State of HP license transfers alive, kicking
October 16, 2012
Everyday purchases of used 3000 systems have included license transfers for many years by now. When there's a 3000 license to transfer, of course. Some customers have a host of old 928s they could transfer with legal paperwork. Some have just one server, but it's been in archive-only mode for awhile.
Taylor Lumpkin of Hire Experience is in one of the best license positions we've seen.
We are still a HP Partner, and HP have allowed us to have free MPE for over a decade now. We also own a small pile of 918s which all have legitimate HPSUSAN numbers with the HP license converted into our name by HP, back when they still did that.
But for others interested in a license transfer, the requirements from HP include a $400 fee (US dollars), plus a serious sheaf of documents, either to be signed or presented. The paperwork is no more extensive than it ever was during the post-1999 era. 1999 is the year that Hardware House and a few other brokers were sued by HP for illicit use of HPSUSAN numbers, all to create 3000s out of 9000s or upgrade the user limits. That was back in the day when MPE/iX came with user limits; those were dropped with the 7.0 release of the OS for the newer A-Class and N-Class 3000s.
But some prospective freeware emulator customers have more questions on the details. One veteran of the 3000 platform even wonders if an MPE V license will do for a transfer. After all, MPE is HP's property, but its vintage may not matter. Such stuff isn't covered in HP's webpage on SLTs.
Chris Bartram, who still owns an HP 3000 or two after more than two decades of development, software sales of Netmail/3000 and more, plus consulting on the platform, wonders about the process.
What's the cost to transfer a license if you do have a legitimate system to transfer from? Is that still $500? How much of a (scrap) 3000 do you need to perform a transfer? Just the serial number and/or HPSUSAN? Can one perhaps transfer a legitimate license from an old MPE/V era system?
Onward to the HP cost details. Examples of the needed documentation, by the way, refer to HP 3000 models on this page.
A cost recovery fee of $400 USD, plus applicable sales tax, is charged per server, per EVA, or per batch of OpenView products on non-server platforms. Sales tax is required for all transfers into/within the US. Sales tax is based on the location of the Transferee/New Owner. The payment should come with the Transfer Request. We can accept checks, money orders, Visa, Master Charge or American Express.
There's no language on the page that addresses if the hardware is scrap -- so long as the license is still alive and un-transferred. This is the Proof that HP requires.
The proof must show the Product Number, Serial Number, User Levels and a list of the HP proprietary software to be transferred. This can be done in one of four ways.
- A copy of the INVOICE for purchase of the hardware and software from HP or an HP Authorized Reseller
- A copy of a complete HP hardware and software SUPPORT AGREEMENT/ CONTRACT
- A copy of an HP PACKING SLIP listing the hardware and software, OR
- If purchased as used, a copy of the SOFTWARE LICENSE TRANSFER AUTHORIZATION - Exhibit F00, signed by HP.
Finally, the details appear below on where to get more specific answers to questions like "What do I do if I transfer the license to the emulator for testing, and then decide I want to run my 3000 in parallel for testing?" We have a pretty good idea what the customers will do, but it's unknown what HP wishes in that instance. It might matter to a customer's auditor, after all.
Hewlett-Packard Company
MS: SLT 4061
19420 Homestead Road, Cupertino, CA 95014
408-447-4418
Fax: 408-796-5390