right my boss has just told me i need to replace our unix box, its gotta be able to run things dont ask me what as he hasnt told me other than the current one runs microfocus cobalt and supports about 100 concurrent users and there is about 5.5 gig in data. but as of yet he does not know what unix flavour to run or what cobalt compiler to use or anything so i have been given this task when i know **** all about unix (as you can tell)

any help at all would be great

Mike

 

You could probally get a linux machine running, with a freeware cobolt compiler on it.

Just spend 2 grand on a nice speck PC workstation / server, and away-you-go.

Probally need more info on what the server is currently running to go forward...

 

yeah if i had more info i would tell you but i dont what other info would you need i might be able to find out

 

HI,

well, you would probally need:

1) What the actual compiler was that you are using
2) actual sizes of data that the machine is holding
3) Reason why the upgrade... not enough disk space, server too slow, etc.

 

right
1) microfocus cobol (but we would most prob buy the latest one)
2) About 5.5 gig
3 the reason i was given was "because its getting on a bit, but it been a bit faster wouldnt hurt"

i wish i could be a little more helpfull with the info but this is all im been told

ta

mike

 

You'll need a lot more info than that You need to find out why exactly your boss wants to upgrade. Upgrading CPU/RAM/disk etc may make you think that it'll speed something up but if the bottleneck is your network for instance then the fastest machine on earth wont help you out. You'll be in a better position to decide what to do next. Get some stats from the machine first, you can use commands like vmstat/iostat to get information on what the thing is doing most of the time. Then your only problems should be compatibility between your legacy app and the OS; check that the same compiler version exists for your new target system and that it'll all work well - someone may well have decided ages ago you can't upgrade at all, and that's why it's still there You never know.

Steve.

 

thats the problem i have no one knows even the programers them selfs

 

oh those 2 commands dont run

 

Does your company want a short term contractor?

 

Just open up the firewall and the good ppl of scoobynet will have a poke about and make some recommendations


[JOKE!!]


Steve

 

What version of COBOLT are you running?
How many users on your Unix system? Do you have a licence for all the users?

Do you intend to upgrade the hardware and software?

 

both hardware and software and its cobol 4
about 120 users with a 100 concurent licences

 

Unixware 2.1.3 is a really old version, the current version is 7.1.3! I have checked with SCO (the manufacturer) and fortunately, there is a trade-in available that will get you up to the latest version. I can get you pricing for this, if you want? I can also look at a price for upgrading COBOLT and the hardware.

Let me know.

Mike.

 

please mate, if its made by microsoft im great if its not well i have trouble

 

Why bother paying for an OS when there are already so many free UNIX variants? Your best bet is to get in touch with Microfocus and ask them what operating systems their Cobol will run on and make your decision then. Unless you need the support, paying for UNIX is silly.

Steve.

 

thats one of the other things he does not know if he is going to stay with microfocus cobolt either they want to put like a windows gui onto the system they have written so the user can have mouse control so this is why its difficult for me

 

hehehe go on then

the version of unix is sco unixware version 2.1.3 so does anyone know any good commands then

other info its a dual 200 pentium pro machine with 256mb ram and running microfocus cobol 4

[Edited by dogmaul - 3/4/2003 10:39:24 AM]

 

Cobol, Common Business Oriented Language
Cobalt, some useless cruddy thing Sun now own where if you change a user quota you invalidate your warranty because it's hard coded into a perl module ...



You can still put a GUI on UNIX, it's called X Windows, comes with all distributions. Maybe you could see if you could port your app to Windows? Microfocus do a Cobol for Windows, then you'd have no support issues.

Steve.

Edit; if you'd like a web based front end so you can use it from anywhere on your LAN let me know, I'm quite reasonable with rates


[Edited by stevencotton - 3/5/2003 12:50:23 PM]