[comp.unix.questions] More on TDI's dilemma...

brandon@tdi2.UUCP (Brandon Allbery) (05/08/87)

Ok, I'm told I didn't give enough information (again!  )-: so here goes
another try:

TDI is looking at a new computer in 6 months to 1 year -- the existing P/60
simply cannot handle the projected load (and has problems with the current
load).  The computer in question supports an average of 17 users, with a
high water mark of (currently) 19, scheduled to go up.  Most users are split
between two applications:  a manufacturing system written in RM/COBOL and an
order entry application in UNIFY.  A few others do word processing and
spradsheets, and there are a few small databases about.

The O/E database is about 45MB at present (at least that's how much gets
backed up. just over 1 tapeful).  The RM/COBOL application has a 1.1MB
item master file and a 2.3MB product structure file (not counting indexes).
Becase the two are used heavily together and chances are that if RM/COBOL
is even available on the new system (I understand it doesn't run under BSD
un*xes) it won't run our "binaries", we will probabl rewrite the whole thing
in a 4GL as a single application.  (ACCELL looks to be the 4GL of choice.)

The O/E application is rather complex and has a LOT of special processing;
for that matter, so does the manufacturing system where I have been able to
intuit what the code was doing and write a new version with local changes.
At the moment, even more special processing is done at night, but should
be done in real time during the day and WILL be once the mfg. and O/E systems
are combined; in addition, even more will be added.  So there will be a heavy
processor load.  Needless to say, we need something fast.

Current system has a 68020, a program that fakes load averages from the sys5
"runque" and "runocc" is in use and the load has been known to reach 5.0.

There will be no graphics applications on the system, we have separate CAD
workstations.  Also, while there is spreadsheet and WP work done, there isn't
much of it.  (Which adds up to: no graphics processors or FPUs are really
needed.)

If even more info is needed, let me know what kind of information!

++Brando
-- 
Brandon S. Allbery	           UUCP: cbatt!cwruecmp!ncoast!tdi2!brandon
Tridelta Industries, Inc.         CSNET: ncoast!allbery@Case
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Mentor, Ohio 44060		  PHONE: +1 216 255 1080 (home +1 216 974 9210)