I am still a mainframe programmer/analyst.
There is talk all the time about moving to distributed servers (more unix
and Windows 2003 servers).
They just haven't found a way to make them as dependable and fast as the IBM
"Big Iron".
It's also fun to listen to the distributed systems DBA's talk about "big"
database tables and then find out they have a few million rows. A few of
our DB2 tables have more than a billion rows and we have to access them for
real-time transactions.
It's amazing how much the mainframes have shrunk, the robotic tape drives
(well mostly virtual tape drives now days) are much bigger than the disk
drives or the mainframe itself.
It's also a lot different in the computer operators room nowdays. All those
green screen monitors have been replaced by rows of lcd's, each with a
different system monitor displayed.
Some of the ISP's run a mainframe with a bunch of VM linux partitions, each
partition looks like a linux server. When someone pays for a web server
they just create another partition...
Oh well, I'll probably be in big demand in 10 years or so, the only school
around here that still taught COBOL programming stopped offering the courses
a couple of years ago.
73,
George / KF9YR
-----Original Message-----
From: tentec-bounces@contesting.com
[mailto:tentec-bounces@contesting.com]On Behalf Of Gary Jacek
Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2006 12:10 PM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] OT Something to think about as we start the New
Year:
Fled? Who fled?
We're still running those "big, old" IBM "mainframes".
The processor is now much smaller than your household fridge, black and
built on CMOS
just like your PC. And it's air cooled, just like the legions of Sun
servers and the
armies of administrators that manage -that- platform.
The disk storage is on arrays of small drives, just like the ones in your
PC.
Our entire mainframe disk array would fit several times over in my 8 by 10
foot shack,
with room to spare for an Argo V or two.
And we also run a herd of LINUX on the back 40, in our "big, old" IBM
mainframe.
So, when you walk up to an ATM to get some cash, or pay for your next
TenTec
purchase with a credit card, don't forget that you just used a mainframe.
Tracking your next TenTec toy to your door on the FEDEX web site? Yep,
another mainframe!
Mainframes are still out there. You just don't notice them because they
(still) work so well!
73
Gary
----- Original Message -----
From: "NJ0IP" <Rick@DJ0IP.de>
To: "'Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment'" <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 07, 2006 8:35 AM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Something to think about as we start the New Year:
> Five 9's is marketing and not obtainable in an "open" environment, but
four
> 9's is achievable. To reach five 9's one would have to go back to
accepting
> a total solution with ALL hard and soft components out of one and the same
> house (e.g., IBM, DEC, HP, etc.) and that's what people fled from 10 years
> ago. Today's reality is four 9's, but that's till pretty good.
> 73
> Rick
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