DEC plans to heat up the battle over network management systems by coming out with a complete answer to IBM’s NetView within its Enterprise Management Architecture, Computer Systems News reports. DEC is cocking a snook at IBM by choosing the name Enterprise Management Architecture, and the thing includes a facility for access modules that support alien kit: DEC is now committed to offering an access module that will manage systems and devices in IBM SNA networks. The paper reports that the new facility will manage all the elements of an SNA network – hosts, front end and remote communications processors, controllers and programs – with the intention of eliminating the need for NetView. The new DECmcc Management Station (CI No 1,313) is a step on the way to the full DECmcc Director, the embodiment of Enterprise Management Architecture, which will include the access modules. The DEC move is a serious threat to IBM – or at least to its margins, because NetView is decidedly expensive, both for the software licences and in the hardware it requires, and with DEC estimated to have a presence alongside IBM in as many as 90% of IBM’s accounts, a cheaper but equally – or more functional network management system would be very attractive. The bad news for eager potential users is that the first release of DECmcc Director will not appear until one year from now, and the initial release of the thing will not include the SNA access module – that is only promised by the end of 1992.
