HP transcribes Jazz, sounds final 3000 notes
January 28, 2009
Now that the HP 3000 Jazz Web server has been switched off at the HP labs, the dozens of technical white papers and documents created by HP 3000 engineers have gone to live inside other Hewlett-Packard Web sites, mostly in the support organization. HP is providing a guide to track down some of the content by name.
Customers can download a three-page PDF file, which includes live links to docs.hp.com and HP ITRC pages, at the following address:
docs.hp.com/en/15001/IndextoHPe3000-MPEiXContentFormerlyonJazz.pdf
HP was continuing to fine-tune the locations of Jazz documentation and information. Not all of the Jazz papers had an address at HP sites, according to the first release of the map. HP’s Jennie Hou reports that “Transition and Migration: Choosing the Best Tools and Services,” along with a paper on the latest Network Printing enhancement for MPE/iX 7.5, will be getting public access links in an updated version of the map. But most of the papers listed in the current PDF have an active link.
HP said it is negotiating with third parties who want to host some of the Jazz content on independent servers. HP has already negotiated licensing agreements with third parties to host the content. When an agreement is completed, HP will post the information on the new download location to the hp.com/go/e3000 site.
OpenMPE said it has been negotiating the hosting of binary programs which were created by HP’s engineers for use on 3000s. Some of these kinds of programs survived in a gray area: created by engineers before they joined HP, or off of official HP duty. They already reside on servers outside HP, such as Mark Bixby’s www.bixby.org/mark, which hosts the popular patch tracker PatchMan.
HP said its go/e3000 site will also provide the best way to contact HP about 3000 issues if a customer has no HP support agreement, or once the post-2010 period is underway. An e-mail link on that page will send messages to be screened by 3000-trained staffers. However, through 2010 the main contact links for 3000 matters will be HP Support — or in cases of migration questions, HP’s Alvina Nishimoto or an HP customer rep.
HP’s final 3000 advisory concluded with a belief that it has responded to and addressed all of “the HP e3000 end-of-life requests” from the community in recent years. “We hope we have created an environment for customers that need to use their HP e3000 systems beyond 2010” through the programs and processes sparked by requests from OpenMPE and user groups such as Interex and Encompass. As usual, the document ended with the stock disclaimer that “The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.”
The vendor signed off with a wish of “our sincere thanks to our valued customers. HP looks forward to continuing to provide our customers the best-in-class services and the opportunity to serve you with other HP products.”