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Home -> Community -> Mailing Lists -> Oracle-L -> Re: Solaris vs Windows 2000
Jared,
Here's my recollection of a losing battle. I hope this helps.
I "used" to work on Unix (AIX and Solaris) and can only think about the good
ol' days...
Now, I work on Comcrap Servers (i mean HP) running Microslop NT and 2000.
We have tons of them :)
I asked my boss why they are using Windows instead of Unix.
I gave him all the arguments about scalability, secure... and not having to
do the weekly reboots and he listened patiently.
He finally said "How much will a Sun server cost?". I said I'd have to check
on it, but he said We are running a 500 gig SAP system on a $5K compaq with
6 other compaq app servers that cost less than that. He asked what the Unix
would cost. I started to answer that the hardware isn't the only cost and we
have an EMC disk array behind it, but he stopped me and said it doesn't
matter. He walks into the CIO's office and asks for a $70K dollar Solaris
box and he gets booted out of the office. He can nickle and dime him for $5K
servers...
I pointed out that we had to spend a million dollars on a EMC Symmetrix with
Clarion and he said "exactly". We spend the big money on the I/O subsystem
for a bunch of servers and we can buy all the cheap up front hardware we
want. Next, he pointed out that we'd have to hire a Unix admin and that
would cost money. "Everybody knows how to administer Windows" he says. I
said "pressing control-alt-del isn't administration". He also said that with
EMC behind the scenes we don't have to worry about distributing the I/O. EMC
will take care of it for us. I said that look at all the wasted time because
we have to come in weekends (at least once a month) and install Win patches
that take our systems down. "That doesn't cost us anything because you're
not paid hourly and that only impacts a few people" my boss says. "What
about all the time wasted finding tools/scripts so we can do the same type
of monitoring/troubleshooting that you can on Unix", I ask. "You only need
that once in a while and we can reboot the system if can't determine the
problem" he laughs. His last argument was that all the developers want the
MS platform so they can write VB and .NET apps. "MS works really well with
other MS products than it does with other vendors", Nobody knows java. I
said "90% of the developers are contractors, we can bring in that talent".
His final answer was "That was inappropriate and people with those skills
cost more". -- How can you argue with that mentality? He forgets that I
have mentored or helped get a few developers up to speed on Oracle and now
that they understand it more, they really appreciate it.
The Wintel platform for the most part has worked for us as long as you have
a million dollar disk array behind it ;)
Oracle's a little quirky on it - one time it won't shutdown and the next
time the exact same situation it does...
You're going to have a tough time arguing price unless you have all the
numbers and you can hammer it home the first time - you only get one
chance... Don't forget that your manager has to walk in to the office of the
CIO or CFO and justify it to them.
My argument would be, if you have employees with unix skills keep the unix
platform. Once you get MS inhouse, it's like a virus - you will have 1000
pet projects spread across the enterprise in developer's cubes and PCs with
post-its that say "Don't Shutdown - Dept. XYZ Risk Mgt. System!!!".
Don't forget my manager's comment that "Everybody can administer a Windows
box." - Once it's in the doors, everybody will and there's no security...
It reminds me of when i worked on the mainframe and we got our first Unix
system in. The mainframers said we only need one mainframe to support the
company and 10 unix servers. Now it's 10 unix servers and 1000 MS servers...
look at all the support costs that go into supporting all that.
--
Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com
--
Author: Steve Perry
INET: sperry_at_sprynet.com
Fat City Network Services -- 858-538-5051 http://www.fatcity.com San Diego, California -- Mailing list and web hosting services ---------------------------------------------------------------------To REMOVE yourself from this mailing list, send an E-Mail message to: ListGuru_at_fatcity.com (note EXACT spelling of 'ListGuru') and in the message BODY, include a line containing: UNSUB ORACLE-L (or the name of mailing list you want to be removed from). You may also send the HELP command for other information (like subscribing). Received on Wed Nov 13 2002 - 09:09:08 CST
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