Hardware support is going to be an issue for anyone that chooses to run Oracle Linux
Most IT shops have servers dedicated to running their databases, web servers, ERP applications, etc. An OS needs to be certified for the database just as the hardware needs to be certified for the OS. One can certainly argue that neither certification is more or less important than the other, but from a practical standpoint, once you get an OS working on hardware, you're probably good. Other than occasional firmware upgrades, hardware doesn't change, but OS software is very fluid.
If you are an Oracle shop, it's is very preferable to get OS support from Oracle. I've been through the fire with Oracle on Red Hat Linux, and frankly Oracle support was great in comparison to Red Hat support. That's really what the original article is about -- The people complaining about a company switching their Oracle servers to Oracle Linux is just plain silly.
The real debate starts when you are looking into running Oracle Linux for non-Oracle applications. Time will help decide this.
It's not uncommon for retailers to post different pricing in store and on their web sites. Here's a couple of other examples:
I was shopping for a DVA->VGA converter, stopped by the local Office Depot to see what they had, and found it in stock for what seemed like a high price ($37.99). I went home and checked pricing on the internet, and it was listed at $26.99 on their web site, for the exact same model. I called and talked to the store manager, who approved the price match, and I picked it up, but they didn't give me the impression this was normal business practice.
Similarly I saw a deal on Walmart's web site, and when I went into the store to find the item, it was regular price. I stood in the customer service line for the normal 10 minutes, reading the "Best Price Guarantee" sign behind the counter, but when I got up there they said they only price match to retail stores. Read: They don't even price match their own web site! They would not budge on the issue.
Is this all wrong? Maybe not.. there are probably some efficiencies in the business model of an internet transaction (aka mail order) that allow reduced pricing over the same branded retail stores. But if we're taking a 35-40% in store markup as the Best Buy or Office Depot examples, or policies as strict as Wal Mart, one has to wonder.
This is a text book example of sales people trying to do their job. Windows is an easy sell at the local computer retailer because it's a single user operating system with good hardware support. Beyond that, how does a M$ salesperson keep a straight face when talking to the IT department in a medium sized business?
M$: I'd like to offer you an easier to manage more secure infrastructure.
IT: Tell me about the easier to manage part.
M$: Everything is point-and-click.
IT: So what if I don't want to point and click at 12am every night to run my nightly billing process. Can I script it?
M$: If you purchase the Visual Studio suite, a third party job scheduler, Enterprise Windows with IIS, install on a dedicated server, they can all talk to each other, just point-and-click.
IT: Uh yea. What about the security?
M$: If you install a dedicated server for active directory, where you can point-and-click
IT: Another server?
M$: Oh yea, more secure. Each person gets their own computer, you see...
IT: Can't we share a box?
M$: Well you can't have multiple concurrent users per box, but it's more secure...
IT: Wouldn't we have to give local admin rights to each user?
M$: Only to install software, manage file type associations, little things like that.
IT: Can we install software remotely?
M$: Well no, we consider it more secure to be sitting at the box with a CD, you know, reboots and all.
IT: Ok, well, I think you've wasted enough of my time...
Hard drives die often because the manufacturers build them cheaply, the same as every other component in a PC. Why would they ever make a bulletproof hard drive ? They'd go out of business! There is a middle ground, however. You can buy a 250G SATA for $50. Honestly, who here wouldn't pay 2, 3 or even 4x that price for the same drive if it lasted twice as long? It costs a lot more than $50 in expenses and frustration when a drive fails unless you have good backups and/or redundancy... but who really makes the effort to do that unless they are being paid for it?
Keep in mind that Wimax does not require a cell tower every mile, and is not subject to the constant local environmental asessments of having cell towers everywhere. A single tower can broadcast as far as 30 miles in all directions. In most remote areas of the globe they are finding it much cheaper to deploy Wimax than to fork over the exorbitant costs of laying cable.
As long as the microwaves don't fry everyone, we may eventually find it so much cheaper to use Wimax that internet service will become so low cost that everyone will have it...everywhere. No more people digging up our lawns to lay cable and cutting your sewer lines. No more destruction of endangered owl habitats for a new cell tower, and no more need for deploying WiFi in your house, which could very well be pumping more radiation to yourself and your neighbors than Wimax will be doing. Best of all, no more paying for WiFi service at Starbucks when you are already paying for it at home!!
