Re: Informix on NT platform - Impact of 100 to 400+ Users

chaminda@jcdcrs4.jobcorps.org wrote: > > Hi folks ! > > In the past few days,I've noticed a lot of negative talk about NT. MOst > people have written saying how its not suitable for large networks. > > I'd like to know some facts, as to whats wrong with NT. Why doesn't it > perform well in larger environments ? What features does it lack ? > > Do the problems stem from it being a database host or a network file > server ? > > How about a hybrid network with unix hosting the database & the network > file server on NT ? > > Please try to list some hard facts . > 1. Needs an incredible high amount of memory just to run. Compare with UNIX. 2. OS kernel is not openly documented. Compare with UNIX 3. OS is bound to the GUI. Compare with UNIX 4. Core functionality is substandard, and requires additional software just to be baseline with UNIX. 5. Kernel for Workstation is the same as Server, however MS auto-tunes the server or workstation FOR you, and you cannot tune it for your own needs. (oh yes, a single slider bar, how professional!) 6. OS is only available from Microsoft. 7. Per user memory requirements are unknown/questionable for most applications. 8. Serious security holes have been announced in the past week. 9. Administration and network options are non-standard with most of the rest of the known universe, and menu choices do not clearly state what they do. 10. Registry entries are not sync'ed with the file system without some sort of software intervention. If the registry is not kept optimized performance suffers. 11. Service Pack 2 is such a nightmare Windows NT Magazine has a whole issue at their web site dedicated to it. 12. Next release, 5.0 will be radically different than 4.0, and 4.0 is radically different than 3.51. Your investment is constantly required to take a dump when the next and only provider decides it's time for an upgrade. Since the user interface is bound to the OS, you really can't mix and match software with the OS. Why couldn't the user interface take an upgrade separate from the OS? or the OS take an upgrade without the user interfaces. 13. Command-line shell is a piece of s***. Unless you actually LIKE command.com! 14. No network mail pkg comes with NT, this must be an add-on. Exchange Server is another hog, and too complicated. No Sendmail. 15. Networking is substandard compared to UNIX. The route command does not work like the accepted UNIX standard route. 16. No man-pages, and most on-line help is completely irrevocably useless. 17. Installation and upgrade are a roll of the dice. Release notes? 18. Vendor constantly introduces non-industry standard protocols and operational assets to force you to stay with them. 19. TCP/IP is considered an option, and not core to the operation. Compare to UNIX. 20. NT is a high disk-swap-based OS, UNIX tries to avoid disk swapping. Need more facts? These are the tip of the iceberg! :-) > Thanks > My treat! Tim > Chaminda Peries > > On Tue, 11 Mar 1997, Timothy M. Hood wrote: > > > Nils Myklebust wrote: > > } > > }> "Rob Culhane" <gsdrtc1@worldnet.att.net> wrote: > > }> > > }> :We are considering implementing an Informix Online Rel 7 server > > }> in an NT 4-way SMP environment...starting with 100+ users and > > }> growing to possibly 400+ users... > > } > > } I am at a loss to understand why people want to experiment with large, > > } possibly mission critical, database oriented systems on NT... > > > > They call it masochism! 8-) > > Amen!