Choosing a PC operating system under which to run Oracle server

I am writing on behalf of a friend who is a database administrator in the information systems department of a large UK Plc.

They currently run a GUPTA (I think this is how it is spelt) SQL server on an IBM PS/2 50MHz 486. This system has severe performance problems (due to the software, as I understand), and as part of departmental policy are going to replace this with an ORACLE server, unfortunately, again due to departmental policy, on the same machine.

My friend therefore wonders if anyone would proffer an opinion as to which operating system they should choose to extract the maximum performance out of said machine running ORACLE.

I realise that using this machine *may* be a crazy idea and I can think of many better solutions but unfortunately it's the only thing they're going to get. I have no idea about memory and disk capacities but I understand that these components will be upgraded as required.

They are currently considering using SCO Unix or OS2 as an operating system. My friend would like to know:

Is there an obvious choice of OS, out of the two above or other, which will have a marked performance benefit bearing in mind the limitations of the machine?

Many thanks in advance,

Alun Webber.

alun_at_specialcar.win-uk.net Received on Sat Apr 30 1994 - 02:26:26 CEST