Arthur Frank wrote:
>
> Hello,
>
> We may be migrating some of our software from MPE/iX to Unix or Windows NT server in the near future.  Right now I am the sole support person for our HP 3000 and 65+ desktop PCs.  I have some outside assistance supporting our NetWare 4.11 file server.  I feel that I will probably need additional staff when the new server is brought online (possibly as soon as summer) but, since I have little Unix experience and zero NT server experience, I have no idea how much time/effort is required to support such a system.

Unix typically requires more system administrator time than MPE.  There
are *lots* more patches and security notices, etc., and system set up can
take longer to throughly check security, test recovery, get the latest
driver patches, create and tune for optimal file systems, tune the kernal
parameters, etc. It also often takes longer to get things back to normal
after installation of patches or when things go wrong.  For example,
recompiling code after installing new library patches may be necessary
(when did you last have to do this on MPE).

However, otherwise the amount of time needed just depends, like on MPE, on
how much you expect the system administrator to provide services above and
beyond keeping the system operating, and how often you update applications
and operating system, etc.  In other words, how autonomous are the
applications and how much do they need "integration" (writing
scripts/command files, copying files around, editing little ascii files =
like the .profile - that Unix likes so much, etc.). How demanding are your
users?

If your running an RDBMS, then you have to also factor in database
administration time.  This, too, depends on how the application(s) are
designed and how well the database is set up in the first place, but just
normal operations and database monitoring will take more time than
Turboimage administration.

Be sure to test recovery strategies - disk failures, database failures,
etc.

Hope this helps and sorry to see you go.

Richard G.

>
> I searched the HP 3000-L archives, and didn't really find any useful info.  There was a thread about Unix vs. MPE costs, but the links referenced were broken or didn't include any data comparing support costs for the two systems.  If anyone has any information that I can use to support hiring a new staff person, it would be greatly appreciated.
>
> TIA,
>
> Art Frank
> Manager of Information Systems
> OHS Foundation
> [log in to unmask]
> (503) 220-8320


--
Richard L Gambrell, Chair of Mocs Express Process Team
Database Administrator and
Consultant to Computing Services at UTC

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