RE: Microsoft thwarted again -- MIDRANGE-L

>I have NEVER used EDTRBDAP, not have any of my clients.  I only use
>RCLSTG prior to OS upgrades.  I think I've seen it used twice at client
>sites.  I have NEVER used STRSST for anything other than hardware
>maintenance.

Good for you. I know large (multi-terabyte) SQLServer installs that
haven't had to rebuild their databases too. 

>See, that's what happens when people use desktop operating systems as
>servers, especially BAD desktop operating systems.  

I've said for a long time that the dumbest thing MS ever did was name
their desktop and server OS the same thing (Windows) There is a _HUGE_
stability difference between W2KServer or W2K3Server running on
_ENTERPRISE CLASS_ hardware, and XP or W2K running on a desktop from
Dell that cost less than $1000. Solid servers are very possible on MS
operating systems, but be prepared to spend $$$$. Reliability isn't
cheap on the iSeries, not on Windows (nor on Linux).

>There are people out there who haven't IPL'd their machine in 
>years, much less rebuilt the operating system.

As there are windows boxes, and unix boxes, and probably DOS boxes --
heck you might find a CP/M box that hasn't been rebooted.

>Yes, the iSeries has utilities to repair the inevitable damage that
>comes from (literally) cosmic rays.

Or failed drives (I've saw it earlier this week). Or trashed CPUs, or
bad memory chips, or... 

>But the fact that most people have no clue they exist, much less 
>how to use them, says what needs to be said about iSeries reliability.

Don't get into a numbers fight Joe. There are more people that know how
to use the SQLServer recovery tools than there are people that have ever
HEARD of the iSeries. The numbers say nothing about stability, they
speak of install base.

>But you simply can't with a straight face say that Windows 
>is anywhere near as reliable as OS/400.

Watch me! Spend the SAME $$$ on your windows box that you spend on your
iSeries and you'll get the same reliability -- yes, you can spend
millions on a "PC" server. Think LPAR is new? You could partition an
ES7000 server running W2K Datacenter years ago, with dynamic
reallocation of memory and processor on the fly. It wasn't cheap though.

Additionally, you're fighting the wrong fight. You're looking at the
uptime of a single server, and saying that it's up 99.999 percent of the
time (doubtful BTW) and comparing it to the uptime of a single windows
box. That's an invalid comparison, and shows a lack of understanding of
the role of clustering technology in running an enterprise-class windows
installation. You shouldn't rollout a single windows server if you want
that level of stability, you rollout a cluster. And when you do you'll
get closer to 100% uptime than a single iSeries ever could.

And before you dispute that, let me ask you this. With a single iSeries
how do you upgrade your OS? 

-Walden

------------
Walden H Leverich III
President & CEO
Tech Software
(516) 627-3800 x11
WaldenL@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.TechSoftInc.com 

Quiquid latine dictum sit altum viditur.
(Whatever is said in Latin seems profound.)