Purchasing an OpenVMS Alpha V8.4 install kit: how?

[Richard Jordan]

A customer (with an active support contract but no media service) is planning an upgrade to V8.4 Alpha.  None of their contacts from the last purchase (late 2007) are reachable; the HP people answering the number (no, I don't have it) do not even know what VMS or OpenVMS is.  They tried several times, and kept getting forwarded until they hit a dead end (left on hold for a LONG time till they gave up).  So they asked us to find out.

We've had pretty much the same result.  Calling in to the pre-sales or general contact numbers seems to send us off into different paths into HPs interior, but with nobody able to either provide the kit or get us to where we can get it.  The last time today sent us to one of the partner program associates (not sure which partner program) who said that as far as he knows, all enterprise level items, even media kits, need to be purchased through enterprise distributors, but cannot be purchased through HP directly.  At least he knew what OpenVMS was and that HP sold it; first one of the day.

So we're pinging a couple of distributors, as well as resellers.  While we wait I thought I'd ask here.  Anyone have a contact into HP where we can send them money (preferably by credit card over the phone but whatever works) and have them send us the kit?  Or does the new and improved black-out HP really no longer do that?

The customer wants the official kit.  We've got media (locally burned from DSPP downloads) but they want the real thing.  Unless of course we can no longer get it for them...

[John Gillings]

Richard,

   Nostalgia! So the classical digital "chequebook slap" lives on! Customer slapping sales people around with cheque book yelling "TAKE MY MONEY!" with no response. Compaq inherited it from DEC and HP from Compaq.

If you have a service contract, try logging a technical support case asking for assistance in upgrading. This should get you through to one of the last remaining VMS literate people in HP. They may be able to help locate someone who can sell you some VMS product.

Good Luck!

[Brad McCusker · Accepted solution]

Where are you?  Is there an Ambassador in your geography?

Drop a mail to the Office of OpenVMS Programs (OpenVMS.Programs@hp.com)?

There is still a very helpful contact in HP who was affiliated with the product team when it was still all US based.  Drop me a note and I can try to connect you to her - she's been very helpful to me with some product issues recently.  My mail is my last name at sciinc.

Brad McCusker

Softtware Concepts International

www.sciinc.com

[Andy Bustamante]

Ramani, Sujatha at HP may be able to find a contact, s.r at hp com.  I can provide you some contacts for (United States) authorized resellers who have access to the incantations allowing them to acquire OpenVMS kit. 

If I need a printer, or ink refill hp.com won't stop asking me to order.  Maybe if VMS were marketed by the printer folks . . .

[Richard Brodie_1]

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@John Gillings wrote:

"If you have a service contract"

You mean HP still do those? They seem to be rarer than unicorns round here.

[Richard Jordan]

We never heard back from the VMS Programs email or the ambassador (or Meg Whitman's office), but Brad McCusker's contact did get us through to someone who could help (and also had some difficulty in finding out 'just how' to do it).  Apparently there's no longer a way to purchase the kit over the phone with a credit card; you have to go the formal quote/PO/purchase route.

I've requested permission to post at least some kind of contact info here and on COV to make it easier next time someone needs to purchase VMS media;  I'm waiting on a reply.  Hopefully someone is willing to let that information go public.

Thanks, Brad.  The customer has the media on order.