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Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.anu.edu.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!news.mel.connect.com.au!munnari.OZ.AU!spool.mu.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!swrinde!newsfeed.internetmci.com!news.sprintlink.net!hermes.is.co.za!news.vector.co.za!durban.vector.co.za!gavin From: gavin@durban.vector.co.za (Gavin Maltby) Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.netbsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc,comp.unix.solaris,comp.unix.aix Subject: Re: ISP hardware/software choices (performance comparison) Followup-To: comp.unix.bsd.netbsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc,comp.unix.solaris,comp.unix.aix Date: 18 Jan 1996 21:42:32 GMT Organization: The Vector Group Lines: 67 Distribution: inet Message-ID: <4dmes8$qnu@durban.vector.co.za> References: <4cmopu$d35@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu> <4cu7t0$mg5@engnews2.Eng.Sun.COM> <4cv8j1$59k@park.uvsc.edu> <4d37d4$j0l@gremlin.backfire.mn.org> <DL29Az.Ax2@ftel.co.uk> <bryDL3r9p.2oq@netcom.com> <4da5nl$8l5@news.voicenet.com> <bryDL5wtq.4Fo@netcom.com> <4dc00a$j2f@park.uvsc.edu> <bryDL7E84.LG3@netcom.com> <4decke$6nh@park.uvsc.edu> <4dg9b0$74d@mail.fwi.uva.nl> <4dh4kc$rnv@park.uvsc.edu> <4di4dc$je@microl4.microlise.UUCP> <4di4qa$jf@microl4.microlise.UUCP> <4dkmt7$27e@park.uvsc.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: durban.vector.co.za X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.unix.bsd.netbsd.misc:1920 comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc:2065 comp.unix.solaris:57069 comp.unix.aix:68581 Terry Lambert (terry@lambert.org) wrote: : andrewg@microlise.co.uk (Andrew Gierth) wrote: : [ ... very good supporting points for AIX dynamic kernel ... ] : ] I've never used Solaris, but can it match this scenario: : ] : ] Assuming that hardware can be hot-swapped, it is (I think) possible : ] with AIX to install an entirely new disk device (for example), for : ] which drivers were not previously on the system, load the necessary : ] drivers, configure the new device, migrate logical volumes from : ] existing disks to the new device, take the old disks offline, remove : ] their drivers (if appropriate), ALL WITHOUT DISTURBING THE USERS! : ] [And without requiring any additional software!] : ] : ] [Anyone done this? I've only dealt with small RS6000s, but all the : ] evidence is that this is possible] : I love the AIX volume spanning architecture, especially. This : is one area that AIX really shines. Sounds good! I don't know any way Solaris could get all the way. Hot swapping, loading drivers, configuration etc are all quite do-able, but migrating an active filesystem without disturbing a single user or application in any way is beyond standard software (that I have seen). [snip] : The point was (supposed to be, anyway) that it was possible : for another OS to be more suitable for a task than Solaris. Absolutely! I am a great Solaris fan but happily concede that is not the OS for all occasions. : One of these tasks is, I think, use as an ISP platform. I don't concede that as easily. Solaris can, and does, provide admirable ISP services as do things like NetBSD and the like. I wouldn't make it a PPP server of any sort---that is for things like PortMasters---but it makes a very good mail server, news server, ftp server, web server etc. Solaris straight out of the box needs a little tuning to excel here (and as I've said before I'd like to see a booklet ship with some suggested settings for customising Solaris for a variety of applications). I'm sure that Solaris is right up there with the best choice for these services. Certainly among the commercial OS choices for ISPs I would think it outshines the rest (not in all aspects, but in enough). Cheers Gavin -- . /| The / | Vector / | Group --------------------------------------- /\ |____ Gavin Maltby, Vector Durban / \/| | Email: Gavin.Maltby@durban.vector.co.za \ \| | Tel: INT+ 27 31 266 9948 \ | / Fax: INT+ 27 31 266 0811 \ | / Note: I speak for myself, and not \ | / necessarily for Vector or Sun! \|/ -------------------------------------- " Sun Partner in South Africa