Compile on a Linux-only Mainframe 13
AustinSaltLick writes: "Open Source projects can now compile their code on the first compiler farm in the open source community that runs on an IBM eServer zSeries server. The zSeries is the world's first dedicated Linux mainframe server. This article explains how project administrators can request access for their team."
Please, (Score:2)
Re:Please, (Score:1)
Number One (Score:1, Interesting)
2-- Is your application so huge that you need a mainframe ?
3-- How much of the mainframe sources you have available ?
4-- If it is going to behave like my desktop PC, no thanks.
5-- Will it compile, are all the libraries ported ?
6-- Is compiling enough ?
Re:Number One (Score:2, Informative)
2-- It would be very difficult to imagine an applicaion that can take the resources of even a small mainframe. However this is designed for running in a partitioned environment. In this way you can have 100's if not 1000's of Linux images running on the same machine.
3-- The resorces are allocated to a virtual machine/partition the same as in other mainframe operating systems. One interesting point is that you do not want to allocate large ammounts of memory per partition as this is then fenced off. If the Linux image pages, it does so first to an area of common memory, making more efficient use of resources.
4-- You have all the mainfframe hardware resliance, however if the OS or app is flakey, there is no way to prevent if failing. However it should not affect any other partitions, Linux or otherwise.
5-- One of the reasons IBM is making it open to developers is to get all libraries etc. ported and tested.
6-- Thats a judgement each individual/organisation will have to make on thier own.
Re:Number One (Score:2)
2- The mainframe is to run many servers running the apps. Then again would be interesting to see how far Postgresql can scale on a mainframe...
3- How much of the PC BIOS sources do you have available anyway?
4- I hope it would have more IO. The network interconnect between virtual servers should hopefully be fast.
5- D'oh, sign up and see.
6- See 5
Do it yourself (Score:2, Interesting)
Why not do what Moshe Bar did and run Linux S/390 on a PC [byte.com] using Hercules [conmicro.cx]? Sure the IBM site certainly has more resources, but if it's to just periodically recompile/test a few programs, it may not be too bad to do it on your own hardware. I suppose it could also be a good reason if you are developing a closed source program and are paranoid about having the source on another company's site.