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Conference rocks::uk_digital

Title:Working for Digital in the UK
Notice:DIGITAL Stock quote: $35 1/8 on 10/01 at 18:04 eastern.
Moderator:WOTVAX::HILTONo.dec.com::hiltong
Created:Thu Sep 10 1992
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1443
Total number of notes:35591

1407.0. "LIFE - are many of our customers using it ?" by KERNEL::HANCOCKM (Use what you (used to) sell) Tue Mar 04 1997 10:04

    
    
    LIFE - are many of our customers using it ?
    
    LIFE is a utility that allows our customers to generate a machine
         readable file containing details of current revision levels
    	 of OpenVMS images,mail to to the OSC via the DSN link,and 
    	 recieve back a report within a few minutes recommending which
    	 patches to install..
    
    	 Only trouble is,to the best of my knowledge,the database hasn't
         been updated since DEC 95,so it is becoming increasingly useless.
    
    	 Before I start a campaign to try and get it back up to date,I was
         just interested to know if many customers use it,or even know of
         it.
    				Cheers Mick Hancock MCS South UK 
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1407.1HIPS::WATSONEenie meenie minee moe...That one!Tue Mar 04 1997 10:314
    Well, I've never heard of it, so I doubt my customers have. However,
    I'd be vert interested in getting to know more about it.
    
    Rik
1407.2Try the LIFE conference at SPECXN::LIFEKERNEL::LOANEComfortably numb!!Tue Mar 04 1997 12:340
1407.3Sounds like a good idea to me!CHEFS::SAUNDERS_SThu Mar 06 1997 12:5815
    I've never heard of the product, but here on site in Glaxo, we've just
    gone through a very painful process of collecting license databases
    from 300 systems to find out what versions of software are being run.
    We contracted the analysis out to a third party company as we did not
    have the resources to complete the work ourselves. Seems to me that
    this product could be ideal and would have saved Digital money in terms
    of using a third party vendor and assisted in retrieving revenue for
    unlicensed software. Also helps the customer to get their
    administration in order.
    
    I'd definately be interested if the product was udated.
    
    REgards
    
    Sue
1407.4COMICS::SHELLEYDon't get mad, get even.Thu Mar 06 1997 13:119
    > ...collecting license databases from 300 systems to find out what
    > versions of software are being run.
    
    An odd thing to do as there is no software version info in a license
    database.
    
    Royston
    
    
1407.5ProPatch may be the way to go ...KERNEL::MEGARITYI remember when Rock was youngThu Mar 06 1997 17:026
The LIFE database has not been updated for quite some time ...

However the same functionality is available through the ProPatch utility,
which is produced by the Colorado CSC and which is available to US customers,
but they've got to pay extra in order to use it.
1407.6Upsell Opportunity AlertKERNEL::MORRISWhich universe did you dial?Tue Mar 25 1997 10:1523
    Folks,
    
    Propatch is based on LIFE.  The version we currently have works fine
    for OpenVMS but can't process data for layered products and
    applications.
    
    As part of the new MCS Business Critical Services we are developing the
    database behind ProPatch/LIFE so that it can handle both the OpSys and
    Apps.  We are also working on a product (Unicensus) which provides the
    same functionality for UNIX.  There is also an NT version of Unicensus
    being worked.
    
    All of these products will be used to deliver a Proactive Patch
    Notification service as part of the MCS Premium Software Support
    Services.  There is money available to Digital for selling this service
    to customers:  DO NOT GIVE IT AWAY!
    
    Anybody interested in finding out more about the MCS Business Critical
    Services can read all about them at:
    
    	http://www-mcs.shr.dec.com/goldweb/index.htm
    
    Jon