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Recently, I requested a quote for a 996 or comparable system. Our
relationship with our data center facility has tended to be difficult for
all involved, and as the contract comes to an end, we are moving everything.
Much of it is going to a facility owned by our parent company, CGI of
Canada, while we continue to plan for further growth in the US. Our 3000
hosts an Oracle data warehouse for a customer, which we have under contract
for another two years (and I'm betting that since they have a regulatory
obligation to maintain the data, they will negotiate another contract after
the current one).

The decision makers looked at acquiring the existing hardware and software,
versus acquiring another comparable system, versus putting the data
warehouse on an NT server (although I'm sure it will be a W2K Server). At
this time, the decision seems rather firm to relocate the data warehouse to
an NT server, with no current plans to do anything else on or with the 3000.
I have not yet given up on discouraging this approach as lacking benefits
and fraught with perils.

Since we are a consulting firm and IT service provider, there is always the
possibility that we will get business which involves work on the 3000. But I
would personally be surprised if this would not come as part of a larger
contract, or an effort to webify or e-enable a 3000 or an application on it.
Why bother outsourcing a 3000? That's like hiring someone to breath and eat
for you. One of our sister data centers does have several 3000s. I do know
that in almost three years, I have not been brought in to any involvement on
those, nor have we brought in any 3000 business (although I have
participated in one proposal with a company that uses 3000s). It is hard not
to let reality overwhelm hopeful optimism at this point.

While I intend to maintain my subscription to the 3000-L for the foreseeable
future, obviously, unless things change, available time and ability to
meaningfully contribute will both continue to diminish. I am reminded of
Gavin's survey, which asked what one would do if they could not work on the
3000. Personal or private commiserations can be sent to me at stigers at
email dot msn dot com.

Greg Stigers
978-946-3186
Senior Consultant
CGI Information Systems and Management Consultants, Inc.
http://www.cgiusa.com

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