[Info-vax] UNIX/Linux features I wish VMS had

[Kerry Main]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Info-vax [mailto:info-vax-bounces at rbnsn.com] On Behalf Of
> Henry Crun via Info-vax
> Sent: 30-Jun-16 8:04 AM
> To: info-vax at rbnsn.com
> Cc: Henry Crun <mike at rechtman.com>
> Subject: Re: [Info-vax] UNIX/Linux features I wish VMS had
> 
> On 30/06/16 14:28, Neil Rieck wrote:
> > Some people reading this will not know that UNIX/Linux systems
> (depending upon the flavour) have up to 6 run levels which can be seen
> in this brief overview:
> >
> > https://linuxonfire.wordpress.com/2012/10/19/what-are-init-0-init-1-
> init-2-init-3-init-4-init-5-init-6-2/
> >
> > (on our Solaris systems "level = 3" means "fully running")
> >
> > So to partially close a system running at level 3, the sys admin
need
> only type "init 1". This causes the execution of series of KILL
scripts which
> will terminate processes associated with levels 3 then 2 but not one.
> >
> > To go to single user mtce mode the sys admin will type "init s"
> > To shutdown the sys admin can type either "shutdown" or "init 0"
> > You can also boot to any level including "s".
> >
> > Contrast this to VMS where you need to do a conversational boot then
> edit certain params to prevent the startup scripts from running.
> >
> > Neil Rieck
> > Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
> > http://www3.sympatico.ca/n.rieck/
> >
> >
> >
> That reminds me of (why Linux -- mainly desktops -- are easier to shut
> down than
> servers):
> 
> To shut down a desktop - you flip the switch
> 
> to shut down a mini-computer - You get a confirmation from all the
> users, then
> you run the shutdown procedure
> 
> To shut down a mainframe - wadda you mean shut down!
> 

While I have a healthy respect for mainframe computing, their uptime
reputation is not as good as one typically hears.

While I am sure it has changed now, but for many decades, mainframe
type culture (others used this as well btw) had convinced their
customers 
that "planned" maint was not to be counted against their uptime and 
availability stats.

Mainframes would typically go down for a number of hours at least once 
per month for prev maint., but their uptime was still recorded as 100%.

In today's globally connected world, downtime is downtime and Custs
have little patience with "planned" downtimes if the hosted service is
impacted.


Regards,

Kerry Main
Kerry dot main at starkgaming dot com