Platform Lab Adds iSeries to Testing Repertoire

Published: November 21, 2006

by Alex Woodie

OS/400 shops in Ohio and other parts of the country gained a new place to test their programming efforts last week when Platform Lab, a not-for-profit organization set up by the state of Ohio for the sole purpose of testing software on all different types of server gear, launched a new iSeries testing offering along with its partner, MAPSYS, an IBM business partner based in Columbus, Ohio.

For $400 per week (plus additional set-up costs), you too can rent the iSeries Model 820 that Platform Lab and MAPSYS have obtained for the purpose of testing new applications. The server, a P30 class machine, features a single processor, 5 GB of main memory, 675 GB of internal disk, a batch CPW rating of 1,100, 240 CPW of interactive capacity, and OS/400 V5R3.

Platform Lab was created in 2002 as a partnership between TechColumbus (formerly known as the Business Technology Center) and the Ohio Supercomputer Center to provide a place for businesses to test new software, as well as to help companies practice disaster recovery scenarios. While it was originally designed to help companies in Ohio, the group, which is located near The Ohio State University in Columbus, also works with companies located in other parts of the country.

Organizations often cut their testing-related costs by 90 percent by renting time and expertise from Platform Lab, the organization claims.

In addition to the new iSeries, Platform Lab offers a range of other servers, including a Z800 IBM mainframe, HP 9000 K Unix servers from Hewlett-Packard, Sun Fire T2000 and V880 Unix servers from Sun Microsystems, RS/6000 and p650 Unix servers from IBM, and an SGI 1400L, as well as a full array of storage arrays, tape libraries, networking gear, and desktop and workstation operating systems.