Ban Bottlenecks® - Remember Memory?

Carr Scott Software to present at FINTUG – HP NonStop Event Helsinki 28 January

 

 

 

 Real Time View - A Running Commentary
January, 10

The opinions expressed here are solely
those of the now self-employed author 

The last blog I posted to the Real Time View “Hollow wheels go nowhere!” (Jan 17^th, 10) generated comments on many sites – including LinkedIn Groups. Whether it was the time of the year where readers found time to engage in exchanges, or that the topic brought out the need to “have a go” it was refreshing for me to see so many of the members of the NonStop community become involved.

The main point that I tried to communicate in this blog posting was that “as you read the comments, the passion of the community comes through – yes, the power of the collective is apparent as HP employees join in the exchange. And no matter how well we present NonStop, without an active social community these days that provides a lot of substance, all the posturing in the world will appear hollow, with nothing inside.”

I then went on to add “an active community openly interacting in as public a forum as is today’s social networks speaks volumes about the future of NonStop and, for me, will continue to encourage me to develop another 150 posts!” It has taken a number of years of postings to develop but with each post, readership has grown and the number of community members prepared to be engaged in the exchanges has grown as well. And for me, that’s the most important aspect of social networking – a communication channel open to us all without filters or censorship.

Perhaps the best comment I came across was made to the Real Time View blog. It summarized some of my own perspective on social networks. It began with “as you interact with the NonStop community the passion is still there. People love the technology and they still want to see improvements, based upon positive criticism, and they have tremendous pride in what they have achieved within their businesses. Social networking can be a way to share experiences, opinions and pride in such achievements, within the bounds of business confidentiality that get subsumed and ignored in the hum drum of every day life and work.”

The writer then goes on to suggest “sometimes this then promotes confidence to discuss and debate issues more freely within the organization and workplace. This is no bad thing, if there is one issue that seems to pervade in the community it's that they can't make a difference and that nobody listens and appreciates what they have and what the NonStop folk are delivering to their businesses. However, it's self perpetuating! If you do not shout, debate and argue your points based upon rational arguments and real data then sure as eggs are eggs nobody will hear the message. Let's hope social networking arms more people with the confidence to engage in the discussion.”

After writing 150 blog entries for the Real Time View blog reading comments like this really gives me all the encouragement I need to keep writing. But not all the responses were this positive. From a different perspective came many comments to the LinkedIn group “Tandem User Group.” Many of us today are relying on the business network LinkedIn to re-connect with former colleagues and to network with others across our elected profession. And more recently, the surge in interest in groups has seen virtual communities flourish overnight. While many of these groups have less than 100 members, some have quickly attracted hundreds and thousands. The Tandem User Group now is home to nearly 1,000 members and is a place I routinely scan for feedback from the community.

When I posted links to my latest blog posting, comments began arriving almost immediately and following the initial posting that raised some concerns, others were quick to join in the exchange. These comments included:

“It would be nice to see some NEW HP Nonstop customers as well - that might generate some new jobs (in the US preferably). Fuggedaboutit! Might as well as wish for a trip to the International Space Station …”

“It's time to retool everyone, I know no one wants to hear it but it's the truth. Tandems are shutting left and right, Nasdaq, Interactive Data, and many more to come.”

“Well, the NonStop is losing out big time in the healthcare arena. I know of three fairly large hospitals … jumping ship to another software vendor that doesn't run on NonStop.”

These comments also tie back to comments posted to a LinkedIn group I created “Pyalla Technologies” where I have been covering a number of business issues, including a discussion I started that I called “Has HP Marketing got more to do for NonStop?” Not surprisingly came back comments like:

“Folks it not just about reliability/availability, cost effectiveness … is number one then reliability. I have compared alternate platforms when sizing new product opportunities and Tandem has beating out both AIX and Windows platforms from a Cost and reliability perspective to meet the business and financial requirements of my company.”

“Do you think it would take much to get permission from their respective companies to use these statements in the marketing of NonStop?”

“I have a presentation on file which does compare NonStop with other platforms in terms of security and - BIG SURPRISE! - NonStop fares rather well. I'd be happy to give that presentation to HP NED marketing at any point in time …”

As you read through the comments from both groups it’s easy to see the frustration with HP NED marketing and with the apparent decline in popularity on NonStop. Yet is this really the case? Is HP NED marketing just stepping away from promoting NonStop? Are customers leaving the platform? And is it all because of a lack of applications? These comments do demonstrate a passion among the community that I enjoy so much – and to those that posted comments, keep them coming!

I know the folks at HP NED and BCS marketing and they are pretty dedicated folks but with limited resources. Yes, some market segments are moving to other platforms – but overall, every indication is that today more transactions are going through NonStop than ever before. And new applications are being ported to NonStop – perhaps not as quickly as many in the NonStop community would like.

Over the next few weeks I will be developing posts for the Real Time View blog that take a look at what is being ported to NonStop and what the expectations are for success. I may disagree with many of the comments I read but what I will not disagree with is their sincerity. Social networking is just one form of communication and new to many of us – but after 150 blog posts and many exchanges with readers, I am encouraged that after all, passion hasn’t subsided at all.

