I have worked with all major UNIX variants as a sysadmin except IRIX (Solaris, HP-UX, OSF/1, AIX). I understand why some people like AIX, however, I strongly dislike it as a UNIX variant. I really do not enjoy working with it. Why? As the previous poster commented, it's the 'most non-UNIX of the UNIXES'.
The only thing I care for about AIX is the built-in volume and filesystem management. Outside of this, I believe it has several major design flaws (I haven't worked with 5L, but a good amount with 4.3.3). Flaw #1 would be the ODM, basically, a Microsoft-like registry for UNIX. Who is the imbecile who brought this concept to UNIX? It has no place, and causes more problems than it solves. Flaw #2 would be yes, as convenient as it is, SMIT. This tool performs such 'magic' behind the scenes as to actually modify literal values and sections of init scripts and modify values in the ODM, all 'behind the scenes', so you have no idea the number of different things it is touching. If I wanted to use a menu-driven interface to admin my system, I'd either choose Windows or OS/400. Flaw #3 would be the INIT system for AIX.....why on earth do they use the inittab, when pretty much every other UNIX operating system on earth utilizes an RC directory hiearchy? Flaw #4 would be its package (fileset) and patch management system. Every other UNIX variant I have used uses a fairly straightforward method of patch management (one patch package addresses one issue). For AIX you pretty much have to order a full CD's worth of fileset updates to address one issue. Flaw #5 would be the simple fact that IBM is associated with the design and support of it. The 'big blue' IBM mentality (mainframe and AS/400) pervasive to the OS is very obvious....needless to say, I haven't been impressed.
I could continue on, but I'll cut this short. Is there anyone else out there that shares my intense dislike for AIX? I think its gaining marketshare amongst UNICES is a bad thing, and I'm not too keen on admining any more AIX-based systems. My two favorite UNIX variants are most definitely Linux and Solaris. Very common-sense and straight forward. Even when these two implement new concepts and approaches to things, they simply make sense.
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AIX is Last on My List
Posted by: millaj01 on June 04, 2002 02:52 AMThe only thing I care for about AIX is the built-in volume and filesystem management. Outside of this, I believe it has several major design flaws (I haven't worked with 5L, but a good amount with 4.3.3). Flaw #1 would be the ODM, basically, a Microsoft-like registry for UNIX. Who is the imbecile who brought this concept to UNIX? It has no place, and causes more problems than it solves. Flaw #2 would be yes, as convenient as it is, SMIT. This tool performs such 'magic' behind the scenes as to actually modify literal values and sections of init scripts and modify values in the ODM, all 'behind the scenes', so you have no idea the number of different things it is touching. If I wanted to use a menu-driven interface to admin my system, I'd either choose Windows or OS/400. Flaw #3 would be the INIT system for AIX.....why on earth do they use the inittab, when pretty much every other UNIX operating system on earth utilizes an RC directory hiearchy? Flaw #4 would be its package (fileset) and patch management system. Every other UNIX variant I have used uses a fairly straightforward method of patch management (one patch package addresses one issue). For AIX you pretty much have to order a full CD's worth of fileset updates to address one issue. Flaw #5 would be the simple fact that IBM is associated with the design and support of it. The 'big blue' IBM mentality (mainframe and AS/400) pervasive to the OS is very obvious....needless to say, I haven't been impressed.
I could continue on, but I'll cut this short. Is there anyone else out there that shares my intense dislike for AIX? I think its gaining marketshare amongst UNICES is a bad thing, and I'm not too keen on admining any more AIX-based systems. My two favorite UNIX variants are most definitely Linux and Solaris. Very common-sense and straight forward. Even when these two implement new concepts and approaches to things, they simply make sense.
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