[geeks] Daily Dose of Unix

[vance at neurotica.com]

On Fri, 31 Jan 2003, Chris Byrne wrote:

> > I wouldn't use either AIX nor IRIX for a large-scale database.  I
> > would use z/OS on a z900 Parallel Sysplex.
>
> Okay, you've definitely got a point.
>
> I wasn't thinking of mainframes because they usually play in a different
> market.

The hardware's tremendously capable, even if IBM's marketing organization
isn't.  8-)

> Im related to one of the best DBA's in the country. Her choice is also
> z/0S with DB2. I've never seen a system that can pump through as many
> simultaneous transactions, nor handle as many interactive sessions.

These machine have *exceptional* I/O bandwidth, and I/O is mostly handled
by off-CPU processors (called channel processors).

> I still think that AIX+DB2 is the best Unix platform for large
> databases, though as was pointed out Origin systems and high end Alpha
> boxes are both very much in the running there, if not superior in some
> ways.

AIX with DB2 is awesome when used on RS/6000 SP's.

Peace...  Sridhar