[Info-vax] x86-64-based Superdomes on the way (says HP)

[Richard B. Gilbert]

On 11/26/2011 5:20 PM, JF Mezei wrote:
> Michael Kraemer wrote:
>
>> This may well be, but associated support contracts just preserve the
>> past and have little meaning for VMS' future. A support contract
>> is not a "development contract".
>
> At this point, with HP basically having confirmed they are throwing in
> the towel on BCS hoping only to slow the decline of that unit, my guess
> is that HP will expand its VMS poslicy of just trying to cater to the
> existing customer base to HP-UX and NSK.
>
> However, when IA64 is discontinued, I think BCS will remain, mostly for
> NSK. Even if the functionality of NSK is ported to Linux on 8086, HP wll
> still need to build fault tolerant systems to run that version of Linux.
>
>
> On the other side of the coin, perhaps Whitman sent this trial balloon
> out to see if the HP-UX/VMS/NSK customer base will revolt and demand
> their OS be ported to 8086 servers or tell HP exactly what features HP
> needs to add to Linux to make it possible for customers to migrate from
> HP-UX , NSK and VMS to Linux.
>
>
> In fairness to HP, they have upheld their word to continue to support
> existing customers and give them time to migrate to a new platform (as
> per Stallard's original May 7th 2002 memo). And they will do this for
> Alpha and IA64 customers.
>
> However, those customers who need new features and support for new
> interconnects (such a disk arrays, IP stack features etc) will find that
> "support only" will not be sufficient and they will need to migrate to
> an actively developped platform eventually.
>
> Perhpas it is time for Hoff to port VMS clustering to Linux.

Who is going to pay him?  Who is going to pay for the necessary 
anti-nausea medication?