RE: Sizing a new server - the Alpha Chip

Lisa,

I went from a large AIX shop to a small shop with ALPHA. Find out what version of the operating system you have. The newer versions of the operating are supposed to be better than the older for administration. I am currently at 4.0d which is off support and can not compare to AIX. As I inherited my two 8400's after an outsourcing - there was no one here to ask questions. However, Compaq support has been 95% excellent - but you pay for it. All the documentation is available at www.compaq.com. I have several Oracle 8i databases running with no problems so far. I have been here since 4/1 as unix admin and have had to do some heavy study to support the person who is titled DBA and to learn the nuances of Digital UNIX. Still 4.0d is really not Tru64! If you need any assistance, plese let me know.

Teri

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Koivu, Lisa [SMTP:lisa.koivu_at_efairfield.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2001 10:16 AM
> To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
> Subject: RE: Sizing a new server - the Alpha Chip
>
> Hi Bruce,
>
> The list has done a good job of giving me warm fuzzies about the alpha. I
> did read through those articles describing the demise of the alpha chip.
> However, with the size and power of the 8400 I think we'll be OK on this
> server for at least a few years, if not more. I figure as long as compaq
> will support it, we'll be OK for now. There is also no shortage of
> resellers for parts.
>
> I have never worked at a company where money was such a huge issue. Even
> if I went to my boss and said, We're looking at a migration in a couple of
> years due to the discontinuation of the alpha chip, let's go IBM, I'd have
> to pitch a huge budget that would never fly. Upper management has no
> confidence in any IT employees. We have to start somewhere to build some
> credibility.
>
> Damn... I am really beginning to sound like a manager. I think I need a
> girls' night out with Captain Morgan.
>
> So let's ask the entire list: Does anyone see anything negative coming
> from compaq's announcement about the alpha? I really don't see it being a
> huge problem. I'd be interested in any comments to the contrary.
>
> Thanks
> Lisa Koivu
> Oracle DataBored Administrator
> Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Reardon, Bruce (CALBBAY)
> [SMTP:Bruce.Reardon_at_comalco.riotinto.com.au]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2001 10:45 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
> Subject: RE: Sizing a new server
>
> Hi Lisa,
>
> I also have good feelings for VMS so don't see the problem with an Alpha.
> As for the disk farms, the RAID 7000 gave very good performance on VMS so
> 2
> of the es10K should be excellent.
>
> You and your company are of course aware that Compaq is planning to stop
> Alpha chip development in 2-3 years and will port Tru64, VMS and NonStop
> Kernel OS to Itanium processor family.
> (if not see <http://www.compaq.com/newsroom/pr/2001/pr2001062501.html>
> and <http://www.compaq.com/hps/ipf-enterprise/ceo_letter.html> as starting
>
> points).
>
> Regards,
> Bruce Reardon
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Sent: Wednesday, 11 July 2001 2:11
> To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
>
>
> Hi Lisa,
>
> That doesn't sound too bad, the 8400 is a solid piece of kit. 64-bit, up
> to
> 14 CPUs and 28G of memory. They have seriously good I/O bandwidth. Needs a
>
> three-phase power supply and weighs, literally, half a tonne. And best of
> all, you can run VMS on them!
>
> g
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2001 2:46 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
>
>
> Bruce,
> It's going to be Unix, tru64. Unfortunately I will be stuck with some old
>
> hardware to start with - an Alpha, 8400, I believe maxes out at 8 cpu's,
> along with two old disk farms (compaq esa10k). I'm slapping together a
> bunch of old pieces of hardware, upgrading where needed, obtaining
> software
> licensing where needed, compaq hardware/software support, and with some
> duct
> tape, political brown-nosing done by others and a few users screaming for
> their data, I'll hopefully end up with some sort of reporting tool hitting
>
> this. (BizObj or Cogno$). Man Cognos is expensive.
> I wish I could choose AIX here. It's not an option.
> See doesn't this sound like a director's job??
> Say it again: I LOVE MY JOB
> Lisa
> -----Original Message-----
> [SMTP:Bruce.Reardon_at_comalco.riotinto.com.au]
> Sent: Monday, July 09, 2001 8:50 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
> Lisa,
> Some may laugh at the question but what OS - NT, Unix, VMS or ?
> Regards,
> Bruce Reardon
> -----Original Message-----
> Sent: Tuesday, 10 July 2001 4:36
> To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
>
>
> Thanks Kimberly,
> I wish it was that way. I have to justify my request with hard numbers or
>
> they are going to laugh at me when I say, "Because that's what I want".
> :)
> They don't yet know how I'd react to that, it would be a knee-jerk type of
>
> reaction involving creative expletives... not pretty.
> Good for you. At least you have some real hardware and true HA. I wish I
>
> did
> Lisa
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Sent: Monday, July 09, 2001 12:51 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
> Get the biggest, kick ass server they will let you buy. If your site is
> anything like mine they just keep asking for more and more databases. So
> no
>
> matter what I have now I know its not enough. I am really happy with the
> nice new N-class HP cluster I have sitting next door running Service
> Guard.
> I am also getting a A-class database cluster for some important but not
> fab
> critical databases. Now if I can only get ride of the 5 K-class database
> servers. Its kind of like when you go from a fast to a slow PC. Drives
> me
> crazy. Not that there are issues with performance from the databases. It
>
> would only be me, while playing (which of course means working) on the
> server, that would notice.
> -----Original Message-----
> Sent: Monday, July 09, 2001 8:30 AM
> To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
>
>
> Good morning everyone,
> Lucky me, I get to choose the size of the server this company should
> consider purchasing. I have been poking around on the net for any
> guidelines - I can make guesses based upon my gut feel and how strapped
> the
> current unix server is, but I want to be able to back this up with hard
> numbers. This is for a dw application.
> Can anyone point me to a website, book, or anything in particular that can
>
> help me justify sizing a machine? It's so fun working for a company that
> doesn't have a sysadmin on staff...
> Thanks
> Lisa Koivu
> Oracle Data Bored Administrator
> Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
> 954-935-4117
> --
> --
> Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: <http://www.orafaq.com>
> --
> Author: Reardon, Bruce (CALBBAY)
> INET: Bruce.Reardon_at_comalco.riotinto.com.au
>
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Author: Giles, Teri
  INET: Giles_T_at_FRS.State.fl.us

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