Migrating sites choose both Unix and Windows
May 27, 2008
Hewlett-Packard officials said this spring that migration efforts are on the down-slope for 3000 community, and its sees the HP-UX platform is the most popular target. Community members report a migration effort still well away from sloping downward, an effort aimed at an even array of destinations.
The most common answer to the question of “what are you doing with your HP 3000?” is “migrating.” But consultants, suppliers and customers say that delivering the answer and doing the work still stand months apart.
“We’re really doing nothing yet,” said Kim Borgman of National Wine and Spirits. “I’m guessing we’re going Linux, using Eloquence, and keeping the existing COBOL programs.”
While it’s not hard to locate an HP-UX migration — one of the biggest shares of our migrating readers say they’ve targeted HP’s Unix — the choices include as much Windows migration. Many still have not begun to work on their transitions.
Customers are aiming to keep their HP 3000s running beyond HP’s end of support date, with some only starting the real planning in 2010. Some homesteaders were once migration-bound, pulled over to wait, but don’t plan to restart their migration until after 2010.
“Two years ago, we had plans to move to a Windows server environment and use Eloquence with MicroFocus COBOL,” said Connie Selitto of the US Cat Fanciers Association. “However, this was tabled due to the cost of the code and data migration. Our plan is to remain on the HP 3000 for perhaps 2-3 years and then move to a Windows system, using SQL Server or Oracle to replace (if it were possible) the 12 TurboIMAGE databases which we now maintain on the 3000.”
Customers have followed package application vendors, such as IBEW & United Workers credit union taking on HP-UX with Summit. But customers with their own applications have made close study of options. Few seem to have migration deadlines earlier than sometime in 2009. Harlan Clarke Marketing Service is moving to Windows and SQL Server.
“We have had four different assessments completed by three separate potential partners over the past two years,” said IT Director Gary Stewart, who’s selected a migration partner to assist in the effort. The company will begin a detail planning phase next month through September, then do pilot test between November and December 08.
Next year, “We will begin execution of the migration project in January, with a plan to be completed by the end of 2009,” Stewart said.