for client serving - and batch.

My last words on this (for now <g>):

A server box _can_ be an excellent development machine. They _can_ also be
a disaster. The latter was the case for us. It depends on a number of
things, like your mix of development tools, number of developers & other
users, whether you do testing on the same box, all manner of things.

My intention is to say, look before you leap. A server box is not the
automatic choice for a development machine. IBM are much better positioned
to speak to these issues now. When we tried the 50S, August 96 I think,
they were not, and their advice was very misleading.

I've heard that this issue is not so serious in more recent boxes and
releases. I don't have recent experience so cannot speak to this. If
there's anyone who has successfully run Synon or Genesis or a change
management system or other development tool with 15-20 developers on at one
time on a server box, without serious performance degradation, please let
us know. That'd be really helpful information.

Many shops can benefit from the lower initial cost of a server box. We were
not one of those :-(  If you can stay within the limits of the design, go
for it—you'll love it. If not, you just need to bite the $$$ bullet.

Cheers

Vernon Hamberg
Systems Software Programmer
Old Republic National Title Insurance Company
400 Second Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN  55401-2499
(612) 371-1111 x480


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