[ale] Compaq Reliant web server

[Jeff Hubbs]

Leonard -

I agree with you in general and with all else being equal.  It is more fussy
and it requires cooperation of a lot more people (cooperation that has to be
influenced with $$) to have anything that is non-Intel, with perhaps a very
few exceptions.  All else might well be equal in this particular case if the
requirement is "have a Web server" and nothing else, with no benefit
realized that is specific to the machine's being an HP9000.  Granted, you
can talk about power consumption, but unless you actually slap a wattmeter
(one that accurately handles power factors <> 1) on things and determine a
real per-KWH cost for electricity, then you're only talking out of your
butt; you don't really KNOW.  You could find yourself PHB-ishly making huge
architectural decisions based on differences in cost that's a fraction of
what your company spends on laser printer toner.

Evaluating John's situation, I wouldn't so much care about losing the HP9000
as a Web server in favor of an Open-Source-OS one on Intel, but I would care
about this miscalibration the IT people seem to have that leads them to
suggest a new dual-ready PIII (and wonder about a second CPU to boot) for a
2000-hit/day Web server function.  Gosh, can't Linux Labs set you up with a
1U rack mount system for $2000-ish that can serve at least 100 times your
stated hit volume??

- Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: Leonard Thornton [mailto:Leonard at Intelis-inc.net]
To: ale at ale.org
Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2001 11:51 AM
To: Timothy Ball; 'ale at ale.org'
Subject: Re: [ale] Compaq Reliant web server


Unfortunately, in the real world it is far less expensive and complicated 
to support one architecture than multiple architectures, especially in 
large installations.  This is in terms of both hardware (i.e. 
interchangable parts and bulk purchase) as well as support personnel 
(usually harder and more expensive to find talent that understands both or 
to duplicate personnel for each support need).

Reality bites.....


At 11:34 AM 7/12/2001 -0400, Timothy Ball wrote:
>Stupidity is not an excuse... an IT dept should be there to do support
>and not whine about the fact that they were at the back of the brain
>cell line.
>
>Sorry to be harse, but apperently you have a computer that a) is
>working b) doing it's thing well (low cpu usage)... how can someone who
>goes "I don't know what I'm doing, so please change that whole system
>over", possibly have a say in what's going on?
>
>I've always thought that a good sysadmin's job is to not let the
>computer fail. Moving anything to IIS and NT is just about the polar
>opposite, and I'll stand by those words.
>
>--timball
>
>On Thu, Jul 12, 2001 at 11:20:40AM -0400, Armsby John-G16665 wrote:
> > The issue is the IT group are NT types and are afraid of the hardware.
> > Intel is easy to maintain.
>
>--
>         GPG key available on pgpkeys.mit.edu
>pub  1024R/CFF85605 1999-06-10 Timothy L. Ball <timball at sheergenius.com>
>      Key fingerprint = 8A 8E 64 D6 21 C0 90 29  9F D6 1E DC F8 18 CB CD
>--
>To unsubscribe: mail majordomo at ale.org with "unsubscribe ale" in message 
>body.

The difficult while you wait.....the impossible overnight.

Leonard Thornton
Intelis, Inc.
5960 Crooked Creek Rd
Suite 30
Norcross, GA  30092

Office: 770.825.0032
Fax:            770.825.0028
Cellular:       404.583.5402
Pager:          888.785.9188
Email:          Leonard at Intelis-Inc.net

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