Re: HP to dump itanium - bring back alpha?

david20_at_alpha2.mdx.ac.uk
Date: 08/23/05 

Date: Tue, 23 Aug 2005 15:52:54 +0000 (UTC)

In article <430A1187.7DEC071E@teksavvy.com>, JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@teksavvy.com> writes:
>susan_skonetski@hotmail.com wrote:
>> The article on the Inquirer is pure rumor please ignore it, it is just
>> wasting everyone's time. I promise if I hear anything I will let my
>> distribution lists know.
>
>
>In fairness Sue, you will probably not hear any officiall announcement
>before we do. Remember June 25 2001 ?
>
>Terry Shannon managed to get the scoop just a few days early.
>
>Right now, the speculation about IA64's retirement is just based on
>context/circumstances. HP isn't ready to make a formal annnouncement,
>nor should it. It made a big mistake of pre-annoucing the murder of
>Alpha years before IA64 was able to come close to Alpha. So HP must wait
>for the 64 bit 8086 to mature and gain system interfaces that allow it
>to scale to enterprise systems before it can make a formal announcement
>or replacing IA64 with the 8086.
>

Sorry I have to strongly disagree.
If IA64 is going to be retired then the sooner it is announced the better.
The last thing VMS needs is for people to have followed HPs assurances
and migrated to IA64 only to have the rug pulled out from under them.
The big difference between Alpha and IA64 is the number really using the
platform.

Given the current dates that HP is giving for last sales of Alpha Systems lots
of people who need new systems in the near future will have a hard choice.
If they choose IA64 and six months after they have moved it is then cancelled
then VMS will be dead at those sites.

HP may have to support those VMS IA64 systems into the future but how long
will third-parties be willing to continue updating their products on the
platform.

David Webb
Security team leader
CCSS
Middlesex University

>The writing may be on the wall, but it isn't official yet.

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