HP provides two levels of support for mixed-version and mixed-architecture OpenVMS Cluster systems: warranted support and migration support.

Warranted support means that HP has fully qualified two specified versions coexisting in an OpenVMS Cluster and will address all problems identified by customers using these configurations.

Migration support means that HP has qualified the versions for use together in configurations that are migrating in a staged fashion to a newer version of OpenVMS. Problem reports submitted against these configurations will be answered by HP. However, in exceptional cases, HP may request that you move to a warranted configuration as part of the solution. Migration support helps customers move to warranted OpenVMS Cluster pairs.

Warranted cluster support is provided for the combinations shown in Table 5-2 “Warranted Cluster Support”.

	NOTE: Only two architectures are supported in the same OpenVMS Cluster: OpenVMS I64 and OpenVMS Alpha, or OpenVMS Alpha and OpenVMS VAX, but not OpenVMS I64 and OpenVMS VAX. Only one version of each architecture is supported in the same OpenVMS Cluster: Version 8.3 of OpenVMS Alpha and OpenVMS I64, and Version 7.3 of OpenVMS VAX. System disks are architecture specific and can be shared only by systems of the same architecture. An Alpha and I64 system, or an Alpha and VAX system, cannot boot from the same system disk. However, cross-architecture satellite booting is supported between an Alpha and VAX system. When you configure an OpenVMS Cluster to take advantage of cross-architecture booting, make sure that at least one system from each architecture is configured with a disk that can be used for installations and upgrades. For more information, see the Guidelines for OpenVMS Cluster Configurations and HP OpenVMS Cluster Systems manuals.

Table 5-3 “Supported Migration Pairs” shows the supported migration pairs.

For information about valid upgrade paths, see “Upgrade Paths”.

For more information, see the OpenVMS Technical Software Support Service Web site at:

http://www.hp.com/go/openvms/support

In addition, see the following Web site for the OpenVMS Operating System Support Chart at:

http://www.hp.com/go/openvms/supportchart

Before introducing an OpenVMS Version 8.3 system into an existing OpenVMS Cluster, you might need to install certain patch kits (also known as remedial kits) on cluster members running earlier versions of OpenVMS. In a mixed-architecture cluster, you need to install an LMF patch on any OpenVMS Version 7.3-2 Alpha members. For a complete list of required patch kits, see the HP OpenVMS Version 8.3 Release Notes.

For information about supporting the Performance Data Collector base software (TDC_RT) in OpenVMS Clusters, see “Installation in OpenVMS Clusters”.