[Info-vax] VSI has a new CEO

[Arne Vajhøj]

On 8/3/2021 5:57 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
> On 8/3/2021 3:22 PM, Arne Vajhøj wrote:
>> On 8/3/2021 3:01 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
>>> I'm aware of a current attempt to move off VMS and the application
>>> running on VMS.  "Painful" is one thing.  Just won't work is another
>>> thing entirely.  The "new system" just isn't working.  Customer #1 is
>>> still trying.  While not officially confirmed, word is customer #2 has
>>> decided to stay with the old and working system.  Seems they just
>>> signed a deal to be the North American distributor for a well known
>>> company, and they refuse to allow new computer system problems to
>>> threaten that deal.
>>
>> Migrations are usually tricky.
>>
>> - a huge code base
>> - maybe documentation is lacking/obsolete
>> - maybe many of the people knowing the system best has left/retired
>> - the new technology may work better with a change of design than
>>   with a 1:1 port
>> - the business wants/needs to add new features to the old system
>>   during the entire port making the new system a moving target
>> - the sales guys for the new technology may have oversold its
>>   capabilities
>> - the sales guys for the team doing the migration may have
>>   oversold their skills
>> etc.etc.
> 
> In addition, the current system is not the problem.  Yes, there are issues.
> 
> Erik is 79
> I am 75
> Bill is late 60s
> Last guy is early 50s
> 
> Auditors say support for current system is too old.
> Auditors say current system is running on obsolete HW (itanic).
> Auditors say current system is obsolete software and language (Basic).
> Auditors proposed new system, which they own.
> 
> You starting to get an idea where the real problem lies?

You may not like those auditors and they may be
a real PITA.

But their point is not totally off.

3/4 of support team is at retirement age.

Itanium systems are no longer being produced.

It will be difficult to hire people with VMS Basic
and Macro-32 skills.

That is a risk.

And therefore it is a problem.

It is not an urgent problem. You can buy Itanium's from IslandCo.
It does not sound like you are ready to retire.

So there is time to handle that risk.

I don't know your context but something like
the following would go a long way to mitigate
the risks:
* VSI get VMS x86-64 out in production quality supported
   on one or more common VM's
* you migrate the index-sequential files / custom
   files to a relational database (VMS will do fine
   as host OS)
* you retire the Macro-32 and the VMS code base
   becomes VMS Basic only
* [optional] you move some frontend to web - I guess
   that Grails may work for you (that should probably
   be on Linux)
* you hire a person below 40

The auditors recommending their own system is definitely
not un-biased advice - an I thought that auditors had gotten
wiser after Enron about both doing auditing and general consulting
for the same customer.

Arne