[Info-vax] Uptime for OpenVMS

[seasoned_geek]

On May 17, 1:41 pm, MG <marcog... at SPAMxs4all.nl> wrote:
> On 17-5-2011 17:22, ChrisQ wrote:
>
> > In fact, modern hardware is very reliable
>
> Perhaps, but not in my experience so far.
>
> I somehow doubt that the hardware I see nowadays will be running as
> long (and as reliably) as VAXen.  In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if
> some VAXen will even outlive some modern systems.
>
> > Irrespective of os, Vms, Tru64, Linux or even windows xp, modern systems
> > just keep going until you need to change something, or power fail...
>
> Linux, I don't know; well, okay, it 'depends'.  But, are you serious
> about Windows XP?
>
>   - MG

The hardware threshold is in the process of seriously backsliding.  HP
itself looked government buyers in the eye and told them they wouldn't
warranty or support hardware for 10-30 years anymore.  They now
expected government buyers to completely replace their hardware every
two years "because that's what commercial businesses do".

I don't know what HP was smoking at the time.  I have some really
large customers.  While they tend to purchase a new production machine
each year, it usually is only one of their production machines and the
machine it replaced is usually passed down to development, or the
least capable production machine is.  Some get passed along to
warehouses where they serve another 8-15 years under light load.

Trying to force a large customer like the U.S. Government/DOD into
replacing hardware every two years sends a strong signal HP is in the
process of "cutting costs" by "cutting quality."

Over the past five years I have seen numerous PCs, from many vendors,
fail to boot if the machine had been left turned on for two years or
more.  By "turned on" I mean never powered down, despite how many
times one had to ALT-CTRL-DEL XP back to life.  Because neither the
motherboard nor the CPU are replaced in "refurbished" desktops, I have
long since quit recommending those machines to individuals looking to
save money on a name brand, telling them instead to buy a brand new
generic and load their favorite Linux distro.  For around $200 they
get a kick bootie PC with a longer lifespan than the refurbished.