DS 9.1 Windows or Linux

pavankvk · Post by **pavankvk** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 2:22 pm

Hi,

I am looking for an opinion here for the scenario we are in.

We currently have 2 datastage environments 7.5 (running on windows) and 8.1 (running on linux). Since 7.5 is out of support, we have been migrating jobs to 8.1 and modifying the jobs/routines to suit the linux environments(directory paths, commands etc).

Now we have a new initiative to move to 9.1 version of DS, new servers(hardware and software) and we have different opinions on the server OS. Should we continue to be on Linux or switch back to Windows? the reason windows comes up, is at this point we don't have a dedicated linux support, but we have windows support. For the lack of support, our linux server is not patched and so is the case with DS environment. Who ever is supporting windows, advise us to use MKSToolkit which can translate linux commands to windows. Not sure how that suggestion works?Some are leaning towards linux for better performance and memory management and less maintenance.

Can you please come up with your pros and cons of DS on windows vs DS on linux.

lstsaur · Post by **lstsaur** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 3:08 pm

In your case, stay with the Windows. Let me ask you a simple question, would you promote an application into production knowing it has no support?

pavankvk · Post by **pavankvk** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 4:46 pm

We can get support, we already have a production running linux server with DS 8.1. Should the lack of having a commitment to support a linux server outweigh all other benefits of a linux os?

IBM Analytics Champion 2009 - 2020 · Post by **asorrell** » Tue Apr 15, 2014 5:48 pm

My personal take is that DataStage seems to have more "issues" on Windows, one reason I don't work for clients on Windows platforms (except to move them to UNIX). You also don't have the hassle of trying to work around the virus scans required for Windows.

DataStage on Windows stopped using MKS toolkit as of 9.1 viewtopic.php?p=449191 - no idea if it was because of support issues or cost. So if you have need of UNIX commands for other purposes you will need to insure MKS supports all the commands and options your applications require and purchase a copy. Note - this architecture change may reduce some of the stability issues in previous releases, though I can't confirm that from actual use.

I would think Linux support isn't that big a cost in the overall scheme of things (unless you can't get it in the country you are in).

pavankvk · Post by **pavankvk** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 8:16 am

Thank you. the country is US:-) Is there a official documentation from IBM that talks about not using the MKS Toolkit on windows?

IBM Analytics Champion 2009 - 2020 · Post by **asorrell** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 9:06 am

I stand corrected, it is still included, just not used by Datastage...

(From another thread)

Ray Wurlod wrote:MKS Toolkit is still provided, but DataStage itself no longer uses it. Instead, all code in DataStage engine that used to call UNIX functions now calls equivalent native Windows functions, when on a Windows platform.

chucksmith · Post by **chucksmith** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 12:43 pm

I moved from 7.5.3 to 9.1, both on Windows. Now, I am running into issue using the new xml stage when creating large xml documents (e.g. feed to Amazon). Support tells me this stage runs on 32 bit java on Windows, but 64 bit java on Unix. This is just one example.

There are enough differences between the internal implementation of DataStage, that I do NOT recommend running DataStage on Windows.

pavankvk · Post by **pavankvk** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 12:56 pm

Thank you.

Many of our sequences use Unix commands to move and archive files. The paths are parameterised. Do you know if the same sequence is exported and imported into a project hosted on DS 9.1 on windows, would the commands work with out modifications if we use MKS Tool kit?

chulett · Post by **chulett** » Wed Apr 16, 2014 1:45 pm

Allegedly, yes. I mean, that is functionality that the MKS Toolkit brings to the table.