Dynamic Configuration - Comparing Sun Solaris 8 and Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Technologies

Solaris 8 supports a dynamic configuration system, allowing all aspects of the operating system to be modified without the need to reboot or reset the system. The dynamic capabilities extend to all aspects of the operating system, from configuring devices and services to installing new device drivers. This enables Solaris to support very high availability installations and it is not uncommon to have live Solaris servers with availability times quoted in months.
Solaris 8 also introduces a new Live Upgrade feature, which allows new versions of the operating system to be installed while the machine is still running. When the machine is next rebooted the new OS version replaces the previous version. In case of problems, you can also fallback to the previous version in order to get the equipment back on line as quickly as possible.
Windows 2000 also supports a dynamic configuration system. This enables the most common operations such as adding Plug and Play devices, virtual memory configuration, and modifying network settings on the fly. In addition, Windows 2000 supports installation of Microsoft SQL Server™ 7.0 and Microsoft Exchange 6.0 without requiring a reboot, as well as other applications that support the Microsoft Installer. By using the clustering capabilities in Windows 2000 Advanced Server and Datacenter Server, customers can perform rolling upgrades. By using this technique, customers can take one machine in a cluster off-line, upgrade that machine, and bring it back online to rejoin the cluster and then progressively update each machine in the cluster. This allows an organization to upgrade a server environment without any downtime during the upgrade.
Windows Datacenter Program
The reliability of servers and services is one of the most fundamental aspects of the modern computing environment. However, achieving reliability depends on more than just the operating system. You also need robust hardware designs that support the operating system features, and coherence between the hardware and operating system to ensure that the reliability levels are kept at a maximum.
To this end, Microsoft has teamed up with leaders in the server-manufacturing industry to develop the Windows Datacenter Program. The program provides a complete package of the hardware, software, and support services needed for customers whose mission critical requirements extend up to and includelarge-scale server installations.
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Service Offerings
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Datacenter Partners will offer:
A minimum uptime guarantee of 99.9% availability
Installation and configuration services
Availability assessments
24 x 7 hardware and software support
Response service for onsite hardware and software support.
Change management service
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o help enforce the quality and reliability of the systems provided under the program a customer must purchase the Windows 2000 Datacenter Server as part of a complete solution provided by a hardware manufacturer (OEM). In addition to qualifying the basic system, other components – including third-party hardware and software (from drivers through backup and anti-virus software) – must also be supplied as part of the system to be tested. The Datacenter Server OEM rigorously tests the system, and the Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) then validates the entire system test. The complete configuration must have passed a stringent 14-day testing procedure, and have met or exceeded the minimum 99.9% scheduled availability before being approved by Microsoft as a Windows 2000 Datacenter Server offering. The stringent qualification and rigorous system testing focuses on the entire system sold and not just the individual components, helping to ensure the overall reliability of the system offering.
Once the customer has selected the system, the Datacenter Program requires that the OEM offer a variety of services, including full installation of the OS and any required drivers, as well an onsite evaluation of the system within the customer’s own environment. The final requirement of the program is an offer of an onsite service program supported by the OEM partner or a contracted third party. Customers can even opt to subscribe to a yearly update license, providing the latest version releases, supplements, and Datacenter Server service packs.
The program gives customers an integrated hardware, software, and service offering - that is, highly reliable and rigorously tested solutions that are fully backed up by both Microsoft and the hardware partners. Approved systems will be supported for the duration of the current version of Datacenter Server and for the lifetime of the hardware plus 18 months. This ensures a complete support system, even after what most would consider the systems normal life. The program also ensures that if there is a failure with a Datacenter Server system, customers have a single point of contact, through the Joint Support Team, for resolving the problem. The hardware partner and Microsoft will then work together to resolve the issue to a satisfactory conclusion.
Although Sun provides Hardware Compatibility Lists for both their SPARC and Intel versions of Solaris, these deal only with individual components. They do not provide assurances on the majority of the systems they sell and, in fact, they only warranty Sun equipment. Intel-based hardware is not covered.
Sun guarantees up to 99.95% uptime on single Sun Enterprise 10000 systems, and up to 99.975% uptime on any clustered Sun Enterprise 10000 systems. Similar levels are also supported on their Netra ft 1800 fault tolerant systems. Sun has initiated the SunUP program to support this guarantee. The SunUP Program includes a knowledgebase, the SunVIP software vendor support program, and other services to address the entire application environment.
The majority of Sun systems are sold through a series of distribution partners, although Sun, themselves, provide support services for both Sun hardware and software. For Intel-based solutions there is no single point of contact. In this case, issues are resolved in an ad hoc fashion by contacting both the hardware vendor and Sun.
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