[rescue] Re: Help IDing Old Drive

[Joshua Boyd]

On Sat, Mar 20, 2004 at 12:22:21AM -0500, Dave McGuire wrote:

>   The difference, of course, is that the Pr1me machine will probably 
> run for another 5-10 years without a burp.  You don't need "parts" for 
> a machine that isn't broken.

But, when it is broken, you need to know how to get it fixed fast.  If
fixing it will mean replacing it with new software on a Sun, the time to
figure this out is not while you are unable to bill because your prime
went down, but rather before that event.  

Sure, the machine might just run fine for another 10 years, but will
your business survive if it dies next week and you can't bill clients
until a replacement system is in place, your employees get trained on
it, and the data is salvaged and moved over somehow?  I think that might
cause quite a lot of small businesses to go out of business.  So, it may
be an unlikely event, but are they prepared to accept the risk?

Maybe that mechanicsburg place with the prime has a contract with
someone who can arrange for it business to resume in 2 days.  Maybe they
even have someone on staff who can do it.

>   PCs aren't reliable in production; this is a well-known fact...but 
> that has people in the mindset that *computers* aren't reliable in 
> production...which is simply not so.  I know you of all people know 
> this, Bob. ;)

I think computers can be reliable, but you need to have a plan in place
for the 1 time they turn out not to be.