The disconcertingly slow take-up of Alpha AXP machines by Digital Equipment Corp’s VAX users makes the base look ripe for plundering, and Hewlett-Packard Co is declaring war in the US. The company has enhanced its Open Migration Programme, which was created in 1990 to help its Apollo Domain users to move to its HP-UX Unix systems to embrace VAX/VMS workstation users. It reckons that since the programme started, some 45 companies, which it characterises as the main share of the Apollo base has decided to make the move to HP 9000. To woo VAX/VMS users, the company has gone to Accelr8 Technology Inc of Denver, Colorado for its Open Software Solutions suite of migration tools, which is designed specifically to move VAX/VMS users to Unix. Open Software Solutions includes language translators and Unix-based libraries designed for converting VAX/VMS workstation applications. It also includes interoperability products for sharing of binary data between VMS and Unix systems on a network. The rest of the deal includes an improved trade-in programme; a new leasing programme; and HP Channel Partner participation. Under the trade-in programme, which runs for this year, user can trade in older systems for the new HP 9000 Model 712 workstations, which already start at $4,000, cutting the price even further. Users can also trade in servers and mainframes from 13 companies towards the purchase of HP 9000 Series 800 G, H, I and T class servers; systems eligible for trading in now include Pentium-based systems. Users can also trade in 3270 terminals for Hewlett’s new Entria X stations. Customers with a leased system from Hewlett-Packard or from other vendors can return the system to the lessor, lease an HP 9000 Series 700 workstation and get it free for the first two months.
