2009 support from HP, for a few, maybe
June 25, 2007
At last week's HP Technology Forum, HP introduced the concept of supporting HP 3000 customers beyond 2008. Jennie Hou, HP's 3000 business manager, cautioned the crowd of fewer than 30 in a small Forum meeting room that HP isn't extending its basic support for the entire user base beyond 2008.
Hou was specific in an interview after the meeting. "There may still be customers out there looking for help from HP," she said. "We will be looking at specific customer needs, and we will evaluate those needs based on local capabilities. It may not be a worldwide program. It's really on an individual basis."
Hou wanted to be sure that customers understand: HP's global message on 3000 futures hasn't changed. HP wants you to exit this platform. The vendor believes the risk of running a 3000 is increasing. Any post-2008 support from HP will only be available on a special contract basis. What's more, HP isn't even sure that any customers are going to want HP's support for the 3000 beyond 2008.
HP is calling the program Customized Legacy Support. Customers who qualify will be able to receive "site-specific patches, and workarounds." Hou said that HP will be shutting down its general release patch process at the end of 2008 — meaning no new patches will be available for download from HP's IT Response Center (ITRC) after December 31, 2008. As of January 1, 2009, what you'll see in the HP patch site for the 3000 is what you will get.
The whole HP offering for 3000 support in 2009 will depend on the parts available in a customer's area, plus other resource availability.
If everything above sounds exploratory and evolutionary, that is HP's intent. The vendor doesn't want to leave customers without support, but it appears to be sticking to its 2008 date. License transfers will continue at HP indefinitely. But many questions remain unanswered about the "post-08" period of HP's 3000 business. (Of this I can be certain, because I asked many of them. The replies often ran to "we haven't worked out that process yet," or words to that effect.)
HP's Jeff Bandle — the new liaison to OpenMPE — and Hou seemed to suggest answers will be available when they're needed.
HP still believes that one full year from the end of its 3000 business is enough time for a third party to step in and receive a limited license to portions of MPE/iX. By connecting the dots, that would make January of next year the time when a hand-off of 3000 operating system might occur.