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

[Bill Gunshannon]

On 3/29/19 5:02 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
> 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?
> 

If every VMS system in the world were to convert tomorrow I doubt
it would be enough business to cover the cost of creating a hardware
design and manufacturing company.

bill