Re: Cost of the IBM Clustering solution

Yeah those folks would DIE with one of the third party HA products even though they are good products. Too much admin, meaning 'more than swapping tapes'.

With IBM's solution there would certainly be less, but not zero, administration. They also would have to know what steps to take to swap from primary to backup system in the case it was required. You or I could help with that and I'm betting they would want that help as you suggest because neither 'C' is going to pull that trigger on their own.

Once set up and running the IBM solution is replicating disk sectors so we don't give a **** what's on those sectors, period. They get replicated. The logical replication products care about objects so you (or the product itself) must constantly pay attention to what objects are there and their status in replication.

Having said that the logical replication products *DO* allow you to do stuff on the backup system like inquiries, queries, backups etc while replication is running. IBM's solution does not. For the people you are speaking of this is a non-issue, for some customers it's a big deal.

- Larry

P.S. and it really IS an 'iSeries' :-)

On 3/29/2011 6:19 PM, Paul Nelson wrote:

This shop doesn't have an administrator for their iSeries. They change tapes
every morning, and that's it.

If something doesn't seem right, they reboot. Ask Larry about the folks in
Detroit. :-))

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 5:06 PM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: 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