[Info-vax] Layered products, the HP view !?!

[clairgrant71 at gmail.com]

On Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at 5:24:56 PM UTC-4, johnwa... at yahoo.co.uk wrote:
> On Wednesday, 17 June 2015 21:22:21 UTC+1, Jan-Erik Soderholm  wrote:
> > Robert A. Brooks skrev den 2015-06-17 21:27:
> > > On 6/17/2015 3:02 PM, JF Mezei wrote:
> > >> On 15-06-17 14:19, Robert A. Brooks wrote:
> > >>
> > >>> As stated earlier, any existing HP product installed on HP VMS V8.4 will
> > >>> continue to run
> > >>> following an upgrade to VSI VMS V8.4-1H1, although it's unsupported by
> > >>> HP and VSI.
> > >>
> > >> But if, after a problem, the customer tries to re-install HP-C over the
> > >> existing HP-C (same version), PCSI will refuse because the platform is
> > >> now VSI VMS , right ?
> > >
> > > That is correct, but this isn't Windows.  In over 30 years, I don't think
> > > I've ever
> > > tried to solve a VMS layered product problem by reinstalling the same version.
> > > In any event, see my comments below.
> > >
> > >> So in essence, the customers who do not "upgrade" products are running
> > >> on hope because they wouldn't be able to rebuild their systems or
> > >> re-install older products.
> > >
> > > The simple solution is to not run an unsupported configuration.
> > >
> > > Either don't upgrade to V8.4-1H1, or upgrade and acquire supported software.
> > >
> > 
> > Maybe this isn't a major issue... If you actualy need that extra
> > performance the i4 servers gives you, you can probably also found
> > the cost to "upgrade" to 8.41H1 and "VSI" branded LP's.
> > 
> > If you do not need that extra i4 performance today, you might just
> > as well stay for the time beeing on what you currently have.
> > That is 8.4 and "HP" branded LP's.
> > 
> > The roadmap says "Two releases are planned between V8.4-1H1 and V9.0".
> > Those two would also be Itanium releases. If any of them happens to
> > contain anything else besides of new hardware support (that is, some
> > new real functionality in the OS or LPs), then one can re-evaluate
> > what one is running. It might even be worthwhile to upgrade to 8.41Hn
> > even if you are not running newer (i4) hardware, just becuse of the new
> > functionality offered in OS and LPs.
> > 
> > I might have missed something, but right now with the current 8.41H1,
> > if you are *not* on i4 hardware, I see little reason to not stay on
> > current 8.4. What will running 8.41H1 in i2 servers give you?
> > 
> > Now, if VSI would like customers to switch there support contracts ASAP,
> > even if *not* on i4 hardware, there is some "marketing" to do... :-)
> > 
> > Jan-Erik.
> 
> That would seem like an excellent starting point.
> 
> And yet... earlier today in this very thread, Paul Anderson wrote this:
> "Some VSI versions of layered products (CMS for example) also include
> fixes made by HP since the last product release, but not made available
> in a released version until now."
> 
> Nothing i4-related in there, is there???? 
> 
> Now I realise that CMS may not be a business critical issue for
> most folk, but (if correctly reported, and representative of
> current policy) I'm thinking it sets an odd precedent. Or maybe
> I'm just confused, hence...
> 
> Also earlier today I posted an appeal for clarity at some stage, and
> in a helpfully intended response from Clair G was a link to a page
> containing the dread words "contact your HP representative":
> http://www8.hp.com/us/en/products/servers/openvms/what.html#!&pd1=1
> 
> It's early days. It'll hopefully get better.

It's early for all of us!