>This thread still begs the issue of benchmarking a representative >business application across multilple platforms.
It may beg the issue, but the answer isn't (solely, or even much) a "benchmark." Running a single payroll application (for example) doesn't cut it either. These systems are built to run hundreds or even thousands of applications with different profiles on one machine. (Are there benchmarks like that?) How do you benchmark a 777 compared to a motor scooter? They both move, they both carry people, but is any sort of simple comparison possible? A single number doesn't help much. The mainframe inevitably forces the question: "How do you measure the total performance of the whole IT organization, in business terms?" That paragraph I wrote in response to Dean gives some idea of the dimensionality of that question. As mentioned, many outsourcing companies do a decent job making such measurements. They have to because it dictates how they bid and how much profit they can make. IMHO, IT organizations which don't do a good job in this area -- which focus way too much on SPECint :-) -- are the ripest candidates for outsourcing as the company's CEO and CFO grow thoroughly disgusted with IT mismanagement. - - - - - Timothy Sipples IBM Consulting Enterprise Software Architect Specializing in Software Architectures Related to System z Based in Tokyo, Serving IBM Japan and IBM Asia-Pacific E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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
