RE: Journaling

Whether or not a system is brought to it's knees is dependent on the quality
of the architecture of the application.

I used MACPAC for 8 years (an ERP system that competed with BPCS, JDE, etc).
It used full journaling and commitment control and performance was fine.
But - Andersen bothered to build in the journaling properly.  Part of this
is to open files for input only where possible.  Files opened for update
will have all their reads journaled.  So... MACPAC would often open the same
file multiple times - once for read only operations, once for updates.  This
minimized the impact on the journals.

It's easier for a programmer to just open a file once, but then all your
reads get journaled.  This causes some ERP systems to croak when journaling
is turned on.  If the app was built properly, it wouldn't be much of an
issue.

Many ERP software sales people perpetuated the 'myth' that journaling
'brings a system to it's knees'.  What they should have said was that
journaling brings _their software_ to it's knees.  They used that excuse to
get around the fact that their software didn't have proper commitment
control built in.

Journaling is good.  Commitment control is AWESOME.  But, it takes a LOT of
work to do it properly.  I had commitment control for all those 8 years and
I NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER had to go searching for a lost transaction due
to a power failure or program bombing.  NEVER.  I NEVER had an unbalanced
transaction.  NEVER.  The software FIXED ITSELF.  I repeat - it was AWESOME.

MACPAC was often behind in features and functions compared to the
competition, but the technical architecture was clearly superior.

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Improve performance on your AS/400 without a hardware upgrade!
Move seldom used historical data out of the way but still access
it where needed!
ARCTOOLS(tm) for the IBM AS/400
http://www.arctools.com
mailto:info@arctools.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++



-----Original Message-----
From:   owner-midrange-l@midrange.com [mailto:owner-midrange-l@midrange.com]
On Behalf Of John Earl
Sent:   Friday, September 15, 2000 9:34 AM
To:     MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
Subject:        Journaling

Does anyone know of a benchmark for journaling on the AS/400?

I'm involved in a discussion with someone who refuses to believe
that journaling will not bring a system to it's knees.   I could
create a test, but it would be better if this information came
from some independent third party.

Anybody have a reference from a reputable source?

jte




--
John Earl                    johnearl@400security.com
The PowerTech Group      --> new number --> 253-872-7788
PowerLock Network Security   www.400security.com
--


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