Re: Why is the iSeries so slow

["Buck" <buck.calabro@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> You're comparing a multi-user multi-purpose server
> box to a dedicated controller.  The iSeries IS NOT
> MEANT TO BE A DEDICATED PROCESSOR.

I think that we are all in complete agreement on that point.

What we are saying is that the IBM mantra of 'server consolidation' flies in
the face of economic reality.  With an 820, we are told that we can run MANY
DIFFERENT workloads on that machine, including a web server (1).  We tried
that, and found worse performance than with the PC.  And the PC has very
similar uptime to the 820.

The problem is that when the PC network guys say "Hey!  We can host that
website on our existing PC network and it'll be faster than your mainframe."
They are comparing one task (web serving) between their platform and ours.
And ours loses for THAT task.  When we compare OLTP processing to their PC
network, we kill them.  Task for task is the comparison, and that's what
makes it a valid one, I think.

I just think that if IBM is serious about this 'e-server' business they
should make their e-business functions kick serious butt, rather than be
approximately adequate.
--buck

(1)
http://www-132.ibm.com/content/home/store_IBMPublicUSA/en_US/eServer/iSeries
/hardware/earliermodels.html "An affordable, scalable server for businesses
adopting e-business, consolidating enterprise servers or both.  i820
delivers outstanding  performance and price, and can provide dramatic
improvements for green-screen applications."