Fast400: iSeries users weigh issues |
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By Edward Hurley, Assistant News Editor
07 Dec 2001 | Search400 |
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The recent brouhaha about the Fast400 tool highlights a rub between some iSeries users and IBM about how Big Blue distinguishes between batch and interactive jobs. But a recent informal poll of iSeries users found most leery to try the product given IBM's disapproval.
The way IBM defines interactive features can be confusing, said Janet Krueger, an Andrews Consulting Group analyst. Interactive features aren't only someone sitting in from of a screen using an application. "A lot of users aren't sure how the interactive features they are charged for are calculated," she said.
Fast400, which was sold by TigerTools, allows iSeries users to categorize all jobs as batch, thus getting around their interactive features allotment. Recently IBM sent out a PTF that blocks Fast400's functionality for V4R5 and V5R1. Another company has vowed to continue selling and updating Fast400 (which was developed by a programmer who keeps his identity secret). But IBM has pledged to continue blocking the software.
"The limitation put on the processors by IBM is a way for IBM to try to force the AS/400 user to conform to IBM's idea about how they should use the system," said one user who wished to remain anonymous. "This is like selling you a car, with a large gas tank, and a powerful motor, and allowing you to drive only 100 miles a day."
Yet some users such as Jim Kircus of DalTech, an IBM business partner, don't think Fast400 is worth the trouble (or is ethical for that matter). "We have not and will not consider implementing the tool on a customer's system because we will not challenge IBM, and in the long run we believe that this will hurt the customer (end user) over time," he said.
To understand the situation, one must look at when IBM started marketing AS/400s to PC server users, Krueger said. AS/400s couldn't compete on a cost basis, given all the extras they come with such as the operating system, database and services. IBM needed to lower costs of entry while not impacting the installed base, Krueger said.
IBM started selling server-only boxes cheaper than AS/400s with interactive features. A hardware governor prevented interactive features. The machines could only do server jobs such as printing and file serving, Krueger said.
Over time, however, shops wanted to do some interactive features while still using the boxes for serving. IBM then changed the governor to a software-based system, CFINT. CFINT monitors the system and reduces the speed of the system when the interactive jobs limit is reached. Fast400 tricks the system into thinking all jobs are batch, Krueger said.
The mechanism used to track interactive features may irk some users as their boxes' power is curtailed, Krueger said. But she adds interactive feature allotments are part of the licensing agreements they sign with IBM. Using an application such as Fast400 violates that, she said.
Some users buy systems only to find out they don't have enough for their needs, Krueger said. A tool like Fast400 may tempt such people. But it's probably a better idea to keep on a good working relationship with IBM rather than go with a product "that breaks someone's software license," she said.
MORE INFORMATION:
Post your comments about Fast400, and IBM's blocking of it, in our Sound Off forum.
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