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Not only should the internal costs be calculated, but external as well. Few businesses have captive customers who must wait untill service is restored -- this is particularly true in the online world. Customers can and will take their business elsewhere. So lost sales should be factored into the cost of downtime.
I went through this exercise with my management and used the event view logs from Windows/NT and
W2K and the logs in /var/log/messages from the Linux and UNIX machines. Amazingly enough, not only is Linux cheaper in terms of licensing costs, but the enhanced reliability swamps the licensing cost issues, swamps the training cost issues, and swamps the development costs.
Nor will Windows/XP solve the issue. Your article http://clickthru.online.com/Click?q=a8-02QZQQZO8ZnXLHwDtcPYwMgKwsRR about the Windows/XP exam shows that Microsoft added a lot of new features which are unproven! By way of contrast, a lot of the UNIX systems have withstood the test of time, and the same regression software which worked 20 years ago still works.
The only advantage Microsoft has is billions of dollars of marketing muscle. I don't know how to compete with that. But technical, they got nothin'.
W2K and the logs in /var/log/messages from the Linux and UNIX machines. Amazingly enough, not only is Linux cheaper in terms of licensing costs, but the enhanced reliability swamps the licensing cost issues, swamps the training cost issues, and swamps the development costs.
Nor will Windows/XP solve the issue. Your article http://clickthru.online.com/Click?q=a8-02QZQQZO8ZnXLHwDtcPYwMgKwsRR about the Windows/XP exam shows that Microsoft added a lot of new features which are unproven! By way of contrast, a lot of the UNIX systems have withstood the test of time, and the same regression software which worked 20 years ago still works.
The only advantage Microsoft has is billions of dollars of marketing muscle. I don't know how to compete with that. But technical, they got nothin'.
Being a unix guru first then being an NT admin for the past 8 years. My NT systems have been as stable as the unix boxes. My servers hardly ever go down to which leads me to believe that being knowledgable in the o/s you are supporting has alot to do with it. The thing I DO like about ms is that there is one place for support for the entire enterprise. Finding support for unix was time consuming at best. So although my unix box wasnt down as many times, each time it was down took longer to solve.
Not being a linux or playing with it much, my linux box has problems quite often, thus leading me back to my statement of experience.
Not being a linux or playing with it much, my linux box has problems quite often, thus leading me back to my statement of experience.
I've worked in Unix shops for 15 years and the same problems need to be accounted for. In addition it may take much longer to restore a Unix box over an NT or XP box. What the real issue is concerns your disaster recovery planning. These cost estimates for downtime can often be used to justify redundant hardware and services such as a replicated server or two internet providers. Each company has to factor how important the system downtime effects the overall capabilities of the company and to mitigate scenarios that are critical.
I am still amazed by the number of companies that, when selecting mission critical applications pay scant regard to the underlying computing platform on which they will run. Often seeming to make the decision based upon capital cost whilst taking no account of (a) time to market in making all the component parts of the system work "reliably" together: processor, storage, middleware, DB, apps and making it all secure (b) ongoing operational cost of ownership (c)the implications of availability in terms of lost revenue, more importantly, lost customers and ultimately a failed business. Too often, I believe, the consequence of there being no dedicated board level IT representation and finance pulling the strings.
If you don't know the iSeries, see what IDC has to say. You may be surprised but it's the clear winner compared to Unix and the Intel-based platforms in every respect: http://www-1.ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/conslt/pdf/idctco.pdf
If you don't know the iSeries, see what IDC has to say. You may be surprised but it's the clear winner compared to Unix and the Intel-based platforms in every respect: http://www-1.ibm.com/servers/eserver/iseries/conslt/pdf/idctco.pdf
Having been inside many companies and witnessed the seeming lack of interest in going through this exercise, on the part of management, still does not cease to amaze me. Most companies cannot tell anyone what it costs to run themselves on an hourlybasis, in total, or by any breakdown.
If companies would go through this, their would be many who would review the strategic concept of using Microsoft products for any software infrastructure.
If companies would go through this, their would be many who would review the strategic concept of using Microsoft products for any software infrastructure.
We find that an increasing number of companies are doing cost assessments like these as a way of cost justifying expenditures on tools designed to reduce system downtime, such as our prodict sonicadmin (www.sonicmobility.com).
It helps upper management to understand why spending a thousand dollars on a tool that allows remote support from a wireless device anywhere, anytime, will save tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in real costs every year.
It helps upper management to understand why spending a thousand dollars on a tool that allows remote support from a wireless device anywhere, anytime, will save tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in real costs every year.
I always provide for a weighting of the outage (i.e. end of month processing).
In addition there can be a calculation for lost business. This is especially important for ecommerce or business to business (business partners).
In addition there can be a calculation for lost business. This is especially important for ecommerce or business to business (business partners).
I always make sure that the user/client/business sponsor creates the "cost of downtime" figure. I take a role of advisor and facilitator in determining the cost of down time. This does several things -- If users determine the cost of downtime thenuptime must have value (IT has value), and second if downtime has a business cost obviously avoiding downtime might be worthy of an additional dollars (and the business justifies additional spending - not IT).
Never miss a chance to get the business users involved in IT decisions.
Never miss a chance to get the business users involved in IT decisions.
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