My August 1997 editorial asked, "Would you run your enterprise database applications on Windows NT?" I wanted to survey readers about this strategic problem for several reasons. Microsoft had held its well-hyped Scalability Day in New York in May, and I wondered how people actually using Windows NT felt. (Most press reports were skeptical of Windows NT current scalability, though many expect it to improve in future versions.)
Many RDBMS vendors have ported their database servers to Windows NT, but whether or not these servers will support smaller workgroup applications or run-the-company enterprise systems remains to be seen. Windows NT 5.0 is on the horizon. I also had next month's (December 1997) DBMS cover story on Windows NT as a database-server host platform on my mind.
An electronic version of the Window NT survey was on the DBMS Web site from May 28 through September 2. (See www. dbmsmag.com/ntsurvey.html. This page now has the complete results of the survey.) 460 people responded during the three months the survey was on the DBMS Web site. 198 (43%) subscribe to the printed edition of DBMS. 205 (45%) work for companies with at least $50 million of annual revenue.
It is important to realize that this survey has not been conducted in accordance with strict statistical data gathering methods. Survey participants chose themselves; random sampling techniques were not used. Interpret the results with these cautions in mind. When I use informal reader surveys, I look for the most extreme answers and put little or no weight on results that show little variation.
The response that raised my eyebrows the most came from the question "If you are using Windows NT to host database applications, what changes in your usage do you expect by the end of 1998?" 260 people (57%) said "More" and 65 (14%) said "Same" -- only nine (2%) said "Less" (126 did not respond). I believe this result reflects Windows NT's momentum.
Survey respondents also seem to be starting small with Windows NT. Of the 252 (55%) who answered "Yes" to the question "Are you using Windows NT for mission-critical database applications?", 172 (37% of the total or 68% of the "Yes" responses) are using Windows NT to host database applications serving up to 100 users. 62 (13% of the total or 25% of the "Yes" responses) are supporting between 100 and 1,000 users. Only 18 (4% of the total or 7% of the "Yes" responses) have deployed Windows NT to more than 1,000 users. Supporting large numbers of users is a key goal for Microsoft. It looks like it has merely scratched the surface of this potential.
Windows NT has not yet achieved universal acceptance. To find out why, the survey asked "If you are not using Windows NT for enterprise-scale applications (more than 100 users, or multiple servers, or multiple locations), what features do you feel are missing or inadequately implemented in Windows NT? (check all that apply)" 266 people responded. Of the four possible choices, the most popular response (155) was, "It does not perform well enough." 103 responded, "It is not secure enough," and 113 checked, "It lacks adequate management tools (including third-party tools)." 141 said, "I'm not comfortable with Microsoft as an enterprise vendor." Microsoft's stature as an enterprise vendor depends on many factors. It's probably more of a personality issue; customers either like Microsoft or they don't. Performance, security, and manageability can all be addressed with technical solutions. Corporate stature is less amenable to a quick fix. If Microsoft in general and Windows NT in particular have an Achilles heel, this might be it.
Statistics never tell the whole story. The question about Windows NT's weaknesses elicited 94 written comments. These ranged from the terse "Not stable yet" to more detailed comments like "My large applications are run in continuous available, massively parallel environments. Windows NT does not scale well past four processors (Wolf Pack is still brochureware for me) so I use primarily Oracle and NonStop SQL."
In addition to the specific questions, 111 respondents added a variety of other comments. One that addresses Microsoft's push into the enterprise market states, "Any vendor must provide significant advantages over the current operating systems that can be measured in reliability and enhancements. The cost of changing must be beneficial fiscally as well. Being just as good will never justify the cost and havoc created by the move to NT."
I'm always interested in your views. Email me at mfrank@ mfi.com.