Re: Recommendations on hardware for informix wanted

mgrice@ptdcs2.intel.com (Meg Grice) write: > My group may soon need to start running an informix database server. > I am interested in getting peoples opinions on the best platform > (hardware & OS) is best for informix. I think that this would > be a medium size database server with 30-50 concurrent database > users on at the most busy times. > > The front end will run on a Prolog product called Customerq on > IBM workstations running AIX 3.2.5. > > Our obvious choices are IBM and Sun (we run Sybase on a Sun). > I can consider other platforms also, but I would need to > justify it. > > Also, I would like recommendations on backup schemes. If I will > be purchasing a database server, I wil want to purchase the backup > devices etc. There are a few excellent reason for going with a Sun platform. 1. Maintainability: Sun expertise is VERY easy to find. Yes, I know that true expertise is always hard to find but compared to other systems many people are familiar with Sun. 2. Informix support: I believe I saw something to the effect that Informix's principle development platform will soon be Solaris 2.3 . This gives Sun the lead on fixes or new releases of Informix. 3. Availability of third party software and PD utilities. Just about every software vendor makes Sun one of the first ports available. Precompiled GNU binaries are available for Sun. Next time you go to a trade show like DB expo, networking, or some other niche, look at how many of the vendors are using a Sun to demo their product. My system choice would be a SS/20 model 612 (A dual processor 60MHZ system). or maybe a SS/20 model 514 (A quad processor 50MHZ system). No matter what your choice ultimately is; remember that a good systems engineer can do more in terms of configuring/tuning for performance than can a sales person quoting price/performance ratios. -- Daniel Wood daniel@starsight.com The opinions expressed herein are those of myself, my employers, the carriers of this news message or any other messages for that matter, you the reader and any of your relations(whether by birth or chromosome count), all life forms and all inanimate objects.