HP intends to take down 3000 certs
February 18, 2008
In the latest evidence of HP's exit from the 3000 community, Hewlett-Packard has included two HP 3000 certifications among a list of credentials which the vendor plans to cancel on June 1.
HP 3000 advocate Paul Edwards convinced HP to revive these technical certifications during 2006 and 2007, winning back a way to measure MPE/iX skills in a market that is still weathering a loss of expertise. But as Edwards retired from OpenMPE's board, he reported that HP has announced a long list of discontinued certifications for its enterprise products. A lack of desire to achieve or retain a cert may have led HP to its decision.
"The response I had from the certified professionals in the MPE community was very weak when I was working this issue with HP in 2006," Edwards said. "Sad to say, apathy has appeared in many more places in the HP 3000 community. I don't think HP will change the demise of the two HP 3000 certifications as before."
HP is canceling its Presales HP e3000 Technical Certification and MPE/iX System Administration certificates among a host of cutbacks scheduled for June. In all, 32 certifications will drop off HP's training rolls, including testing and validation for skills in StorageWorks, Alpha servers, and even Superdome consulting and configuration. The retirement of the MPE and 3000 certifications could even impact sites leaving the platform but seeking interim expertise.
Fewer than 60 HP 3000 professionals still held any HP MPE/iX certification as of this year, by Edwards' estimates. HP says all of the credentials will be expired as the end of May, with no other 3000 options open from HP's Americas HP Certified Professional Program. As it has since late 2001, HP labels the servers still running in key companies as "outdated."
These HP credentials are obsolete; either a more up-to-date version exists, or the technology is outdated and is no longer considered valid. If you hold an “Expired” credential and no other valid credentials, you will no longer receive the benefits of being an HP Certified Professional.
For HP 3000 Certified Professionals, these benefits extended to a complimentary MPE/iX release tape — such as the upcoming PowerPatch for MPE/iX 7.5. The benefits at large to a 3000 site, in addition to those from HP, can impact either a homesteading or migrating community member, Edwards said.
I think it depends on their internal technical staff expertise. And, if they need help then a certified person or third party software support would be needed if they don’t have the expertise and need a qualified person. A big problem is the rapidly shrinking MPE talent pool for support people. Also, many HP 3000 people were applications oriented, not internals or highly skilled system managers.
Encompass president Nina Buik said earlier this month that the emerging Endeavor alliance of user groups could take up the HP 3000 certification issue as an advocacy item with HP.