RE: LDM Archive Machine

On Tue, 18 Sep 2001, Robert Mullenax wrote:

> Daryl,
>
> I wish you luck in your endeavor, but IMO, and based on my tests and
> observing the e-mails about LDM through the years, the problems with
> LDM crashing/kernel problems..etc is due to Linux itself.  It certainly
> has the well known problem of crashing under heavy load, whereas
> Solaris Intel is virtually bulletproof.  Not to pick on Gilbert,
> he's been a great help to me over the years, but his LDM just crashed
> again..he hates Solaris but I am 99.9% sure these bouts he has would
> go away if he'd switch.

Linux may be a little green yet, but, in my opinion, it's poised soon to
be the OS of choice for server systems.  Our ldm relay system (no
decoding) is RedHat 7.1 with LDM 5.1.3 and it NEVER quits.  Runs
flawlessly (ignoring configuration issues).  I also have a second system
running RedHat 7.0 that does decoding and file serving.  It too runs
nearly flawlessly (I can think of one case where it had a problem a couple
months ago that required a reboot, but it's also 7.0... I need to
upgrade).  I'm sure Gilbert's problems will be found to be some subtle
configuration issue or perhaps a hardware issue, but I don't believe Linux
is fundamentally the problem.  Regarding Solaris, at this point I'd never
go back.  Solaris is solid but, in my opinion, it's falling behind in
development and overall utility.

My 2 cents.
                                     Art.



> At my previous job at NMSU/NSBF we have been
> running
>  the LDM plus all of the GEMPAK AND McIDAS decoders plus a web server and
> GARP/McIDAS sessions on a single CPU Gateway PC running Solaris for over two
> years now.  The
> only problems that have ever occurred were related to hung gplt routines
> caused by my CGI scripts.  These occasional to frequent crashes that
> LDM-Linux
> boxes all seem to have simply don't occur or rarely occur with Solaris
> Intel.
> Performance is fine as well..and as CPU usage approaches 100% you'll see
> Solaris
> surpass Linux.
>
> Anne can correct me on this but Unidata is running an incredible amount of
> stuff on their dual PIII Solaris machines and have never had a problem.
>
> Linux has it's place, but with this particular application (the
> LDM/decoders)
> it simply fails more often than it should.  If you continue to have problems
> I would suggest that you at least look into Solaris x86.  Solaris will run
> on the Athlon, depending on the particular motherboard.  We had a network
> problem at NMSU/NSBF which caused us always to lose a bunch of data.  I
> eventually
> arranged for our feed to set his ldm to 5400 seconds as I did mine to cut
> down on that a bit..then when I needed data I put out a call on this e-mail
> list or the needdata list.  There are many people archiving out there.
>
> In any event, good luck, to you.
>
>  /**
>   * Daryl Herzmann (akrherz@xxxxxxxxxxx)
>   * Program Assistant -- Iowa Environmental Mesonet
>   * http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu
>   */
>

Arthur A. Person
Research Assistant, System Administrator
Penn State Department of Meteorology
email:  person@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, phone:  814-863-1563


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