Configuring a new iSeries

[JOberholtzer@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

<snip>
Leif Questions:

How many cables to you need for an entry-level box?
And can't IBM figure out to ship that?
<endsnip>

Leif:

IBM does not know what power you plan to use, what country your machine
will wind up in, power alone is 10 different feature codes depending on
voltage and country(2 for the USA), and we haven't started to talk about
watertight and explosion proof, some of which are required by electrical
code depending on your location
IBM does not know what console you would prefer, how many and which types
of workstations you are going to use.
IBM does not know which one of the 14 different options you would like for
communications V.24, V.35,  etc. etc. what types of modems or DSU/CSU you
will use.
IBM does not know what type of LAN you will be using, there are 10 choices
there.
IBM does not know which tape drive you would like to use, 4 choices for
internal drives and 4 choices for external tape attach.
IBM does not know how many or what type of DASD you want( 9 choices) or the
protection method, if any, you choose.

All for the lowly little 250.  I could go on, but I've made my point.

Now, about software, numbers of users, ...   Too much to list here, again
I've made my point.

 IBM has configured such an entry level box for you and Charlie has pointed
them out.  Every time we get a request for one of those, the order winds up
changing in some respect, if only to order the correct communications
cables, the Ops Console cable, and the tape drive that is compatible with
existing tapes.

Each box has a different mission, and therefore different configuration.
An entry level box in the USA is different than in New Zealand, the UK,
EU/Asia etc, so which one do you want?

Jim Oberholtzer
Senior Technical Architect
Computech Resources, Inc.