[Info-vax] X86 first boot? - A Really Stupid Question

[Dave Froble]

On 3/29/2019 1:03 PM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
> On 3/29/19 11:57 AM, Dave Froble wrote:
>> On 3/29/2019 10:35 AM, David Turner wrote:
>>> Seeing as how incompatibilities exist even on 1 Alphaserver or Integrity
>>> server, how the hell is VSI going to maintain drivers/support for
>>> options and servers and workstations running VSI x86-64 VMS?
>>>
>>> I mean, just buy a DELL server for example.
>>> Even under the same part number,  1 server may have a Broadcom network
>>> chip on the board, while the other may have an intel chipset.
>>> Same goes for SAS controllers, with ever changing firmware levels...
>>>
>>> And the support for a multitude of different branded servers using ever
>>> changing chipsets and cpus?
>>>
>>> Even Proliant servers, which are more parts-vendor stable, come from the
>>> manufacturer with different firmware levels. Everything seems to go out
>>> to the highest bidder on memory products, USB chips.....
>>>
>>> This is going to be TRUE HELL unless there is a very small and finite
>>> date code, product code, firmware version etc.
>>>
>>> Otherwise it is going to be a Sh*tstorm for VSI Support.....
>>>
>>> Methinks 2 very specific servers - HPE only - with some seriously
>>> limited options and expansion capabilities, is the only way forward...
>>>
>>> My opinion but experience does sometimes trump logic.
>>
>> One simple option David.  VirtualBox.
>
> I never found VirtualBox good enough for a production environment.
> Maybe it's changed since  my latest retirement, but I doubt it.
>
>>
>> Or put another way, let others handle all the different
>> configurations, in the case of VirtualBox, that would be Oracle.  In
>> the case of VMware it would be, I believe, Dell.
>
> VMWare is another option but it adds a substantial additional cost
> on any production system.
>
>>
>> Will everyone like this solution?  I doubt it.  I didn't until
>> recently.   Some will feel they just have to have things running on
>> "bare metal".   Some may need that.
>>
>> I'm not one who advocates HPE servers.  Perhaps I'm wrong in feeling
>> that way, but I'm more than a little upset about how HP treated VMS.
>> Just call me "Grudge".  Then again, I've usually suggested "don't cut
>> off your nose to spite your face" and "don't burn bridges behind you".
>>
>> Or, you David could set up an operation to mfg and sell systems that
>> meet rigid specifications, which VSI could support.
>
> While this sounds like a nice solution, sadly, I doubt there
> would be enough business to make it work.
>
> bill
>
>

What?  You don't anticipate a big rush to x86 when it's ready?

-- 
David Froble                       Tel: 724-529-0450
Dave Froble Enterprises, Inc.      E-Mail: davef at tsoft-inc.com
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