AS400 Processors compared to INTEL?

[AS400Admin]

I am a new AS400 admin and I have begun a rather long reading list of redbooks. In reading about V5R2 and my iSeries 270, I realized that my hardest worked server currently has the slowest processors; dual 600Mhz, 4mb L2 cache, equating to 2350 CPW. I was both mortified and amazed. For a dual 600Mhz, the server does amazingly well.

So, I was wondering if there is anyone out there that is familiar with INTEL processors (i.e P4 and Zeon), and IBM's sStar processor in the 270 9406? If so, can you offer a comparison?

Thanks In Advance.

 

[flapeyre]

FWIW. The AS/400 is very efficently designed, and does not waste a lot of CPU time on fancy graphics like Windows has to. I think it's more a matter of the overall architecture of the system than just processor speed. You need a lot more horespower in the Wintel world than you do in the i-Series world, so a direct comparison isn't really meaningful. People are amazed when I tell them that I can run a simple SQL statement that will update a 10 million record file in under 2 minutes (while approx. 1100 other jobs are running on the machine). Having the same company build the hardware and write the OS is not a bad idea (at least they know how things are supposed to work together).

You practically have to beat the AS/400 with a stick to break it. It just keeps going. On our system, I can count the number of crashes we've had in the last 7 years on one hand. We IPL (reboot) once a week (but most shops don't even do it that often).


"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth with your eyes turned skyward, for here you have been, and there you will always long to return."

--Leonardo da Vinci

 

[jmd0252]

I don't think you can draw a direct comparison between the AS400 processors, and the pc based processors. We really are talking about 2 different worlds. THe AS400,, is file data driven,, while the intel has to worry about all the "gee-whiz" graphics. There was a story a few years back,,, when NT had come out at 4.0. They story goes like this. The question had been ask,,,what kind of hardware/software does Microsoft use for it's financials. The hardware was an AS400. Someone at Microsoft said it would be cheaper to replace the AS400 (I beleieve they had multiple machines), with NT servers, since they were in the business they are in. Well the data was switched, and the plug was pulled. After running a year on the NT platform. Microsoft shifts it's data processing to a 3rd party (themselves, under another name). Reason,,, the NT platform was not fast or robust enough to handle the financial info. What platform did the 3rd party people use. Well yes,, AS400. So go figure.

 

[iSeriesCodePoet]

Everyone is missing the point. You are talking two completely different archetectures. Intel uses a 32-bit processor and the archetecture was designed (poorly, according to a co-worker) in the early 80's. Not much has changed as far as how it works. The iSeries (aka AS/400) uses a 64-bit processor. Yes the archetecture might not have changed in the system itself, but it is designed for two purposes: text based programs and data base. So you are talking about compairing apples and green beans when you compare the iSeries and Intel. In fact, you can almost never compare Mhz on any CPU. AMD is different from Intel, AMD changed their numbering about 3 years ago to not confuse the consumers when comparing numbers.

Okay... I forgot where I was going with this. Pretty much, you can't compare Mhz to Mhz, you have to compare benchmarks and performance.

iSeriesCodePoet
iSeries Programmer/Lawson Software Administrator

See my progress to converting to linux.

http://koldark.hopto.org/linux/

The Programmer's Knowledge Base ->

http://koldark.hopto.org/twiki/bin/view/Programkb/WebHome

 

[jrjuiliano]

And don't forget the CPW ratings as well. Our 9406-500 AS/400 running V5R1 has a whopping 43-49 as a CPW rating. Strong as an ox still, but it can get really slow when it's bogged down...

The stability and power of the AS/400 / iSeries is mostly why we stay with the IBM platform. I can't even imagine getting this type of setup on some Intel boxes.

Can't wait until we get our new iSeries!!!

J.R.

 

[iSeriesCodePoet]

Our new 810 will be going in next weekend!!! Upgrading from a 720.

iSeriesCodePoet
iSeries Programmer/Lawson Software Administrator

See my progress to converting to linux.

http://koldark.hopto.org/linux/

The Programmer's Knowledge Base ->

http://koldark.hopto.org/twiki/bin/view/Programkb/WebHome