Re: File, web and other serving Was: Would it be a reasonable to ask IBM's programmers to, write a %sortsfl(sfl: column)

Regarding the performance of IBM i as a file server, I've experienced widely varying results. We stopped using Windows Explorer w/ Netserver because of poor performance. But I've been pleased with SmartFTP's interface with the IBM i FTP server.

In our Web portal, it's fairly common for us to upload stream files to the IFS and "attach" references to records in our database tables, which offers by far the fastest navigation to stream files.

Nathan





----- Original Message ----
From: "rob@xxxxxxxxx" <rob@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thu, December 10, 2009 11:45:17 AM
Subject: File, web and other serving Was: Would it be a reasonable to ask IBM's programmers to, write a %sortsfl(sfl: column)

<snip>
should run significantly faster
</snip>

There are people that have done some of these things and I'll take real
world experience over "should"'s.

We tried using the i as a simple file server but the OS, (no if, and's or
buts) couldn't cut it. Using the same disks, etc we added an IXS card and
used that and got significantly improved response time. And I'll suppose
now I'll hear "oh it is hardware - an IXS is like adding a dedicated IOP
just for file serving". Even IBM admitted that they needed work on that
and boasted how a follow on release significantly improved file serving.
Too late for us. And when they started getting pissy about what IXS cards
would be supported on which hardware we ripped them all out and eventually
settled on blade centers. Tried iSCSI and abandoned that. I have 4 or 5
iSCSI cards sitting on a shelf now.

But it is a heck of a reliable machine though. Last week I was ripping
out about a dozen cards while the system was live and chugging away.

And I agree that many of us need to expand our horizons on the capability
of the machine and put it through the paces. And learn the newer
technology - I still get confused on SSH vs SFTP .

Keep praying that people will be changed, sooner or later your prayers
will be answered. Can you believe I lost an employee because he thought I
was change resistant? "Aw you're messing around trying to set up Code/400
too much - get some real work done."

Rob Berendt