In our experience, older boxes are more expensive to operate than new ones. In our last couple of upgrades, our TCO was less each time.
I honestly believe that much of the cost of running a mainframe shop is in the culture. Superstitions, baggage, management out of touch with the reality, and a PC mentality. I found it interesting that "... an aging mainframe couldn't cut it, so the IT staff looked elsewhere." An astute, bottom line oriented management would have insisted on price comparisons to include a new mainframe. I submit that a hard nosed business decision would not have gone with the grid. That said, if you are one of our competitors, then, yes, the grid is for you :-) My $0.03 -----Original Message----- From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Howard Brazee Sent: Friday, January 05, 2007 7:56 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Mainframe vs grid Slashdot had this article today: http://linux.slashdot.org/linux/07/01/05/0538224.shtml "IBM touted 2006 as a resurgence year for the mainframe, but not so fast. At R.L. Polk and Co., one of the oldest automobile analytics firms in the U.S., an aging mainframe couldn't cut it, so the IT staff looked elsewhere. Their search led to a grid computing environment - more specifically, a grid computing environment running Linux on more than 120 Dell servers. The mainframe's still there, apparently, but after an internal comparison showed the Linux grid outperforming the mainframe by 70% with a 65% reduction in hardware costs, Polk seemed content banishing the big box to a dark, lonely corner for more medial tasks." With a link to: http://searchopensource.stage.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,si d39_gci1237399,00.html NOTICE: This electronic mail message and any files transmitted with it are intended exclusively for the individual or entity to which it is addressed. The message, together with any attachment, may contain confidential and/or privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, printing, saving, copying, disclosure or distribution is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please immediately advise the sender by reply email and delete all copies. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html
