Instrumentierung – die Chance für Linux?

My latest article for the German publication Linux Technical Review appears in Volume 8 on "Performance und Tuning" and discusses a possible roadmap for future Linux instrumentation and performance management capabilities. The Abstract reads:

• German: Linux könnte seine Position im Servermarkt ausbauen, wenn es dem Vorbild der Mainframes folgte und deren raffiniertes Performance-Management übernähme.
• English: Linux could be in a position to expand its presence in the server market by looking to mainframe computer performance management as a role model and adapting its instrumentation accordingly.

Topics discussed include a comparison of time-share scheduling (TSS) with fair-share scheduling (FSS) and the Linux Completely fair scheduler (CFS), how to achieve a more uniform interface to performance and capacity planning measurements, and the kind of advanced system management capabilities available on IBM System Z for both their mainframes and clusters.

Solaris to Shine on the Mainframe (Say what!?)

Quite apart from the surprise over what passes for physics these days, PhysOrg.com recently reported on a surprise deal that will enable Sun's Solaris operating system to run on IBM servers.

Initially, the agreement will involve only IBM's (AIX) mid-range servers, which can also run the Windows and Linux operating systems, but eventually, so the report says, IBM hopes to bring Solaris to the mainframe. I assume this means it will run in a z/OS LPAR, like they do with Linux. If I take the view (and I do) that the mainframe is not a "dinosaur" but just another (excellent data processing) server on the network, one wonders where this leaves future Sun hardware platforms.

Add to this the growing emphasis by Sun to deploy Intel and AMD microprocessors for cost reasons and, as Jonathan Schwartz says, it "represents a tectonic shift in the market landscape." No kidding! I just wonder whether Schwartz will be riding the plate that stays on top or the plate that goes under.