4 Introduction and Overview

4 Introduction and Overview It wae the beet of tlmee, It wae the worst of times. Dickens, Tale of Two Cities, 1859 Today, many businesses, corporations, and institutions are striving to optimize their usage of computer resources. Rightsizing is the way to match available computer resources to individual or corporate needs. This chapter introduces the concepts, basic terminology, and major implementation strategies related to rightsizing. WHAT IS RIGHTSIZING? Rightsizing is a new term for describing an old but elusive goal—balancing user needs against available technology and organizational resources. Many people in the computer world are understandably reluctant to accept rightsizing as a needed addition to an already crowded vocabulary. Such terms are often short-lived or merely the products of colorful advertising campaigns. The term rightsizing, however, is very useful in describing the emerging architectures for computer systems, as we will soon see. Rightsizing of a computer system matches user needs with available technology and resources, usually by moving software applications to the appropriate hardware platform. This balancing usually results in a redistribution of data processing, computing, and presentation tasks among the various computers within an organization. Successful redistribution leads to the most appropriate al- location and sharing of computer resources, for a given time. Rightsizing is a natural extension of the evolution of shared computer systems. In the early years of computers, the only resources capable of being shared were printers and floppy disks. As network technology developed, it became pos- sible to share data and files. Today, distributed software applications allow users to share programs, processors, and displays. Rightsizing is at once a strategy and a process. As a strategy, it consists of the objective of optimizing the overall use of computer resources and the goals 3 4 Rart I Rightsizing Overview developing an appropriate schedule and budget. As a process, it consists of the specific steps—the activities and events—that will lead to the desired outcome. In theory, rightsizing could lead to the migration, or moving, to a less powerful computer, depending upon the requirements and economics of the needed system. In practice, however, rightsizing almost always results in the movement to faster, more powerful networked systems. References [1] to [10] in the bib- liography at the end of the book provide in-depth discussions of various aspects of rightsizing. MOTIVATION AND MISCONCEPTIONS Such a potentially involved and time-consuming task as rightsizing would not be undertaken unless there was significant potential for cost savings and increased productivity. However, these benefits are not always realized imme- diately, but rather over the long term, and the benefits of one project may not apply to other areas. Thus, the professionals involved with computer rightsizing need to be aware of some common misconceptions associated with such endeavors. Why Rightsize? Since rightsizing may result in the complete redesign of a company's computer system and information structure, the potential benefits must be significant. The most commonly cited benefits are as follows: • Increased access to information. A key requirement in the information age is the ability to quickly access the most up-to-date information. Designing corporate computer systems to meet this need is one of the primary goals of rightsizing. • Increased productivity. When computer resources are used to their best ad- vantage, productivity increases are experienced by almost everyone, from software developers to end users. For example, not all applications need to be developed in a mainframe environment. Many can be created and even run on PCs. Similarly, end users typically enjoy faster response times on PC network systems than on their mainframe counterparts. • Support of organizational changes. Since the 1980s, many corporations have eliminated their middle layers of management. This flattening of the organizational hierarchy was an attempt to reduce the isolation of upper management while empowering lower-level management with greater decision-making authority (Fig. 1-1). Rightsizing from overburdened mainframes to networked PCs connected to corporate database computers, pro- vides the necessary quick access to the very best information pertinent to the required decisions. Chap. 1 Introduction and Overview 5 1980s 1990s Figure 1-1 Organizational flattening. Misconceptions Many misconceptions about rightsizing are based more upon the fears and wishes of those involved than on reality. Older system administrators, fearful that their many years of mainframe experience will no longer be needed, may equate rightsizing with the replacement of mainframe and minicomputers by workstations and PCs. In con- trast, those who need computer-based information to do their jobs may view rightsizing as a way to speed the development of needed software application programs and reduce existing backlogs. Information managers, focused on the bottom line, may see rightsizing as the latest cost savings technique, anticipating quick returns. Rightsizing is all and none of the above. While mainframe computers may be retired as a result of rightsizing, they may also be replaced by newer mainframes, or the existing mainframe may be moved to a secondary role, such as a database machine. Which architecture is chosen depends on a careful assessment of system needs, available technology, and cost of all the alternatives. Similarly, rightsizing will not result in immediate reduction of backlogs in development of application and data processing programs. It takes time for system administrators, programmers, and end users to learn and fully utilize newly rightsized systems. Finally, it can also take time, often years, to realize cost savings from the rightsizing process. But delaying this process can result in lost productivity and decreased market presence, as other, more aggressive companies, incorporate rightsized systems into their business. MAJOR RIGHTSIZING COMPONENTS The major components affected by rightsizing fall into three basic categories: hardware, network systems, and software. Hardware Hardware refers to any physical component or device that makes up a computer system, from the internal chips to the computer housing or chassis. Peripherals are hardware devices that are attached to a computer's housing, for example, keyboard, monitor, and printer. 6 9axX I Rightsizing Overview Computers are themselves a major class of hardware systems. Traditionally, all computers were classified as one of three types, listed here in terms of de- creasing size and computing power: mainframes, minicomputers, and microcomputers (e.g., workstation and PCs) (see Fig. 1-2). However, with continuing technical advances in the size and power of CPUs (central processing units) and the storage capacity of memory chips, as well as less expensive manufacturing techniques, the distinction among these three groups has blurred. Smaller, low-end mainframes are now almost indistinguishable from high-end minicomputers, and the distinction between minicomputers and microcomputers is similarly blurred. Mainframe computers, so named because they were originally built on a large chassis or "main frame," are the fastest, largest, and most expensive of the three computer system categories. Users input data and receive processed results from the computer through a terminal, a hardware device consisting of a display screen and keyboard. Thousands of terminals are typically connected to one central, mainframe computer. Terminals should not be confused with microcomputers. Although both have similar peripheral devices, such as a monitor and a keyboard, terminals generally have far less computing power. There are three main types of terminals: dumb, smart, and intelligent. Dumb terminals can only send and receive data; they have no data processing capability. Smart terminals are the next step up, enabling the user to perform some basic data editing functions. Finally, intelligent terminals can send and receive data, and also run simple applications, associated with information display, independent of the mainframe computer. (Microcomputers connected to a host machine can serve as intelligent terminals.) The term host has many meanings. For example, when many dumb terminals are connected to one mainframe, the mainframe "hosts" the terminals by provid- ing requested services, data storage, and input/output (I/O) resources. In a broader sense, a host computer is any physical system that interprets and runs software programs. These programs may have been written on other computers, called logical or virtual machines, that are attached to the host via a network. Thus, a host can be Mainframe Minicomputer Microcomputer • Supports thousands of terminals • Supports hundreds of terminals — Supports 1 to 20 users • Corporate business machine - Lab and university machine — Includes PCs and workstations • $1 to $25 million • $30K to $1 million - Individual or server machine -$1Kto$30K Figure 1-2 The three major classes of computers. Chap. 1 Introduction and Overview 7 a mainframe, minicomputer, or microcomputer attached to a network, depending upon the system. Minicomputers, or minis, are smaller than mainframes but still too large to be portable. Their computing power, memory capacity, cost, and number of users supported are midrange between mainframes and microcomputers.

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