[Info-vax] Marketing ideas for VSI ?

[Stephen Hoffman]

On 2018-12-14 16:49:46 +0000, Rich Jordan said:

> What Hoff said remains a (no longer 'the') major problem with 
> clustering; the excessive cost.

Clustering pricing was routinely US$25K per host in various quotes, and 
this was for low-end single-socket Alpha server boxes.

This pricing has been utterly untenable in a number of the quotes I've 
worked, and has either wholly blown apart or has led to severely 
down-graded configurations.

> Cluster in a box.
> Two decent servers, shared storage or shadowing with a cluster 
> interconnect (even if it is just GbE or 10GbE)

Either three servers, or two servers with a cluster shared storage 
interconnect.

Two servers without a shared interconnect is a primary-secondary 
configuration at best, and more typically a baroque and expensive 
replicated-storage failover configuration.

10GbE minimally.  Faster would be preferable.  And my usual reference 
around network I/O stack performance: https://lwn.net/Articles/629155/

> 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.

Oracle would seem an unlikely partner in this effort, though stranger 
things have happened.

PostgreSQL or SQLite are alternatives and can be good options, and that 
incorporation would address other longstanding issues within the base 
distro and its apps.  Downside: PostgreSQL is wedged behind SSIO.

The VSI debates around traditional license prices, around support-based 
prices with low-cost or free licenses akin to Centos and Fedora and 
with RHEL when support is desired, and around a migration to software 
service (rental) pricing akin to iCAP or otherwise will undoubtedly 
continue.  The OpenVMS x86-64 licensing was the usual baroque 
collection of boxes and arrows—simplicity is seemingly an anathema to 
software licensing—and it seems likely we'll learn more about that 
licensing as the production release approaches.

Yes, having a pre-packaged configuration would be interesting.  BTW: 
DEC offered this sort of thing with the VAX 6333, VAX 8974 and VAX 
8978, and a few other little-known VAX "models".  VAX 6333 list price 
was between US$2M and US$3M depending on storage, BTW.  It wouldn't 
surprise me to see a recent smartphone or tablet outrun that most VAX 
configurations, either.  But I digress.

OpenVMS has no entry-level pricing.   But those same licenses are the 
lifeblood of VSI.  No good answer, here.



-- 
Pure Personal Opinion | HoffmanLabs LLC