Your passion challenges those among us who like to develop commentaries, like to express opinions, and who like to dig even deeper for more evidence that the NonStop  platform really shows few signs of going away any time soon. So, as I said – keep those comments coming! Your comments mean so much to writers like me, and they keep us active in developing the stories that so many of you read today! 

Richard Buckle

Founder and CEO

Pyalla Technologies, LLC

www.pyalla-technologies.com

richard@pyalla-technologies.com

________________________________________________________________________

Real Time View blog:             http://real-time-view.blogspot.com

Buckle-Up blog:                      www.buckle-up-travel.blogspot.com

LinkedIn - Real Time View user group:    http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1878133&trk=hb_side_g

LinkedIn - Pyalla Technologies User Group: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2396887&trk=hb_side_g

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Ban Bottlenecks® - Remember Memory?

Indispensible, but frequently ignored, memory is a key component of any performance study.  Whether you call it Core, RAM,  or Main memory, it still performs that same function: Holding instructions and data for the processors to use.

Memory in modern computers is quite complex.  Virtual memory adds a dimension to memory which makes it more versatile, and more complex.  Add another layer, virtual machines, and the potential for problems grows even larger.

What’s in memory? Here’s a short list:

·         Hypervisor

·         OS kernel

·         OS services

·         OS data structures

·         Disk services

·         Disk cache

·         Application programs

·         Application data

As programmers and system managers our job is to get the computer to do work as efficiently as possible.  This includes making sure that when programs and data are needed,  they are in memory. Obviously this involves a lot of factors and trade-offs.

Where are the indicators that a problem exists? None of these is an absolute indication, but look for:

·         Zero free memory

·         High paging/swap rate

·         Low disk cache hit rate

Can we help you find a problem before it hurts? Absolutely! Check our website and Jon’s blog for more information.

Contact us for a free Ban Bottlenecks® system evaluation:

assist@banbottlenecks.com

1.415.256.8369

www.banbottlenecks.com

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Availability Digest Discusses the Requirements for “Roll-Your-Own” Replication Engines

Commercially available data-replication engines serve a wide variety of today’s databases and server systems.  Some companies, however, want to build their own replication engines in order to save license fees and to meet specific in-house requirements.  “Roll-Your-Own-Replication Engine – Part 1” is the first in a two-part series that examines the complex task of constructing a custom replication engine.  In Part 1, we look at some general considerations that must be taken into account when building a replication engine for any application environment.  

Also in the January Digest:

·        Our Continuous Availability Forum under “Groups” at www.linkedin.com has been very active in categorizing the parameters of active/active architectures.  “Defining Active/Active:  Revision 1” discusses forum members’ suggestions for the attributes that must be included if a system is to be considered truly active/active. 

·        Is your BlackBerry working today?  “BlackBerry – OMG, it’s Déjŕ Vu!” investigates the recent outages of this popular smartphone and why Research in Motion’s ability to achieve only three 9s of availability for BlackBerry users might motivate customers to migrate to up-and-coming competitors. 

The Digest is free online and focuses on continuous processing architectures, with particular attention given to active/active technology. www.availabilitydigest.com

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Marshall Resources, Inc. - January 2010 – Third Party Non-Stop Hardware Maintenance

Many of you know Marshall Resources from our reputation as a high quality HP Non-Stop parts supplier.  We just celebrated our 25th anniversary, and for 22 of those years we’ve been specializing in the Second User Tandem Hardware business.  At this time, I would like to re-introduce our company as an alternative for hardware maintenance.

Our 20,000 square foot facility in North Carolina, and large inventory of on-hand parts, makes us a logical choice for hardware maintenance.  These years of experience enable us to solve complex problems that may arise on legacy equipment.  Our industry leading volume of parts sales also gives us the most access to parts and knowledge of the newer Non-Stop systems. 

In Europe, we have established a fully functional parts depot and engineering facilty just outside of Frankfurt, Germany.  We have stocked this warehouse with a full compliment of all S Series parts.  We also have test systems in place and a training site for our regional CE’s established. 

Give us a try with just some system components, or ask us to cover your Test or Back-Up System.  Of course, we are thrilled to take over full coverage on your entire Non-Stop platform.  We have a program that will suit anyone’s needs.  We also offer a full compliment of professional services, and in certain cases, we also offer software support.

We are constantly expanding into new markets, so please contact us for employment opportunities.  We may have a need in your area for an experienced Tandem CE. 

At Marshall Resources, we strive to provide the highest quality service with the highest quality equipment.  Our repeat customers are our greatest compliment.  Please visit our website at www.marshallresources.com for our company information, and find a sales representative in your area to assist you.  We can always be reached at 800-443-0128, or by e-mail.  We are looking forward to working with you.

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CSP - Protect UX

Computer Security Products is pleased to offer a security license trial for File Integrity Checking and OSS security management software.

CSP would like to introduce you to some of our latest NonStop security products, offering a no charge software license for two of our newest flagship products. Protect UX simplifies the management of OSS Security, while File Integrity Checker will help to complete your PCI requirements amongst its many other useful features.

This exciting and limited time offer will be available until February 28, 2010. Do not hesitate to contact us now at sales@cspsecurity.com for product and license details.

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“Year 2010” Software Glitch Avoidable with TANDsoft’s

Y2K may be a historical footnote, but the “Year 2010” bug is now here.  Recent software glitches triggered by the change of decade affected millions of German debit-and credit-card holders as well as customers of the Bank of Queensland in Australia. If only software engineers had known about the value of OPTA2000, the clock and time-zone simulation solution from TANDsoft, Inc. 

In Germany, the Y2K+10 bug was unknowingly incorporated into the “chip and pin” cards of many banks and prevented the cards from recognizing the year 2010.  As a result, card holders were unable to make purchases in stores or to withdraw cash from ATMs.  In Australia, the Y2K16 bug created a nationwide problem when the Bank of Queensland’s EFTPOS (Electronic Funds Transfer at Point of Sale) terminals skipped ahead six years at the stroke of midnight on January 1^st and started date-stamping all transactions as January 2016.  Customers with debit- and credit cards expiring before 2016 had their cards rejected.  Year 2010 glitches have been reported in other industries as well. 

OPTA2000 allows programmers to identify coding errors by thoroughly testing their applications under different date/time scenarios without affecting normal system operations.  Using intercept technology that has been a speciality of TANDsoft’s for almost two decades, OPTA2000’s intercept libraries provide virtual system times arbitrarily offset from current time.  For time-zone simulation, the libraries create virtual times offset from a system’s actual time by an amount expressed as a deviation from GMT time (Greenwich Mean Time).  OPTA2000 supports all HP NonStop applications and permits multiple virtual clocks and time zones on one NonStop server. 

OPTA2000 evolved out of the urgent testing needs of a world panicked by the Y2K threat of global meltdown.  The world survived, but OPTA2000 remains relevant today in avoiding glitches like Year 2010 bugs and all those other nasty little software surprises that lurk just around the corner.    

The latest TANDsoft products to incorporate the company’s intercept technology are the new Enscribe-2-SQL and TMF-Audit Toolkits. 

For further information, call us at +1 (514) 695-2234 or email.  TANDsoft’s HP NonStop solutions include time-zone virtualization, time-sensitive application testing, and file synchronization for disaster recovery.  

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NxUndelete

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XYPRO Presents Audit and Compliance tools in Finland

While the prospect of -15 degree weather would usually be off-putting for most British softies, Sean and Dan from XYPRO’s European office are very much looking forward to this month’s FINTUG meeting.
 
Sean and Dan will be presenting XYGATE Merged Audit (XMA) and XYGATE Security Compliance Wizard (XSW) tools. Unique in the NonStop market, these tools already prove invaluable to hundreds of NonStop users around the world to not only help achieve, but equally importantly prove, PCI DSS compliance.


XMA, which is the major element in XYPRO’s Audit PRO package, creates a single centralised SQL database from multiple audit sources on all the nodes in your NonStop Network. XMA’s GUI interface allows comprehensive reports to be generated quickly and easily. Real-time alerts are based on any chosen criteria and can be sent to many different recipient systems. XMA can also feed that audit data to any existing logging, reporting and intrusion appliance and is the only NonStop specific solution on HP’s Compliance Log Warehouse (CLW).

XSW sits under XYPRO’s CompliancePRO umbrella and analyses your NonStop security configuration  (producing in minutes what traditionally takes months to complete manually), reports on the information found and compares its findings to your company’s security rules, industry best practice, and/or pre-populated rule sets such as those of PCI, SOX or HIPAA. XSW is also the perfect tool for comparing your production machine/s to Disaster Recovery machine/s to ensure they’re indeed configured identically.

If you won’t be able to attend our Finnish presentation and you’d like to find out more about XMA, XSW or any of XYPRO’s NonStop security suite, please contact Dan Lewis at dan.lewis@xypro.co.uk or visit our website at www.xypro.com

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comForte: is it a good time to modernize?

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Tandemworld & LinkedIN

Tandemworld have created a Group on LinkedIN through which you can view the latest Tandemworld eNewsletter.

Please view this at http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2602432&trk=hb_side_g

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BITUG

Mark your diaries - BITUG's Dates for 2010

 

17 Feb               Modernisation SIG

Venue: HP Offices, 5th Floor, Farringdon / Ludgate Suite, 88 Wood Street, London EC2V 7QT  

High attendance is expected for this BITUG Special Interest Group. The day will include presentations and demonstrations, focusing on the ongoing modernisation of the HP NonStop platform and a look backwards and forwards at 35 year of NonStop solution, products and innovation.

To Register visit www.bitug.com

Date                  Event

03 Mar               Education Day

14 Apr               Management and Performance SIG

21st-24th June   HP Technology Forum and Expo, Las Vegas

07 Jul                 Availability SIG

27^th-29^th Sep    NonStop Summit Connect Event, San Jose

06 Oct               Migration and Solutions SIG

01 Dec               Education Day

02 Dec               Big SIG

www.bitug.com