Re: database market share 2003

> "Mark A" <ma_at_switchboard.net> wrote in message
news:orawc.73$5Z4.54067_at_news.uswest.net...
> >
> > The operating system and much of the system software on it is much more
> > stable than Linux or UNIX, which is why many large enterprises rely on
it
> > for critical applications like banking, reservations, and other critical
> > applications. Actually the IBM mainframe boxes themselves run Linux or
z/OS.
> >
> When did this occur? I thought mainframes ran VM.
>
> > I don't think it is a growth market, nor is it disappearing. The
mainframe
> > prices keep decreasing, and UNIX boxes get more sophisticated and more
> > expensive. So eventually it will probably just come down to which
operating
> > system you want to use.
> >
> Hmmm. Interesting.
>
> > People get too hung-up on the past, and on the names of things. An IBM
> > mainframe is just a box, that runs an operating system, and can run
local
> > application or with remote clients (including web clients). Things
change.
> >
> ( runs around to catch him leaving and makes him stop )
>
> Isn't VM considered one of the best OS's out there? Isn't that the OS
> on OS/390, or is it another name--guess I'm too much away from mainframe
> systems?
>
> But imagine this for a moment, Dieing database product hooks up with
> dieing hardware platform. I mean seriously, it would be interesting to see
> Informix and z/OS come together in an Open Source project of some kind.
> Like start out with just putting Informix SE on z/OS. WTF they're both
> dying animals, give it a shot.
>

OS/390 (previously known as MVS) is the operations system, not the hardware. I don't know what they call the boxes these days (which also run Linux).

Yes the mainframe boxes do also run VM, but usually not for critical applications. VM (virtual machine) was originally created as operating system that could logically partition a box and run multiple different operating systems underneath it for testing purposes. Somehow it began to be used for certain interactive applications, but is not considered to be anywhere near the equal of MVS or OS/390.

VSE is another old operating system that may still be around (I am not sure) that runs on mainframes. It was used by many small companies who did need the sophistication of MVS/OS390.

Some airline reservation systems still run TPF operating system that was specifically designed for extremely high volume transactions. I am sure it being phased out, because it very expensive to find people to maintain the applications, which are written in assembler code and a proprietary built-in database product.

At one time IBM was selling PC's that ran MVS/OS390 for software developers. It is perfectly conceivable that it could happen again. Received on Fri Jun 04 2004 - 22:06:26 CDT