iSeries Sizing Questions

I have a client with 200 users that is considering moving off their home grown ERP system to JD Edwards E1 9.1. They purchased an iSeries server about a year ago to increase performance for their current ERP. They are wondering if their new iSeries is sized correctly for a JDE E1 9.1 install. I understand that they will probably need to go through a formal sizing exercise, but was hoping that someone could provide an informal opinion on the specs below. We will also be looking for a CNC consultant if our client decides to move forward with JDE install.

Power 6 + 8203-E4A
Retain SN: 10-D6E6F
2-Core Processor #5577 (1 active)
8GB memory
CPW Rating: 4,750
P10 Software Group
V6R1 Operating System
Unlimited O/S users
Raid Disk 697GB usable
4 Port 1GB Ethernet
Rack Mount
Redundant Power Supply
0595 Expansion
Tape attachment for existing LTO
Internal LTO-4
Tape attachment for AIT Drive and 7208
9 x 5 M-F Maintenance Coverage Hardware and Software

Before you get an answer, you really need to provide some information about what modules you are planning to implement.

From the outset, I would say that the system is woefully undersized - certainly a single processor is probably not going to handle more than a handful of users - and certainly not 200 named OR concurrent. It is also always worth having at minimum 2 activated - but 200 concurrent users would probably need more like 4 CPU's available. I need to also understand where you were expecting to install the JAS server (whether Websphere or Weblogic) for the HTML server - if you were expecting to install this on the iSeries, there is certainly nowhere near the correct memory available.

Also, the disk is very small too - if you're only running a small installation of EnterpriseOne with hardly any transactions - then fair enough, but 697Gb is barely more space than the 5 year old mac I'm typing on right now !

V6R1 came out in 2008 - and is outdated by V7R1 now which would probably also be required prior to an installation.

Lastly you haven't made any mention of the deployment server - which is a requirement, nor of any development workstations - which, for a customer with 200 users, might be a requirement.

My question is why your client purchased an iSeries at all - especially BEFORE a formal sizing exercise. It seems like a whole lot of money for a platform that is usually aimed towards customers with a higher number of users, spent on a box that is woefully undersized. It is incredibly expensive to add storage (DASD) to an iSeries. For 200 users, I'd expect a customer to be utilizing intel servers, with either SQL Server or Oracle RDBMS on the back end. Certainly not an expensive iSeries. Does your client have internal iSeries resources to hand ? If not, then you need to stop the iSeries deployment immediately - get your money back and get a CNC consultant engaged that can get your customer off the ground efficiently.

Hope that helps. Sorry for being brusque - but I'm often amazed how customers start going down a path without seriously talking with a professional.

You wouldn't undertake open-heart surgery yourself - NOR would you take the advice from the people who make the scalpels or the heart monitors...