[Info-vax] Alpha to Integrity migration, license options

[Rich Jordan]

On Wednesday, May 2, 2018 at 10:48:45 AM UTC-5, Stephen Hoffman wrote:
> On 2018-05-02 15:16:58 +0000, Rich Jordan said:
> 
> > The option of waiting for x64 will be presented (it has been 
> > mentioned).  And VSI has contacted us now so we're getting the info 
> > needed for either migration or going on the Alpha maintenance path.  
> > When we looked at replacement shared storage a couple of years ago we 
> > saw prices that made updating the SAN unfeasible.  We have some spare 
> > disks and they are still not that hard to get; its the SAN switches and 
> > controllers that have gotten painful.  Perhaps worth a new look.
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/201723-B22-HP-StorageWorks-SAN-MSA1000-4U-Rack-Mount/173226148438 
> 
> 
> Etc.
> 
> I've been picking up used Universal-sled 300 GB SCSI disks six for ~US$125.
> 
> MSA1500 and P2000 are alternatives.  Various non-HPE SAN controllers 
> have had support for OpenVMS, too.  (Wouldn't go third-party without 
> vendor doc and support, as OpenVMS does have some specific expectations 
> here...)
> 
> It's pretty rare for a switch to fail, though those are also widely 
> available used.
> 
> > The software porting effort is not all that big.  Getting the cluster 
> > ported and disks set up on the new hardware will take longer than 
> > rebuilding all the applications, which are written in BASIC.  We've 
> > done that before and the custom code (and the customer's updated code) 
> > is a straight recompile with already ported libraries and utilities.
> 
> That ease-of-porting situation is better than average for a site that's 
> still running OpenVMS Alpha, then.
> 
> As you're aware, used Integrity boxes are available, some variously 
> with warranties.  That'll get you newer storage and I/O, and better 
> remote management.  There's a supported multi-host SCSI configuration, 
> if you're clustering and might consider removing the clustering.
> 
> If you're using "enough" layered products or could use more and 
> particularly if clustering is in play here, VSI OpenVMS Alpha prices 
> are better than those of OpenVMS I64, though.
> 
> > But we haven't looked at environmental monitoring recently; the netbots 
> > used to be very expensive.  Right now monitoring is done by the Alphas; 
> > they track their own temperature, and the environmental info from the 
> > MSA, and start sending out alert emails to the site operators and owner 
> > if the temp gets too high.  And they shut themselves down at a bad 
> > enough point, but they can't turn off the MSA; there's no power control 
> > involved.  Worth looking at, thanks, regardless of the port/migration 
> > work.
> 
> A network-connected switch will work in the absence of firmware power 
> control on the array.  Odd that the MSA1000 entirely lacks that 
> just-power-yourself-down capability, but apparently it does.  And it 
> apparently can't power down from the front panel, either.
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Pure Personal Opinion | HoffmanLabs LLC

Hoff
     yeah, I would say prices have come down, at least on that item.    FYI I think we lost a controller once, and have had either two or three SAN switches fail through the years.  Plus 2 or 3 of the universal disks.

     A lot to think on and work on.  I have quote requests out for VSI, Integrity hardware, etc.