Jim Phillips wrote:
>
> Richard Gambrell <[log in to unmask]> points out:
>
> > My gut reaction to this thread is that those that have trouble with
> > solving problems on HP 3000 are in *big* trouble moving to another
> > platform.
>
> While we have quite a bit of in-house expertise for the HP3000 (in part
> because it is so easy to manage), what bothers me the most about moving to
> some other platform is the possibility of having to hire more people to get
> the same amount of work done.  Just for example, the two of us here perform
> the following job functions:

[snip lengthy list]

For our 3000, average session load ~120, I've done the bulk of system
administration and network admin/management plus some project analysis
and programming (more of a consulting role to the staff), and Richard
backs me up, though more into the project role now that we're trying to
go "somewhere completely different" first with web and now trying to
figure out what to do in the next 5 years.  We shuffle systems admin
tasks between us on the 9000/K570 but he does most of it, and does all
the DBA work and updates for the 3rd party Oracle application.  The
other application on the 9000 is maintained by the vendor (at quite a
considerable expense).  We used our Personalized Support option to get
two SEs here for the last HPUX update, and spent close to 20 hours
straight only to have the update go afoul (with onsite SEs!).

We do have 4 on programming staff that maintain our applications (they
are in-house and evolving, mix of maintenance and production).  They
can do basic DBA work on the 3000 (DBGeneral and Adager) themselves.

> In short, anything to do with IT/IS/DP at our four locations in Ohio and
> Texas is our concern.  Will we be able to get by with this lean (in numbers,
> if you ever met me you know I'm not lean!) staff if we move to an AS/400 or
> *nix or Win* box?

No idea of AS/400, but *nix will overwhelm you.  Win* is tolerable,
though not terribly scalable [yet] if you don't mind making frequent
visits to windowsupdate.microsoft.com and are willing to accept the
[in-]security of Windows.

In short, I'd say you're going to need help, maybe lots of it.  Come to
think of it, maybe that is why so many vendors are turning to "services"
for revenue.

Jeff

* To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, *
* etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html *