Re: PostgreSQL on z/OS - Mailing list pgsql-hackers

I am not currently working on z/OS, and don't have access to a z/OS
environment, but I did a little work with getting OpenLDAP ported to
z/OS at my previous company. I assume you mean Unix System Services
(USS) under z/OS, rather than zLinux. Since zLinux is essentially Suse
ported to the Z architecture, I don't imagine there would be major
issues there.

USS, on the other hand, is a different story. It's "posix compliant", so
the basic C stdlib stuff works, and things like shared memory are
available, etc. But because it co-exists in a weird way with MVS, there
is a lot of extra baggage to worry about, especially in the security
area (RACF). In order to get the best performance out of it, you would
need to run the server as a "started task", meaning it would be started
from the MVS side of the house via JCL.

There is also the question of what other open-source/GNU type things the
build environment depends on. Here is a list of open-source projects
that have been ported to USS available from IBM:

http://www.ibm.com/servers/eserver/zseries/zos/unix/redbook/index.html

This is a limited set, and most of the packages are some revs back.
You're not limited to this set, of course - it just might mean extra
porting.

And here is a link from the OpenLDAP FAQ posted by the OpenLDAP
committer who did the bulk of the porting for us:

http://www.openldap.org/faq/data/cache/719.html

In general, I found working with USS somewhat unpleasant, but porting
postgres should be possible.


- DAP

>-----Original Message-----
>From: pgsql-hackers-owner@postgresql.org
>[mailto:pgsql-hackers-owner@postgresql.org] On Behalf Of David Fetter
>Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 12:16 PM
>To: PG Hackers
>Subject: [HACKERS] PostgreSQL on z/OS
>
>Folks,
>
>At Linuxworld Expo/SF, I got a chance to talk a bit with one
>Andrew Schmidt of IBM about the possibility of porting
>PostgreSQL to z/OS.
>
>Here's what he asked about.  Any z/OS developers in the house
>who can address it?
>
>Cheers,
>D
>
>----- Forwarded message from Andrew Schmidt <andrewds@us.ibm.com> -----
>
>> In mid August, I did make some inquiries about using our ISV
>> facilities, but as we do not have for z/OS any 'free' locations, I
>> continue to check other avenues.  Could you do me a favor
>and document
>> (doesn't have to be deeply technical) the requirements that
>you would
>> have on such a facility you would need access to in terms of
>software,
>> amount of time, duration of usage, that sort of thing.
>>
>> Am I to take it, by the way, that this is being requested as a free
>> service?  If you are a Partnerworld for Developers member, we
>> certainly have for-fee locations that are available to you.
>>
>> Regards -
>
>> - Andrew
>>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> -----------------------------------
>> IBM eServer Solution Offering for Linux
>> (http://ibm.com/servers/enable/)
>http://ibm.com/servers/eserver/zseries/solutions/s390da/linuxpr
>oduct.html
>> Phone: (845) 435-6134   Fax (845) 432-9132   Tie Line 8-295-6134
>> Building 708 Office 2C3
>> andrew_schmidt@us.ibm.com
>>
>> US Mail:
>> IBM Systems and Technology Group, Dept.  Q5CA  Mail Station P389
>> 2455 South Road, Poughkeepsie NY  12601-5400
>
>----- End forwarded message -----
>
>--
>David Fetter david@fetter.org http://fetter.org/
>phone: +1 510 893 6100   mobile: +1 415 235 3778
>
>Remember to vote!
>
>---------------------------(end of
>broadcast)---------------------------
>TIP 5: Have you checked our extensive FAQ?
>
>               http://www.postgresql.org/docs/faqs/FAQ.html
>