RE: software-only issues

["Zhou, Don" <dzhou@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Steven:

I am agonizing over the decision of turnkey v software just as you are.
Aside from other cost and benefit analysis, what it boils down in my
case is the support or ongoing support for the UNIX system.  I have the
UNIX knowledge to get us now to software only, but the problem is if I
ever decide to leave, either the library or the institution has to find
somebody who knows UNIX.  As you are aware that people with both UNIX
and library related experience are not easy to find and not cheap to
hire.  Given the choices, library administration would go for the easier
one, which is to outsource the UNIX knowledge.  But if you are in an
institution that already has a staff on hand who knows UNIX, the choice
is easier.  With a mature system, the overhead is at the beginning
stage, i.e., setting it up and starting it. Occasional problems will
occur once it is in operation, but that would not be overwhelming so IT
would not have to devote one staff solely for the III server.

Therefore the first question, at least in my case, is where do you get
the UNIX support both now and later?  Without a satisfying answer,
library administration in most cases would be reluctant to move to
software only. This is just my opinion.

Don Zhou
William Mitchell College of Law



-----Original Message-----
From: innopac-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:innopac-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Steven Moody
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2004 1:34 PM
To: innopac@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: software-only issues

I think many of us would benefit from an on-list discussion of the pros
and 
cons of going software only, especially the cost effectiveness.  I'm
sure 
many of us are considering these issues now because of the necessary 
upgrades relative to Silver.  In our case, we just can't afford a new 
server at the price we are getting from III and we are hoping that we
would 
be able to swing it by going the software-only route.

I have searched the previous discussions and only discovered 
recommendations relative to the degree of UNIX knowledge of the IT
support 
and some positive comments on the III support.

We have pretty knowlegable IT support and they (of course) would prefer
to 
be running the show as much as possible.  Our III server is currently 
outside the firewall because of their concerns and this has caused all 
sorts of complications in setting up printers etc.

What we would like to know is, has anyone made major cost savings by
going 
software-only or does it end up costing the same in the long-run?  The 
information I've gotten on CSDirect seems neutral -- are there negative 
effects relative to support from III?

thanks for any help.

Steven Moody



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Steven Moody                               smoody@xxxxxxxxxx
Library Systems Manager               http://library.jfku.edu
Robert M. Fisher Library                 phone: 925-969-3110
John F. Kennedy University
100 Ellinwood Way
Pleasant Hill CA 94523-4817

                           

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