“There is a problem in the calculation of a new extent in table spaces larger than 2 TB (terabytes) and with 16 K (kilobytes) page size. Under these conditions, the calculations run into overflow.”
by Ducky Paredes
IBM Philippines’ recent press statements claim that it has no obligation to replace or refund the database management software it sold the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) a few years back that GSIS now claims to be defective after a lot of glitches have surfaced after a few years. In addition, IBM also claims that it has no contractual obligation to GSIS because the state pension fund bought the faulty IBM software from Questronix Corporation.
Wait, wait! Isn’t Questronix, an authorized IBM distributor, that sold that software to GSIS? It’s not as if GSIS bought the IBM software from the gray market or an unauthorized seller. As an authorized IBM distributor, Questronix sold the IBM software to the GSIS for and on behalf of IBM. Simply put, the act of the distributor is the act of the primary seller, in this case IBM.
Thus, although, the natural tendency is to blame the end-user for misusing the software (God knows I do that a lot with my own computers), this is a silly answer. IBM was also not too smart to add that it even did GSIS a favor when it looked into the problem and provided a software patch that was supposed to fix the problem but did not.
If the software was a-OK, why the need for a “patch”? And, if that did not work either, doesn’t this reflect on the competence of the software and patch provider?
Still another out-of-this-world contention of IBM is that it is not to blame for the problems being encountered by the GSIS because the IBM software is just part of the GSIS system and that a mix of other computer brands and software make up the total GSIS system. Again, perhaps, if it is true that IBM machines and software will not work with non-IBM products and software in the same system, perhaps, IBM should have warned the buyer before it sold its product.
Was there something wrong with the IBM DB2 that was sold to GSIS? While there have been no bugs yet reported on the IBM DB2 world-wide, the IBM laboratory in Ontario, Canada has admitted that the problem being encountered by the GSIS system had been traced to the defective IBM software. Questronix too had admitted as much before it was probably strong-armed by IBM to go against GSIS.
As the IBM software was admitted earlier by IBM Toronto and Questronix as being the problem, IBM cannot now point an accusing finger at the other components of the GSIS system as being the cause of the problem. Recently, Questronix has put the blame on the GSIS because it did not follow standard industry practices and skimped on parts of the system such as setting up a “disaster recovery site” that would have cost millions but is a “best practice” in the data-handling industry.
IBM may have something to do with Questronix’s complete turnabout from its earlier position that the IBM software was defective. Questronix is now saying the GSIS mismanaged the database that caused its software to crash.
GSIS put down over a billion pesos for what it now considers an IBM lemon. After it was installed, the management and use of the software should have been overseen by IBM for the first few years. Technical training and support is a given on big-ticket IT transactions such as the software and machines that GSIS bought from IBM Philippines through its authorized dealer Questronix.
GSIS wants the following from IBM: First, fix the problem caused by the “defective” IBM software; Next, replace the same if it is beyond fixing; Then, refund what GSIS paid for the “defective” IBM software if the company has no suitable replacement; And, finally, for IBM to pay damages to the GSIS members and pensioners, as well as to the GSIS as an institution, for the problems in claims disbursement traced to the “defective” software.
GSIS has a big fight on its hands. It will be difficult to prove its case that the IBM DB2 is defective. According to IT mavens, there are no known bugs or glitches in this software; at least, none have surfaced so far anywhere else but in GSIS.
The attitude of IBM, however, may have much to do with what’s all wrong with corporate America. It has to do with greed and a burning desire to make a quick buck and then let people hang and grit their teeth after discovering they had been duped through savvy and glib marketing.
There was a time, for instance, when owning an American car was a status symbol. Not anymore. Even Americans are buying Japanese or even Korean because the latter are more reliable, cheaper and backed by superb after-sales service.
There was also a time when owning an IBM computer was cool because they cost more and they were made by the “Big Blue.” But not anymore. Why would anyone buy IBM products at present when you risk getting a clunker and a taste of IBM’s non-existent after-sales support.
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The American Chamber of Commerce is taking the wrong tack when it tells us all to treat IBM with greater respect because it is a big investor in the Philippines.
Even if IBM may have sold our government a lemon?
Besides, what IBM investments is the ACC talking about? IBM has no manufacturing plant in the Philippines; its primary business here is to sell its products made in Taiwan, China and other countries. That’s it!
Questronix’s Director for business solutions, Bert Bartolome, admitted in a letter to the GSIS dated May 15, 2009 that the IBM DB2 software was defective and that it was the cause of the problems being encountered by the GSIS system.
Bartolome told the GSIS that the “root cause” of the problem was traced by the Ontario laboratory of IBM to the IBM software. This letter by Bartolome and IBM Ontario’s analysis of the problem belies what IBM and even Questronix are now saying – that GSIS is to blame.
Said Questronix: “There is a problem in the calculation of a new extent in table spaces larger than 2 TB (terabytes) and with 16 K (kilobytes) page size. Under these conditions, the calculations run into overflow.”
Questronix added in the letter to the GSIS that final solution to the problem “should come from IBM.”
So, how can Questronix and IBM now blame alleged mismanagement of the GSIS of the database when the finding of IBM’s own laboratory in Canada point to a technical limitation of the software, which was not admitted by IBM and Questronix when they offered the software to GSIS?
Is this – blaming the buyer when the glitches surface — perhaps, also among the IBM “best practices” in the IT industry?
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hvp 06.07.09)
3 Comments
greetings! Most of all matured policy of my colleagues, me included, reflected a zero claims. Meaning, the net proceeds of the matured policy always equals the outstanding loans and premiums arrear. To prove that I am paying for my loans and still not reflected in their records. I have submitted documents to reconcile my paid loans but until my maturity still appeared and deducted. I am still thinking how claim what is due for my maturity.Thanks!
Questronix is not a dealer or a distributor. Don’t think of the company like they are an SM where they resell products.
DB2 is a customizable software and its usefulness and quality depends on whoever customizes it. Questronix is an IT Solutions company…
programmers often run into a issues, most often a brick wall when working with databases… but what compentent programmers would do is to debug their code and trace where the error is. it’s a frustatingly painstaking process. but that’s the job programmers are paid to do.
the gsis case is an example of how inept programmers do it: sue the vendor.
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