[Info-vax] Multi-site OpenVMS field upgrade options?

[Dave Froble]

On 4/12/2019 8:57 AM, Rod Regier wrote:
> I’m investigating to see if I have missed out on a practical technical  alternative.
>
> Background:
> I have a North American multi-site installed base of Alpha and Integrity servers
> running HPE OpenVMS to support the application package my organization supplies
> for those customers.  The OpenVMS systems are supplied on a turnkey basis,
> so my organization is responsible for providing remote OpenVMS first-tier support
> from a central location.  The sites are usually provisioned with IT technical staff
> who can provide limited hardware support.  My organization is responsible
> for the rest of the hardware support.
>
> One of the options I’m considering is upgrading all of those systems
> from HPE to VSI OpenVMS.
>
> Question:
>
> Is there an approach I have missed in the following list to accomplish that goal:
>
> “Consultant approach”
> Fly in a consultant to perform an onsite upgrade at each separate site
> Comments:
> Very long outage
> Very expensive in consulting hours and travel, lodging, meals charges
>
> “Pseudo hardware upgrade approach”
> Ship a second similar architecture system to the site
> -	w/loaded and patches OS
> -	w/networking client configuration preloaded
> -	Migrate applications and client-specific data over LAN
> Comments:
> Shortest outage
> Shipping costs
> Needs float machine hardware pool for several different models
>
>
> “Drycleaner laundry approach”
> Make a backup of the client-specific data and applications.
> Freeze client operations
> Transfer over Internet to central support site
> Create OS image at central site
> Network configure the image to client site details
> Load client-specific data into the image
> Create bootable media with build system
> Priority ship media to customer site
> Walk client thru image load overwriting existing OS+data
> Comments:
> Lowest consulting costs
> minimal shipping costs
> intermediate outage
> No float hardware required
> Highest risk for unforeseen extended outage
>

The bottom line, as I see it, is that the CPU and all that HW is NOT the 
system.  The "system" is the storage, disk, SSD, whatever which is the 
"system disk(s)".

If you can make a new system disk, and a list of what may need to be 
copied from the "old system disk", then just have someone on-site 
install the new disk, then you (or whoever) can do whatever else you 
deem necessary remotely.

Ok, I've made it sound almost too easy.  But, tell me what won't work 
with this method, and then figure out how to make it work.

The key is, the CPU, memory, and such really don't matter, and no sense 
changing that out, unless doing some upgrades.

-- 
David Froble                       Tel: 724-529-0450
Dave Froble Enterprises, Inc.      E-Mail: davef at tsoft-inc.com
DFE Ultralights, Inc.
170 Grimplin Road
Vanderbilt, PA  15486