All the problems IBM has had with the real 3990 disk controller – the Model 3 – are leading observers to suggest that the 3990 may turn out to be a very short life product indeed, and that a new controller, codenamed Trail Boss, may emerge with the 5.25 cluster disk subsystems for top-end mainframes that are expected in September or October: 3380 users needn’t worry too much backwards compatibility to support the 3380s should be a feature of Trail Boss; more exposed, if the gossip proves true, will be leasing firms that banked on the 3990 having a reasonable life span.
