Re: Pentium or Risc processors for an Oracle Database?

Alex,

Oracle has stated publicly, that Linux will be its primary platform for rdbms as well as their application offering, and in 8i it was along with Solaris. In 9i, Oracle did an about face and initial offered 9i on Solaris, and NT/Win2000, shortly followed by HP-UX and Linux. My understanding from the 10i PM is that Oracle will initial release 10i and next release apps on Linux and Solaris first, followed by NT/HP-UX shortly there after.

The big issue I have with Linux, is the different spins and twists, that each vendor of Linux offers, and the relative short time that each kernel version seems to have before the next patch upgrade. If you are willing to forego having to upgrade regularly and devote some resources to designing the infrastructure support, Linux is fine for production applications. FedEx has deployed hundreds if not thousands of Linux production servers with customers and internally at stations.

Jim
"Alex Gnaegi" <alex.gnaegi_at_freesurf.ch> wrote in message news:3da9cf71_at_news.swissonline.ch...
> Thanks Jim for your commentar,
>
> Concerning Intel platform, do you think Linux is yet a solid alternative,
> especially considering that several vendors propose a homologated Oracle
RAC
> configuration. Or do you think Linux is not so well tested as HP-UX or
> Solaris?
>
> Regards
>
> Alex
>
>
>
>
>
> "Jim Stern" <jdstern_at_k2services.com> a écrit dans le message news:
> aoaqq1$3tj$1_at_news.utelfla.com...
> > Alex,
> >
> > I have worked with just about every hardware platform out there,
everyday
> at
> > FedEx. Based upon my experience, I would not touch an Intel platform
for
> a
> > production system, especially a mission critical one. Intel machines
are
> > great for prototyping on, but when I deploy systems, it is strictly off
an
> > Intel platform. The main reason is the that support of hardware, O/S
and
> > Databases (Oracle, Sybase, DB2) is often a regular session of finger
> > pointing. Microsoft blames the Database vendor, who blames the
Hardware,
> > who in turn blames both of the others.
> >
> > I am perhaps luckier than most, in that my wife develops many of the
> > internal courses for Oracle Support, and I frequently have access to the
> > developers and PM's. And I can say from experience, that often Oracle
on
> an
> > Intel platform (specifically with an Micro$oft O/S) is not as well
tested
> or
> > supported as Solaris or HP-UNIX.
> >
> > Additionally FedEx has deployed thousands of Dell EdgeServers over the
> past
> > few years to customers, only to have Dell drop availability of parts
> within
> > months of deployment, forcing FedEx to replace entire units.
> >
> > Finally Micro$oft's O/S despite claims to the contrary, does not scale
> well
> > with third party apps. I have personally benchmarked E450's against
Dell
> > PowerEdges (4 way 1.2GHZ). Configured the same in regards to memory and
> > disk space, the Sun E450 blows the Dell PowerEdge away in memory, disk
and
> > network i/o.
> >
> > So that's my .02 cents on the choices.
> >
> > Jim
> > "Alex Gnaegi" <alex.gnaegi_at_freesurf.ch> wrote in message
> > news:3da82696_at_news.swissonline.ch...
> > > Thank you John , Daniel and Howard for your answers.
> > >
> > > John
> > >
> > > I think also the TPC benchmark is realy interesting. The problem with
> TCP
> > is
> > > the tested systems are rarely representative of the market. Much of
them
> > > represent a race against the highest TPC-C score without any
> consideration
> > > about the price. They are for the normal buyers irrelevant.
> > > Especially with Oracle Database, it is very difficult to get
> configuration
> > > with 1 to 4 processors on NT or Unix OS, precluding any comparison
> between
> > > Risc and Pentium or AMD processors.
> > >
> > > Concerning the industry bias, I also agree with you. A lot of
decisions
> > > about hardware or software are made only to minimise the risks. I'm
sure
> > > that the choices of platform will be completely different if the
> decision
> > > makers have to get the money of their own.
> > >
> > > Do you think Oracle for 700 users can be considered?, with how many
CPU
> > and
> > > RAM?
> > >
> > > Best regards
> > >
> > > Alex
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "John Roberts" <jroberts_at_bogus.sprintmail.com> a écrit dans le message
> > news:
> > > ddIp9.22857$lV3.2164610_at_newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
> > > > Alex,
> > > >
> > > > To arm yourself with facts rather than biased conjecture, take a
look
> at
> > > the
> > > > benchmark sites (www.tpc.org and ecperf.theserverside.com ).
> > > >
> > > > Besides the here and now, you also need to consider industry trends:
> > > >
> > > > (1) The future of the Alpha chip is in great doubt - not enough
> > installed
> > > > base means not enough funds for R&D giving rise to a widening
> > performance
> > > > gap.
> > > > (2) The Intel 64 bit Itanium chip has been a dissapointment.
> > > > (3) Intel's power base in workstations gives it the money to invest
in
> > > > server solutions.
> > > > (4) Intel and AMD take turns leapfrogging each other in the MHz
wars.
> > We
> > > > will have 3 and 4 GHz chips within the year.
> > > > (5) Sun's Ultrasparc III cu currently tops out at 1.015 GHz. So
even
> > > though
> > > > they have 64 bit architecture, the chips have less power than 32 bit
> > Intel
> > > > competitors.
> > > > (6) Sun has been making moves in the Linux arena, causing much
> > > consternation
> > > > in the Solaris camp. Perhaps Sun Linux is Plan B if their CPU chips
> > > > continue to lag Intel. They also announced belated plans to release
> > > Solaris
> > > > 9 for Intel - perhaps this is Plan C.
> > > >
> > > > Fortunately, Oracle is readily portable between platforms. For
> example,
> > > at
> > > > my company we often develop under Win 2K and then deploy under
> Solaris.
> > > So
> > > > even if you need to change your mind about platform, its usually a
> > simple
> > > > job to migrate.
> > > >
> > > > The other factor is industry bias. The saying in the 1970's was
that
> > > nobody
> > > > ever got fired for recommending IBM. Today, the same can be said
for
> > > Oracle
> > > > running on Solaris. If you recommend Oracle under Windows - Intel
and
> > the
> > > > project goes sour, there will be plenty of people to question that
> > > decision.
> > > > Most of them on this NG.
> > > >
> > > > But Oracle under Windows runs just fine for thousands of users. The
> > > > hardware is cheaper and you don't need an expensive Solaris
SysAdmin.
> > > >
> > > > John
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
Received on Sun Oct 13 2002 - 22:26:56 CDT