Re: IDE versus SCSI

"Keith Boulton" <kboulton_at_ntlunspam-world.com> wrote in message news:<CCG%7.20239$X87.2726084_at_news2-win.server.ntlworld.com>...
> "Dusan Bolek" <pagesflames_at_usa.net> wrote in message
> news:1e8276d6.0201110612.4a75f82f_at_posting.google.com...
> Which really goes to the heart of the issue. If you need a very large
> server, with terabytes of disk space then you're going to have to spend a
> lot of money. If your needs are more modest, there is no technical reason no
> to use IDE as a drive interface. I think you'd be surprised at how high a
> load a small intel box can handle unless the application is designed with
> utter contempt for performance and resource utilisation (step forward Oracle
> applications).

My problem with this reasoning is that in my work almost all databases are so big that proprietary HW is a must. So I do not argue against.

> If you try to put everything into one database, particularly with modern (ie
> ludicrously inefficient) development practices, the database will be bigger.

The problem is that selection of data which must be stored are not up to you. Usually some business leader just wants everything for five years and to single transaction level. And that in company with milions of acounts means that hundreds of gigabytes are reality.

> Actually, you may or may not. Again, this is the point. Some applications
> may have tremendous performance requirements - others will not. You should
> decide on a case by case basis how much you're going to pay to get the best
> performance, otherwise it's like insisting that only a rolls-royce is good
> enough as a car.

Sadly, I have more experiences with first ones. :-(

> Again, it's true for some applications and not for others - fitness for
> purpose is the key.

It depends on business. For example in financial sector almost everything is MUST-WORK-NO-DOWNTIMES-PERMITTED.

> I refer you to the terms and conditions (in particular for Java) that you
> agree to when you install Oracle.

Yeah, that's on all software. However I've never seen a piece of software which has on box: You can use this in critical environment and we'll gladly repay all damage in case of any failure. :-)

> I believe you made the correct decision, but it is not always the most cost
> effective decision to run a non-intel unix box.

I almost believe that non-intel unix box is always the most cost effective solution. :-) My experiences told me that one unix box even shared with five applications gave less troubles than five dedicated NTs.

> Value for money seems to be a forgotten term in IT these days (or possibly
> ever).
> Multiply it by 10 or 20 servers and it starts to get significant.
> In any case:
> Look after the mickles and the muckles will look after themselves.

In enterprise area everything cost much more than any of us would pay in supermarket. :-) That explain why you have to pay so much for your insurance or mortgage. :-)

> No. I looked it up in google, but I don't see the relevance of the Ontario
> Funeral Service Association.

Oracle Flexible Storage Architecture. I also heard this term just recently, although I'm using guidelines from OFSA while implementing Oracle database for several years. I just didn't know that not placing index tablespace with data tablespace on same disk is called OFSA. However OFSA is a cool abbreviation and a perfect buzz-word. So I'm using this term in some higher level documents, looks good in.

> You have stated some circumstances under which it would be senseless to use
> IDE devices in an Oracle server. I agree that there are many times when this
> is true. I also believe there are many circumstances in which it is both
> appropriate and cost-effective to use IDE devices and that a "one size fits
> all" policy is always a bad thing.

Yes, and my problem with this discussion is that I'm usually working with systems, which cannot use IDE drives. So for me is IDE something for PCs. :-)

--
_________________________________________

Dusan Bolek, Ing.
Oracle team leader

Note: pagesflames_at_usa.net has been cancelled due to changes (maybe we
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