Stable platform but limited new features
September 12, 2019

Stable platform but limited new features

Kenny McGarrity | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 4 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with IBM AIX

We currently use IBM AIX as the compute power behind our main legacy ERP system, D3. AIX provides a very stable platform for D3 and allows hundreds of internal customers to connect to our centralized software without batting an eye.

Pros

  • IBM AIX is a very stable server product, and I can't recall a time when the server has crashed due to a hardware fault.
  • If you have legacy software that can't run on the new-fangled Linux flavors, AIX might be the way to go.
  • AIX has a host of built-in management tools that makes system configuration easy for a novice.

Cons

  • A lot of the built-in commands have not been updated in years. If you're used to some fancy CLI options in Linux, you may be out of luck with AIX.
  • Out of the box, you cannot run open-source Linux utilities on AIX. There is a toolbox you can install, however, it's not the same versions as you would get in different Linux flavors.
  • Tab completion for files and Up arrow to re-run previous commands don't work out of the box without running a Korn shell. A small annoyance, but one that catches me every time!
  • The server is expensive, so hardware upgrades aren't taken lightly.
  • Because of the requirements for our ERP system, the software cannot be virtualized. This is not the AIX's fault, however, we are forced to purchase what feels like an expensive dinosaur.
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
Like AIX, Red Hat Enterprise Linux is a very stable operating and designed for companies who don't want to be on the bleeding edge of Linux technology.
There is lots of documentation out there for AIX. On the times I've had to address a hardware issue, IBM's support has been great.

Do you think IBM AIX delivers good value for the price?

No

Are you happy with IBM AIX's feature set?

No

Did IBM AIX live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of IBM AIX go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy IBM AIX again?

Yes

If you need to run legacy software that is specifically written for AIX, then the server is great. The hardware is also solid and a lot of thought has gone into making it a robust and stable system. Otherwise, my default choice would be to just stick with Linux.

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