IBM Power Systems: Cost-Effective Linux Database Serving

May 2008
MANAGEMENT BRIEF
VALUE PROPOSITION FOR
IBM POWER SYSTEMS AS
DATABASE SERVER IN MIDSIZE COMPANIES
Cost Comparisons for Linux

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TABLE OF CONTENTS CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS 1 Challenges 1 Costs 1 Capabilities 2 Performance 2 Scalability 3 Virtualization 3 Availability 6 Complexity Reduction 7 BUSINESS VIEW 8 Why Database Servers Matter 8 Data Growth 8 High Availability 10 Disaster Recovery 11 Security and Malware 12 POWER SYSTEMS 14 System Design 14 Virtualization and Management 14 PowerVM Capabilities 14 Virtual I/O Server 16 Availability and Recovery 16 Core RAS Features 16 Live Partition Mobility 17 Clustered Failover Solutions 18 DETAILED DATA 20 Basis of Calculations 20 Profiles and Scenarios 20 Configurations and Costs 21 Costs Breakdown 21
List of Figures 1. Profiles: Average Three-year Costs for IBM Power and Intel-based Server Scenarios 2 2. VMware Applications: Examples 3 3. PowerVM Linux Capabilities: Summary 4 4. Data Growth Example: Distribution Company 9 5. Data Growth Example: Manufacturing Company 9 6. 24-hour Internet Activity: Retail Example 10 7. Causes of U.S. Data Center Disasters: 2001 to 2007 11 8. U.S. Cybercrime Incidents in 2007: Percent of Organizations Reporting 13 9. PowerVM Linux Capabilities: Detail 15 10. Dedicated Adapter and Virtual I/O Server Configurations: Examples 16 11. IBM High-end Linux Business Continuity Solution Set 18 12. Company Profiles and Scenarios 20 13. Detailed Costs Breakdown 22
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CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
Challenges
What platform should be employed for Linux database serving in midsize companies? There are new answers to this question.
In less than five years, Linux has moved from a niche to a mainstream operating system among midsize companies. Linux servers are increasingly moving beyond Internet and intranet applications to host enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), business intelligence (BI), e-commerce, and other core business systems.
As this occurs, organizations that have built Linux infrastructures around "commodity" Intel-based servers are encountering new challenges. Intel-based platforms remain viable for such functions as application and Web serving. But the requirements for core database serving are significantly different.
Database serving requires higher levels of performance, scalability, and availability than other server functions, and management of business-critical databases means that new tools and practices must be adopted. If servers are consolidated, virtualization technologies must also be capable of supporting heterogeneous database environments in an effective manner.
Challenges are compounded by data growth. In most midsize businesses, the amount of raw data is already increasing by 30 to 60 percent per year and, in some industries and applications, increases exceed 100 percent per year. Growth rates are expected to accelerate.
How will th... [download for more]