HPUX 3-year strategy documentation

[Joe Profaizer]

I have been tasked with writing a strategy document outlining our HP-UX strategy for the next 3 years. We have some PA-RISC and some RX4640s. Before I begin, I'm sure there are other types of similar documents that I can refer to. Any input or example documents would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[James R. Ferguson]

Hi Joe:

This HP site may be useful to you:

http://www.hp.com/products1/unix/operating/infolibrary/index.html

Regards!

...JRF...

[Steven E. Protter]

Shalom Joe,

I'm going to give you a mix of how we did it at my last job, with some extrapolation since I left. I'm not doing strategy in my current much more fun position.

We had a 4 year replacement cycle on HP-9000 hardware. We had support on all systems we used and that support is much less expensive during the first three warranty years than after. We did purchase remarketed equipment but only with warranty and with the ability to have both hardware and software on support.

They have begun the move to IA64 Itanium servers which are called Integrity servers.

The processing power of the Itanium series contineus to grow as Intel comes out with newer, faster generations of IA64 chips. The last PA-RISC chips have been released. Investing in that hardware, though supported until 2014 is problematic.

The reason its an issue is that HP has announced that this years HP-UX v3 11.31 will be the last PA-RISC release.

Since these machines are well built and can last 15 years, the prospect of no more OS releases is an extremely large issue.

As a general guide to the next three years, I recommend the following general steps:

1) Migration from PA-RISC hardware to Itanium.
2) Take important systems off PA-RISC. If the systems remain, consider taking off expensive hardware support and going with a pay as you go system.
3) New systems should be Itanium and if possible applications should be migrated to 11i v2 when practical.

SEP

[Kent Ostby]

HP's docs on Total Cost of Ownership are linked here:

http://www.hp.com/products1/unix/operating/?jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN