Competence Center for VAX/VMS migration: what do YOU want

[Didier Morandi_2]

You won all. Let's call it "HP OpenVMS/I64 Migration Center" or better "Private Institute for HP OpenVMS/I64 Migration", or...?

D.

[Willem Grooters]

..or...
OpenVMS/I64 M(gration) E(xperts)?

"Private Institute" is Ok, as long as we have backing by HP, and as long as HP will recognize the expertise of (some of) their customers. That may be the hardest nut to crack.

Willem

[Antoniov.]

If vax applications are EOLed, why people don't change their system?

a) advisory, or better say Change Management i.e. psychological help to assist users in the process of taking such decision.

It's the most importart part of migration process.

Antonio Vigliotti

[Uwe Zessin]

Antonio,
any change costs money and has risks. And many managers don't like to hear the truth. They rather close their eyes, put the fingers in the ears and sing: "la-la-la, everything is great!"

[Jan van den Ende]

There ARE factories with plants running for ~ 15 years, with another 10 - 15 years expected. Such plants were BUILT TOGETHER with the software that runs it (typically on Vax, VMS or ELN, typically with dedicated, custom-designed periferals).
If ONE part of that plant (and the Vax IS such a part) breaks and can not be repaired/replaced, then THE WHOLE PLANT has to be decommissioned. A HUGE de-investment!

That means, IF there are no more spares, then there MUST be provided a replacement WITH THE SAME FUNCTIONALITY.

Discontinuing / not porting some products on the replacement hardware (I64, but also some on Alpha) is NOT the way to keep such customers happy!

Why do you think refurbished Vaxen are still so heavy in demand?
Why do you think Charon is often a better option than Alpha or I64?

-- I know, they are "only" legacy systems, but
"Legacy system" = "Stuff that works"

@ Uwe:

I have also heard that song. It is taught in Management Schools & Management Training, in MANY languages!

fwiw,

Proost.

Have one on me.

jpe

[Willem Grooters]

You will, I expect, run into a very different kind of problems when migrating this type of systems. One day, spare parts will become a BIG problem....There the challenge starts, if you don't want, or are unable to adjust/change the hard- and software

A lot of this hardware might be site-specific, eventually locally designed and assembled. Irreplacable, in fact.

If you replace the hardware (VAX) by another platform ((Intel or Alpha) + Charon) you need to replace the interfacing hardware (Unibus?) as well. Does anyone know of a GOOD replacement, that can be used WITHOUT ANY adjustment? nemonix may have such a replacement (PCI -> UNIBUS?).

In a lot of these environments, timing is crucial. Adding an extra hardware layer may cause timing problems. Using faster software may imply trouble as well - in the same area: timing. Not just in software, in hardware as well. So that's where the assistance of hardware engineers becomes crucial.

Migrating these environments is not a matter of days, weeks or month. It may take years.
Not just the technical part of the job. Validating and certifying the changed environment will take a lot of effort.

[Antoniov.]

Uwe, Jan,
you are right, some managers are afraid of changing and prefer still use old devices.
However, if they don't decide old software can't be migrated.

Antonio Vigliotti

[Ian Miller.]

for "Stuff that works" see http://www.xdelta.co.uk

Is hp co-operating and providing support for this center?

[Didier Morandi_2]

All,

Read this: http://www.didiermorandi.com/products.htm
and visit that: http://www.logical-co.com/

D.

[Craig A Berry]

Put up some success stories as soon as you have any.

I would also suggest putting together some matrices that allow people to easily look up aspects of their current software and hardware environment and see what they need to do to get to Itanium. Much of the material of this nature on the HP web site assumes Alpha to Itanium and it's not always clear what (if anything) would be different for VAX to Itanium. Digging up all the old VAX to Alpha materials you can find and cross referencing it with some of the current Alpha to Itanium material might help some people make the leap.