[Info-vax] Marketing ideas for VSI ?

[Rich Jordan]

On Friday, December 14, 2018 at 7:41:06 AM UTC-6, Simon Clubley wrote:
> Based on the comments in the other thread, I thought it would be
> a good idea to ask if anyone has any ideas about how VSI can promote
> VMS to the larger world.
> 
> One idea I had was something along the lines of the disaster-proof
> video showing what VMS clusters can do. I was thinking of a demo
> something along these lines:
> 
> A 3-site cluster, with each site about 50 miles away from the other
> sites, maybe in a triangle, with each side of the triangle about
> 50 miles long. There would also be devices/PCs/etc using the cluster.
> 
> The cluster would have fully shared everything, including HBVS,
> in a fully active/active configuration across all 3 sites.
> 
> The video shows all 3 sites and the devices/PCs/etc on-screen at
> the same time.
> 
> The power is pulled from one site to simulate a disaster, while a
> clock starts running showing how long it takes for the remaining
> cluster nodes to recover.
> 
> The demo would make a point of saying that not one single byte of
> data was lost and passive-style replication wasn't necessary as all
> sites had their data in sync with each other at all times.
> 
> Does anyone have any other ideas ?
> 
> Simon.
> 
> -- 
> Simon Clubley, clubley at remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
> Microsoft: Bringing you 1980s technology to a 21st century world

What Hoff said remains a (no longer 'the') major problem with clustering; the excessive cost.  What I'd like to see now, which would probably mostly help with ongoing sales to existing customers (though I think it would be a small benefit to new sales) is the same suggestion I made when Compaq bought Digital and for a brief hopeful quarter or two when Pfeiffer actually mentioned VMS and there was that one advertisement that mentioned it, before compaq shuffled back into the windows uber alles morass.  

Cluster in a box.
Two decent servers, shared storage or shadowing with a cluster interconnect (even if it is just GbE or 10GbE)
VMSCluster (and maybe shadow) licenses included
Rdb or other relevant database license included (at least runtime)
Fixed price program development option including at least one compiler of choice and tools (more compilers=better); database dev license also if base is runtime.
Unlimited user licenses
TCPIP Services
Bundled service/support for (1 year?) with 'special' renewal pricing relative to having bought all the stuff independently.

At a price that is 'departmental approval' level at average-corp, whatever that is these days; $9999?  $4999?  No idea.  We're tiny so the owners have to approve everything.

Options (better/more storage, higher end servers) could be available but the decent usable entry level cluster in a box gets you in the door.

I don't know if VSI could do that; Compaq or HP could have, given their resources; they just didn't want to sell VMS.