Cross Platform Issues

Here are some thoughts I had regarding cross platform issues on iSeries:

• Big plus: Virtually unlimited scalability through network server storage spaces. Running tight on disk ? Just create more and attach it to the network server description with simple commands.
• Big minus: Nightly saves of those storage spaces using native i5/OS commands are best at the disk image level. Effective saves at the object level require Tivoli or BRMS.

• Big plus: IBM freely distributes its ODBC driver with iSeries Access for both Windows and Linux, allowing applications on those platforms to tap your DB2 data
• Big minus: Nobody else freely distributes their database drivers (for MS-SQL, Oracle, etc.) for iSeries based applications to draw from them. Thanks for nothing.

• Big plus: Several POWER compatible Linux distributions are available for download over the Internet.
• Big minus: The documentation for iSeries deployment of these distributions is a little too cryptic to be useful to most midrange professionals.

• Big plus (so they say): AIX can now be run in a logical partition on iSeries.
• Big minus: Has anyone besides IBM actually done this ?

• Big plus: Integrated xSeries servers allow a hot spare to replace a failed IXS with a few simple commands.
• Big minus: Adding IXS cards can push you into costly, underutilized expansion towers.

• Big plus: IXS cards tend to be very stable because their product development cycle lags behind those of other Intel products.
• Big minus: IXS cards tend to be frowned upon by Windows based software vendors, because their product development cycle lags behind those of other Intel products.

Please feel free to share your thought's.

Thanks, Chris