Enterprise and Mid-Range Server Operating
System Brick

Enterprise servers consist of the platform hardware and the operating system that together support the operating environment to support application and database servers that serve the entire NIH organization. They typically serve hundreds, if not thousands, of concurrent users and utilize high availability and redundant configurations to minimize downtime. 

Mid-range servers consist of the platform hardware and operating system that together support the operating environment for applications and databases that serve a smaller group of users.Because the distinctions between enterprise and mid-range servers depend on subjective estimates of workload magnitude, this brick addresses both enterprise and mid-range servers. These standards are meant to provide guidance when selecting a server for a new application or when upgrading the server environment for an existing application. It cannot replace the capacity planning and operational support analysis needed to ensure the new server environment (including storage subsystems and peripherals) that is not addressed here is capable of meeting the size, maintainability, performance, and availability requirements of the business. This brick specifically provides baseline information and the future direction for deploying enterprise and mid-range servers at NIH in terms of the preferred operating systems.

• SGI IRIX is currently used in a CIT special purpose scientific environment and is therefore classified as Containment for general purposes.
• Latest version of Windows will be considered Strategic, as well as its immediate predecessor (i.e. latest two versions will be tactical and strategic).
• Windows NT is classified as retirement because Microsoft is going to discontinue support in the next few years. NIH should migrate to Microsoft Windows Server 2003.
• HP Tru64 is classified as containment as HP will not enhance this operating system beyond 2006 or support the code beyond 2011.
• IBM's z/OS is classified as Tactical for the ADB and DB2-based applications.
• Linux on zSeries will be deployed on z/VM.
• Windows 2000 is classified as containment because Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 are to be used for tactical and strategic deployment.
• Other flavors of UNIX are classified as containment because HP-UX, IBM AIX, Sun Microsystems, Redhat Linux and Novell SUSE Linux are to be used for tactical and strategic deployment.
• NIH currently runs a custom-built source version of Linux (presently running the 2.4 kernel with glibc 2.2.5) which is considered containment as RedHat and Novell SUSE are to be used for tactical and strategic deployment.
• While Linux is considered strategic for mid-range applications, there are still too few implementations at the enterprise level to make it tactical or strategic within the NIH enterprise. NIH will seek opportunities to pilot Linux implementations at the enterprise level, leveraging lessons learned from mid-range implementations.
• Tactical and strategic products were selected to leverage NIH's investment in products that are a proven fit for NIH's known future needs. Leveraging baseline products in the future will minimize the operations, maintenance, support and training costs of new products.
• Some baseline products have been designated retirement and containment. These products are either not as widely or successfully deployed at NIH, or they do not provide as much functionality, value, or Total Cost of Ownership as the selected tactical and strategic products.