COMPAQ
                                                         AV-R3XSH-TE

                                                         April, 2000


 Dear Customer:

 To continue our tradition of providing enhanced Storage Management
 software capability to our customers, COMPAQ offers this release
 of Compaq Archive Backup System (ABS) for OpenVMS[TM], Version
 3.0B. Storage Library System (SLS) licenses continue to be honored
 by ABS Version 3.0B to allow for easy migration.

 ABS Version 3.0B has been designed to run on OpenVMS VAX, versions
 6.2, 7.1, and 7.2 and OpenVMS Alpha versions 6.2, 7.1, 7.2, and
 7.2-1. You can use ABS in a mixed-architecture, OpenVMS VAX and
 Alpha systems environment. ABS allows for "rolling" upgrades. This
 means that you can install ABS on your server and incrementally
 update your ABS clients.

 ABS Version 3.0B is a bug fix release. Refer to the release notes
 for details on the bugs fixed with ABS version 3.0B.

 ABS V3.0B also contains a new version of Archive Backup System
 for OpenVMS Management Tools (ABS OMT). ABS OMT is a license for
 ABS which limits the functionality of ABS. ABS OMT is distributed
 with the OpenVMS Enterprise Integration package (EIP) or sold as a
 separate license.

 Refer to the Software Product Description or the ABS documentation
 for more information on ABS or ABS OMT.

 ABS supports ABS clients on Windows NT Intel and Windows NT Alpha.
 In a future release, ABS will discontinue support for the Windows
 NT Alpha client.

 ABS Version 3.0 was a major release which contains a completely
 rewritten media manager, MDMS. We also introduced multiple options
 for scheduling purposes. The options are:

 -  VMS batch queues

 -  POLYCENTER Scheduler V2.1B

 -  External command procedure to schedule batch queues

 -  External command procedure to schedule an external scheduler
    with a DCL interface.

 -  NONE (no scheduling done)

 ABS will discontinue support of POLYCENTER Scheduler V2.1B with
 a future release. POLYCENTER Scheduler V2.1B is not included with
 the ABS V3.0B kit.

 

 Due to device issues with DSSI and HSC connected loaders, this
 version of ABS is dropping support for the following loaders:
 TF857 and TF867 as well as the TA857 and TA867. We have also added
 a section to the release notes detailing the issues. Please refer
 to the release notes for more information.

 ABS V3.0B support the use of MDMS V3.0B as well as MDMS V2.9C and
 V2.9D for its media manager. With ABS V3.1, ABS will only support
 the use of MDMS V3.1 as the media manager.

 Contents of this Kit

 The enclosed kit contains the following items:

 o  Archive Backup System Version 3.0B software for VAX and Alpha
    systems

 o  Archive Backup System Version 3.0B documentation:

    -  Archive Backup System Version 3.0B for OpenVMS SPD 48.16.14

    -  Archive Backup System Version 3.0B for OpenVMS Release Notes
       (online only)

    -  Archive Backup System Version 3.0B for OpenVMS Installation
       Guide

    -  Archive Backup System Version 3.0B for OpenVMS Guide to
       Operations

    -  Archive Backup System Version 3.0B for OpenVMS Command Ref-
       erence Guide

 o  Media and Device Management Services Version 3.0B software for
    VAX and Alpha systems and online Release Notes

 Refer to the SPD for any prerequisite software. Refer to the ABS
 V3.0B Installation guide for installation prerequisites.

 ABS V3.0B requires MDMS V3.0B. ABS V3.0B is also compatible with
 MDMS V2.9C, but not MDMS V3.0.

 For additional information, please refer to the product documen-
 tation. If you need additional assistance, please call the COMPAQ
 Customer Support Center.

 Sincerely,

 Bryan Cox
 Product Manager, Archive Backup System
 bryan.cox@compaq.com
 ©Compaq Computer Corporation. 2000 All Rights Reserved.



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