In the Communicator for 6.0, HP stated that it would support (n and n-1)
releases of the OS (where n is the current major release).  The (n-2)
release would be supported for 6 months after the (n) release.   Power
Patches and Express Releases do not count as a major release.   If Dave's
statement "We are planning on ending support of MPE/iX Release 6.0 at the
end of 2001." is true then that implies that MPE/iX Release 7.0 must be
coming in June or HP is changing their OS support policy that they
standardized on with 6.0.

If true, this date will also have major implications for those customer's
planning to stay on 6.0 to maintain their CIO systems or HP-IB connected
devices.

Steve

=================================
Steve Cole
Outer Banks Solutions, Inc.
[log in to unmask]
www.outerbankssolutions.com
Phone: 919.231.2171  Fax: 919.231.7077
Sales:   800.368.6214
=================================
----- Original Message -----
From: Dave Snow <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, April 03, 2000 1:14 PM
Subject: Re: 9x7's going off support


> Actually, we at HP have said that some very old HP 3000 servers will not
be
> supported with MPE/iX Release 6.5.  The 9x7 Servers are not included in
this
> list.
> However 9x7 Servers are expected to end their support life on April 1,
2002
> (two
> years away).  I would not expect this date to move out.  This
end-of-support
> date is
> over 5 years after HP stopped selling these servers.
>
> Now for the MPE/iX operating system that runs on 9x7 Servers.  We expect
to
> end
> support of MPE/iX Release 5.5 at the end of this year.  We are planning on
> ending
> support of MPE/iX Release 6.0 at the end of 2001.  We have not stated when
> the
> planned end-of-support for Release 6.5 will be but it will be awhile (we
> just began
> shipping this release).
>
> If you choose to upgrade to MPE/iX Release 6.5, the 9x7 Server will be
> supported
> until its end-of-support date on April 1, 2002; however, you need to be
> aware that
> devices that use the very old HP-IB  and HP-FL I/O connections (some
disks,
> tapes
> and printers) are not supported with Release 6.5 (the code is not there,
> items will not
> work).  We did this to free up engineering resources to work on the next
> generation
> PCI I/O bus that will be seen in next generation servers due out in 2001.
>
> Finally, if you are interested in upgrading that 9x7 Server, HP is running
a
> promotion
> through the end of July 2000 to help you upgrade to a 9x9KS Server.  If
> interested,
> see your local reseller.
>
> Hope this helps clarify the situation.
>
> Dave Snow
> HP CSY Product Marketing
>
>
> Odor, Robert E. wrote in message ...
> >We have a 9x7, which HP says they will not support on MPE 6.5.  They also
> >say they will stop supporting the 9x7's themselves (the machines with the
> >HP-IB bus) when they stop supporting MPE 6.0 sometime in 2001.  We are
> >looking into replacing our 987 with a used 995 or 996, but I am wondering
> >how long those machines might be supported.
> >
> >If any of you on the list have a 9x7, I would be interested in hearing
what
> >you are planning to do.  Do you plan to keep running your 9x7 without HP
> >support?   Or do you think that HP will reverse itself and continue to
> >support the these machines?  I also saw in the March 3000 Newswire that
at
> >the SIG3000 MPE meeting there was discussion of HP-IB and the possibility
> of
> >"open sourcing" the HP-IB drivers.
> >
> >I  would appreciate any ideas that anyone has to share on the 9x7
> situation.
> >
> >
> >Bob Odor
> >Computer Operations Supervisor
> >Virginia Department of Rehabilitative Services
> >8004 Franklin Farms Drive
> >Richmond, VA  23229
> >Voice:          (804) 662-7481
> >Email:          [log in to unmask]
> >