Re: Cost of the IBM Clustering solution

Actually, once it is set up , it is. The extra skills needed to keep a PowerHA environment running is significantly lower than an application layer product. It's only slight difference in Admin functions.

Ask anyone who really administers any one of the application layer products how much time they spend making sure the replication is working. It's lots by comparison to almost none.

Jim Oberholtzer
CEO/Chief Technical Architect
Agile Technology Architects, LLC


On 3/29/2011 4:41 PM, Paul Nelson wrote:

Hmmm. Sounds like the IBM tool is not designed for a shop with zero iSeries
talent.

Paul Nelson
Office 512-392-2577
Cell 708-670-6978
nelsonp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


-----Original Message-----
From:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jim Oberholtzer
Sent: Tuesday, March 29, 2011 4:31 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Cost of the IBM Clustering solution

I don't know about "built in", but they do have totally integrated
products.

PowerHA is the replication tool that pushes data at a storage level (as
opposed to application layer like the Vision products do) between
systems. The same software can do clustering. Each of those software
pieces are extra charge options for IBM i, but they are also very
inexpensive as compared to similar products. They are massively cheaper
than full blown SAN replication software from IBM or EMC.

Roll your own, I'm guessing that's not gonna happen in any meaningful
way since you cannot write code that exists in the LIC the way IBM can,
so it would have to be at the application layer. Vision has that all
wrapped up.

Jim Oberholtzer
CEO/Chief Technical Architect
Agile Technology Architects, LLC


On 3/29/2011 3:43 PM, Paul Nelson wrote:

> I had somebody ask me this question today:
>
> "Why would I buy a High Availability program when IBM's got clustering

built

> in?"
>
> I didn't have an answer for him, but I said I'd find out. My initial

thought

> was that it would be cheaper to buy a package than to roll your own.
>
> Any and all suggestions are welcome. Thanks.
> Paul Nelson
> Cell 708-670-6978
> Office 512-392-2577
> nelsonp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>