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A Downsizing Diary: Downsizing fervor is simultaneously sweeping boardrooms and IT departments. Client/Server books, journals, and articles are jamming retail shelves. InfoTech companies are propagating client/server hardware, software, and middleware that promise companies instant membership into the New Age of Client/Server. Obviously, Client/Server theory is alive and well, but some folks aren't quite sure how to migrate from their dated mainframes to the slick and shiny client/server world. Over the last five months, I've moved CompuAdd from an expensive, proprietary MVS/Amdahl environment to a state–of–the–art, open Client/Server environment. Why did we originally chose to downsize? CompuAdd downsized to save money--BUT (and this is critical) downsizing turned CompuAdd's IS department, internal operations, and external sales/customer relations into more efficient, productive units able to quickly respond to internal and external demands. What kind of money did we save? By migrating to other Client/Server platforms, CompuAdd is saving 90% of hardware, software and maintenance costs. How? We pay less for hardware acquisition and maintenance; we've curbed the steady growth of mainframe software acquisition costs, licensing costs and support/maintenance costs; we have retained investment in training by using the same software products (only paying 10% of mainframe software costs for the UNIX equivalent). And, better still... We've increased performance by using all the idle cycles of processors on the network to improve transaction throughput by 60%; we've increased reliability with redundant components and software to ensure 24 hour–a–day, seven–day–a–week operation--no more down time for maintenance and upgrade and no more calls in the middle of the night; we're taking advantage of the latest client technologies for easy to use GUI/OOUI applications; we've freed up programmers by moving tasks to end users (for example, addhoc custom database queries/reports). Finally... CompuAdd now has a company local area network; company internal mail; Internet access; and standardized company-wide PC applications (for example, Microsoft Office and the sales ACT database). Whew! Are you sold yet? Automation and Integration and Streamlining of your operations--how do you optimize the Client/Server model to deploy these benefits? 1 Assess Current EnvironmentThink about... • What's my current hardware configuration (for example, server peripherals, client setup, and network communication)?• What software products and tools am I using to run my business (for example, financial applications, databases, DASD manager, tape archive manager, job schedulers, report writers, administration tools, transaction processing monitors)?• What kind of client interfaces (GUI, OOUI, ASCII) and communication protocols are currently implemented?• What kind of technological skills do I have access to in my geographical area?• What operating systems am I currently using for both client and server?• What is my current processing load (transactions per second) and number of users?2 Research Your OptionsThink about... • Operating systems available for both client and server.• Openess, cost, performance, and compatibility of potential hardware platforms.• Network hardware (routers, bridges, adapter cards, hubs) and software (protocols).3 Take ActionI implemented the following environment... • Server Hardware/SoftwareOne RS/6000 39H and one RS/6000 390 (chosen for price performance/fastest transactions per second). Two 7137 RAID systems with 64GB. Two Fast and wide SCSI's per RS/6000. Two Ethernet cards per RS/6000. AIX operating system (chosen because it has MVS software equivalents, HACMP, and I have 8+ years AIX system administration experience). Server Software: Accounting (Oracle–based ALCIE IV); Database (Oracle v. 7); Report Writing Tool (SAS); Harddisk Storage/Archive Manager (IBM's ADSM/6000); Job Scheduler (IBM's Job Scheduler/6000); Performance and Redundancy Tool (HACMP); TP Monitors (DCE, Encina, CICS). One RS/6000 25T operator's workstation to run GUI versions of the server software and to run SAS (savings of $16,000/year). CompuAdd Pentium running Lenix and CERN Internet World Wide Web software. • Network Hardware/Software3com Ethernet cards per client PC. IBM SNMP managed 10BaseT Hubs. IBM Ethernet Switch for main segment routing. CompuAdd dual–processor Pentium running Windows NT to serve as a backup router and to serve PC applications (for example, Microsoft Office). This same machine is also functioning as the ACT Sales database server, mail server, and Oracle database warehouse server for custom query server (running Impromptu). Two routers with CSU/DSU, one to go to Location B and one to the Internet provider (firewall software integrated into the router). • Client SoftwareMicrosoft Windows 3.1.1 with inhouse developed Borland C++ GUI applications communicating via Microsoft TCP/IP sockets and streams to the server. IS group using Microsoft's telnet. (Note that CompuAdd had a company–wide license for Microsoft Windows, Office, and NT.)
**The $5,000/month represents monthly maintenance and licensing versus $52,000/month maintenance and leasing. The expenditure for new software and hardware was paid back in only five months. 4 Implementation and OngoingAdministration Ready to implement? First I.... • Installed and configured the hardware,middleware, and software (use consultants when your budget allows).Secondly, I.... • Laid 10BaseT cables, hubs, routers, and switch for segments.Then, I ported the applications.... • Client: Changed communication module to TCP/IP sockets from 3270 APPC; ported DOS applications to run under Windows (to use the Winsock calls). Installed Ethernet cards and TCP/IP software.• Server: The communication module had to be converted (as with client). Ported CICS (straightforward). Additional server software required minor global SQL syntax changes.• Replaced DFHSM with ADSM; JobTrack with Job Scheduler; and D&B Financials with Alcie Financials.Finally, we ported the utilities and tested.... • Used the Oracle schema conversion kit to convert DB2 schema and data to Oracle.• Ported SAS reports/accounting data easily.• We then tested the new environment in parallel prior to the live delivery while sImultaneously using Computer Based Training (CBT) courses to retrain the staff.Don Meyer is a longtime UNIX system administrator (10 years experience). Also, his 10 years of TCP/IP–based LAN/WAN network expertise is complemented by 9 years of SQL RDBMS administration. Combining his server, database, and network experience with CICS TP monitor, Microsoft Windows client software, and Lotus Notes gives companies a one-stop source for client/server reengineering needs. Contact Don Meyer at donmeyer@donmeyer.com. |