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Most IT shops have servers dedicated to running their databases, web servers, ERP applications, etc. An OS needs to be certified for the database just as the hardware needs to be certified for the OS. One can certainly argue that neither certification is more or less important than the other, but from a practical standpoint, once you get an OS working on hardware, you're probably good. Other than occasional firmware upgrades, hardware doesn't change, but OS software is very fluid.
If you are an Oracle shop, it's is very preferable to get OS support from Oracle. I've been through the fire with Oracle on Red Hat Linux, and frankly Oracle support was great in comparison to Red Hat support. That's really what the original article is about -- The people complaining about a company switching their Oracle servers to Oracle Linux is just plain silly.
The real debate starts when you are looking into running Oracle Linux for non-Oracle applications. Time will help decide this.
Right... the same way you hate Dunkin Donuts as you get their coffee and a donut on the way to work every day?
It's not uncommon for retailers to post different pricing in store and on their web sites. Here's a couple of other examples:
I was shopping for a DVA->VGA converter, stopped by the local Office Depot to see what they had, and found it in stock for what seemed like a high price ($37.99). I went home and checked pricing on the internet, and it was listed at $26.99 on their web site, for the exact same model. I called and talked to the store manager, who approved the price match, and I picked it up, but they didn't give me the impression this was normal business practice.
Similarly I saw a deal on Walmart's web site, and when I went into the store to find the item, it was regular price. I stood in the customer service line for the normal 10 minutes, reading the "Best Price Guarantee" sign behind the counter, but when I got up there they said they only price match to retail stores. Read: They don't even price match their own web site! They would not budge on the issue.
Is this all wrong? Maybe not.. there are probably some efficiencies in the business model of an internet transaction (aka mail order) that allow reduced pricing over the same branded retail stores. But if we're taking a 35-40% in store markup as the Best Buy or Office Depot examples, or policies as strict as Wal Mart, one has to wonder.
This is a text book example of sales people trying to do their job. Windows is an easy sell at the local computer retailer because it's a single user operating system with good hardware support. Beyond that, how does a M$ salesperson keep a straight face when talking to the IT department in a medium sized business? M$: I'd like to offer you an easier to manage more secure infrastructure. IT: Tell me about the easier to manage part. M$: Everything is point-and-click. IT: So what if I don't want to point and click at 12am every night to run my nightly billing process. Can I script it? M$: If you purchase the Visual Studio suite, a third party job scheduler, Enterprise Windows with IIS, install on a dedicated server, they can all talk to each other, just point-and-click. IT: Uh yea. What about the security? M$: If you install a dedicated server for active directory, where you can point-and-click IT: Another server? M$: Oh yea, more secure. Each person gets their own computer, you see... IT: Can't we share a box? M$: Well you can't have multiple concurrent users per box, but it's more secure... IT: Wouldn't we have to give local admin rights to each user? M$: Only to install software, manage file type associations, little things like that. IT: Can we install software remotely? M$: Well no, we consider it more secure to be sitting at the box with a CD, you know, reboots and all. IT: Ok, well, I think you've wasted enough of my time...
Last I checked, Dual Channel DDR2 667 is cheaper than PC100 SDRAM. Apparently obsolescence comes at a premium!
Keep in mind that Wimax does not require a cell tower every mile, and is not subject to the constant local environmental asessments of having cell towers everywhere. A single tower can broadcast as far as 30 miles in all directions. In most remote areas of the globe they are finding it much cheaper to deploy Wimax than to fork over the exorbitant costs of laying cable. As long as the microwaves don't fry everyone, we may eventually find it so much cheaper to use Wimax that internet service will become so low cost that everyone will have it...everywhere. No more people digging up our lawns to lay cable and cutting your sewer lines. No more destruction of endangered owl habitats for a new cell tower, and no more need for deploying WiFi in your house, which could very well be pumping more radiation to yourself and your neighbors than Wimax will be doing. Best of all, no more paying for WiFi service at Starbucks when you are already paying for it at home!!