Apparently, the news from my vendor that DEC was going to do something
new with the 4100 series got a little distorted on its way to me. I was
afraid that I had somehow missed the news - perhaps that DEC was phasing
these servers out and I just hadn't heard about it.
Dr. Blinn, as always, had a good answer for me. I don't mind not having
the absolute fastest stuff out; I just want to know that I'm supported
by DEC in the near/forseeable future. That appears to be the case, and
my mind is at rest.
susrod_at_hbsi.com
Original Post:
----------
From: Susan Rodriguez
Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 1998 2:52 PM
To: 'alpha-osf-managers_at_ornl.gov'
Subject: [Q] 4100 series on the way out?
Anybody out there heard anything about the AS4100 series of server being
discontinued by DEC within the next 6 mos?
TIA,
susrod_at_hbsi.com
> ----------
> From: Dr. Tom Blinn, 603-884-0646[SMTP:tpb_at_doctor.zk3.dec.com]
> Sent: Thursday, October 15, 1998 3:21 PM
> To: Susan Rodriguez
> Subject: Re: [Q] 4100 series on the way out?
>
> I checked with my contacts, and here's the story as far as we can see
> it
> from where we sit in the UNIX group.
>
> There is a replacement product in development for the 4100 series.
> It's a
> "box upgrade", physically a different cabinet, using the new EV6 CPU
> chip
> and possibly different I/O packaging. We don't have many prototypes
> yet,
> and we don't have the details on just how it will work. We expect
> that it
> will be generally available as product probably late spring/early
> summer of
> next year. If you need max CPU capability, and have adequate I/O
> capacity
> in the current 4100 series, then this may be the upgrade you want,
> since it
> will have the much faster EV6 processors. If you're out of I/O
> bandwidth,
> it may not be any better for your needs than the 4100 series.
>
> We expect the 4100 series to be in production for some time to come;
> it's a
> good design, well supported, a good balanced system.
>
> There are some other systems coming sooner, as I mentioned, that use
> the EV6
> and may be VERY price competitive. The first of these, in a dual
> processor
> configuration with, I believe, 6 PCI slots, should be out early next
> year at
> the latest. My understanding is that it will come with dual UltraWide
> SCSI
> and 100MBit Ethernet on a single combo card, as well as good graphics,
> if
> you don't need the graphics you can pull the graphics card and run it
> with a
> serial console to get more I/O options. I haven't seen the physical
> package
> but I'd guess it will be about the size of the old DEC 3000/500 series
> (the
> first and oldest Alpha systems, one of which I've got next to my desk
> here).
> That is, a large box for a "workstation" but not a large server box.
> But I
> haven't seen the real thing in the flesh.
>
> Leasing a 4100 wouldn't be a win if you can use the new dual EV6
> systems at
> the price which may surprise you, but I don't have enough details to
> tell
> you at this point when they'll be available or what they'll cost, and
> even
> if I did know I couldn't tell you until after announcement. But you
> might
> want to go ask some leading questions from your sales persons and push
> them
> to try to find out a bit more about what's coming. If you need the
> larger
> 4100 class systems, then in the short term, the 4100 may be the best
> bet,
> and you might push for a "buy the 4100 now, get a not to exceed price
> on the
> next generation when it's available" deal. I haven't heard of any
> program
> to do this, but you can try to negotiate something. But if you lease
> a 4100
> you could easily be holding on to it for more than a few months.
>
> Tom
>
> Dr. Thomas P. Blinn + UNIX Software Group + Compaq Computer
> Corporation
> 110 Spit Brook Road, MS ZKO3-2/U20 Nashua, New Hampshire
> 03062-2698
> Technology Partnership Engineering Phone: (603) 884-0646
> Internet: tpb_at_zk3.dec.com Digital's Easynet: alpha::tpb
> ACM Member: tpblinn_at_acm.org PC_at_Home: tom_at_felines.mv.net
>
> Worry kills more people than work because more people worry than
> work.
>
> Keep your stick on the ice. -- Steve Smith ("Red Green")
>
> My favorite palindrome is: Satan, oscillate my metallic sonatas.
> -- Phil Agre, pagre_at_ucsd.edu
>
> Yesterday it worked / Today it is not working / UNIX is like that
>
> -- apologies to Margaret Segall
>
> Opinions expressed herein are my own, and do not necessarily
> represent
> those of my employer or anyone else, living or dead, real or
> imagined.
>
>
Received on Mon Oct 19 1998 - 18:08:05 NZDT