[Info-vax] Users of OpenVMS

[Kerry Main]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Info-vax [mailto:info-vax-bounces at info-vax.com] On Behalf Of
> David Froble
> Sent: 31-Jan-15 2:22 AM
> To: info-vax at info-vax.com
> Subject: Re: [New Info-vax] Users of OpenVMS
> 
> Arne Vajhøj wrote:
> > On 1/30/2015 8:52 PM, johnson.eric at gmail.com wrote:
> >> On Friday, January 30, 2015 at 7:42:12 PM UTC-5, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
> >>
> >>> I am pretty sure that there was only a few hundred thousands VMS
> sites
> >>> back in the VMS peak late 80's. And I would expect a pretty big
> portion
> >>> of those to have migrated off since then.
> >>>
> >>> Something in the 10000 magnitude sounds more realistic.
> >>
> >> According to HP, their count of paying customers was around 2500.
> >>
> >> http://www.computerworld.com/article/2497657/operating-
> systems/openvms--r-i-p--1977-2020-.html
> >>
> >>
> >> Of course that number is a bone of contention around these parts as
> >> some point out that fails to account for the sites that are front ended
> >> through resellers.
> >
> > There must certainly be a number of VMS customers without a
> > service contract with HP.
> >
> > But if we say that 50% have a contract with HP, then it only
> > makes it 5000 sites. Still very few.
> >
> > Arne
> >
> >
> 
> I'm thinking that the proper question is how many itanics were sold with
> VMS?  HP should know.  I'd think VSI asked that question.

When you look at the Partners, packaged solutions and general 
Inadequacies, getting accurate reporting of numbers like this is
Very difficult - for any vendor. HP is no different.  Especially after
going through approx. 10+ different local / regional / corporate 
contract/call handling & reporting systems over the years like HP 
/ Compaq / DEC has done. 

With each different system migration, those not on current contracts 
were typically dropped.

For Cust's under extreme pressure to reduce costs, it's hard to
justify spending big support $'s for something like OpenVMS that
seldom breaks. [reducing support $'s to keep Cust's was not even a 
consideration in most cases as this was a different internal org]

What HP BCS views as OpenVMS Cust's is maybe 5-10% of the actual 
OpenVMS Cust base.  The TS Support org can likely provide a bit 
better estimate, but as per prev comment about different reporting 
system changes, maybe could hit 25%.

I strongly suspect big companies like IBM and Oracle who have done 
many acquisitions and who have big partner models would be in the 
same boat.

Regards,

Kerry Main
Back to the Future IT Inc.
 .. Learning from the past to plan the future

Kerry dot main at backtothefutureit dot com