| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 5175.1 | | PLACEK::waldek.rpw.dec.com::agatka::calka | Waldek Calka | Mon Mar 10 1997 08:11 | 5 |
| Dave
get OfficeServer ready ASAP, we might need it SOON.
Waldemar
|
| 5175.2 | | MAIL2::RICCIARDI | Be a graceful Parvenu... | Mon Mar 10 1997 08:40 | 3 |
| .0
That depressed me. Last line was like a dart in the eye.
|
| 5175.3 | | DECWET::LENOX | Beep, beep! | Mon Mar 10 1997 10:46 | 6 |
|
Well at least HP, IBM, Novell, Sun and other computer
manufacturers are listed in Microsoft's Encarta, but
Digital Equipment Corp. isn't. Maybe Microsoft is
getting a head start on rewriting history by not
including a mention of DEC.
|
| 5175.4 | The night they sold ol' Dixie down... | SCASS1::WISNIEWSKI | ADEPT of the Virtual Space. | Mon Mar 10 1997 15:11 | 9 |
| as the song goes...
just take what you need and leave the rest.. but you should never
have taken the very best...
Why do I feel some days like the dance band on the titanic...
John W.
|
| 5175.5 | | BIGUN::nessus.cao.dec.com::Mayne | Churchill's black dog | Mon Mar 10 1997 16:07 | 6 |
| > As for the DEC-Microsoft alliance,
> well, nobody but DEC takes it seriously.
They got that bit wrong. We don't take it seriously either.
PJDM
|
| 5175.6 | | BBQ::WOODWARDC | ...but words can break my heart | Tue Mar 11 1997 00:16 | 19 |
| So...
let me see if I got this right?
1 - we kill OpenVMS off by neglect
2 - we align ourselves with Micro$lop
3 - we get all gung-ho about Win-NT
4 - we dump A1 and other mail systems for MS-Exchange
5 - we dump a whole heap of other software because it conflicts with
Micro$lop (e.g. rdb, DECMessageQ, and a whole heap of others)
<insert any others you care to mention>
n - Micro$lop get behind us (to stab us in the back!)
reminds me of an old saying "how do you make a 'Small Business'?
Mis-manage a large one!"
{sigh}
H
|
| 5175.7 | | GLDX02::ALLBERY | Jim | Tue Mar 11 1997 09:24 | 6 |
| > 1 - we kill OpenVMS off by neglect
That's unfair. We've worked much harder at killing OpenVMS than
merely neglecting it.
Jim (with his tongue firmly planted in cheek)
|
| 5175.8 | | QUARK::LIONEL | Free advice is worth every cent | Tue Mar 11 1997 09:34 | 5 |
| Well, here's a first (I think). Microsoft has killed off one of their own
products and asked Digital to replace it. And did we ever! See
http://www.digital.com/fortran .
Steve
|
| 5175.9 | It's greed that killed the MBA class... | SCASS1::WISNIEWSKI | ADEPT of the Virtual Space. | Tue Mar 11 1997 11:37 | 43 |
| Locustsoft seems to want to partner with everyone in the industry
for their betterment... where's the win-win senero I've heard so
much of in business, I'm not seeing it...
Let's review:
IBM...
That little OS/2 affair
Digital Equipment...
OpenVMS Affinity, All-In-1/Exchange, WNT intellectual property
affair...
HP...
Mercede, HPUX, Mail and Messaging affair (actually they're just warming
up the band for that wedding march now...)
And a whole host of targeted and destroyed friends and competitors...
Stacker... deleted because of built in compression
Cyrix just got dumped and may mean the end for them
Netscape... will be assimilated by explorer or random incompatablities
generated by "The next Beta O/S"
and don't forget Lotus, Corel, Wang, and everyone else who's ever
"Partnered", "Joined with", or been kissed on the cheek by the
Gates machine...
It can't be that Gates is "That Smart"... It has to be that business
"people are "That Greedy" and "That Stupid" to even try and deal
with the devil on his terms...
JMHO
John W.
|
| 5175.10 | Love hurts... | STAR::DIPIRRO | | Tue Mar 11 1997 11:46 | 14 |
| Re: 5175.5
>> As for the DEC-Microsoft alliance,
>> well, nobody but DEC takes it seriously.
>
>They got that bit wrong. We don't take it seriously either.
That made me laugh out loud. This fact was painfully obvious at the
NT Wizards Symposium in Seattle last week. There is some cooperation
going on...at lower levels, but mostly you hear Digital people
preaching to Digital people about the alliance and how great it is.
The haven't gotten the message yet. Perhaps instead of those
laminated cards they sent to every employee, jars of vaseline would have
been more appropriate.
|
| 5175.11 | | PCBUOA::KRATZ | | Tue Mar 11 1997 11:57 | 3 |
| re .9
Citrix got dumped, not Cyrix. Cyrix has some neat products
coming out.
|
| 5175.12 | Mark Minasi & monkeys | SAYER::ELMORE | Steve [email protected] 4123645893 | Tue Mar 11 1997 12:29 | 47 |
| re:
> going on...at lower levels, but mostly you hear Digital people preaching
> to Digital people about the alliance and how great it is.
Isn't that so true. I have always been curious why we are able to
market to ourselves, convince ourselves, about the greatness of our
products, but are so helpless at marketing the same material to the
outside world!
I too attended the NT Wizards conference. Two things struck me. One
was a statement by Mark Minasi (writer for NT Magazine and author of
several books on NT). He presented to an audience of perhaps 400-500
people (perhaps more) on WNT Futures. During that talk he digressed
poking fun at Alpha (saying most companies refer to "alpha" products
as something un-releasable, pre-"beta", which is pre-product). A few in
the audience reacted more seriously by defending Alpha (over Intel), to
which Mark responded more seriously. Basically, he led the audience to
suggest that Alpha was maybe three-times the performance of Intel. We
all inwardly thought, wow, he admits we are faster. How proud we are!
Then he said, performance leads get interesting when the ratio is about
ten times Intel performance. Then the lead is worth the risk of going
against mainstream Intel. At ten-times, he'd even pay a little more
for it!
Before defenders [of Alpha] start downtroding this note or Mark Minasi,
realize that whether he is right or wrong, he may very well represent a
*perception* that is true. The perception is all that matters even if
we know better. Again, it goes back to how well we have marketed to
ourselves, and not those outside of Digital.
Mr. Minasi has never used an Alpha. On that note, I couldn't help but
think how much marketing mileage we could get by convincing him to see
our perspective. I thought, here is one of a few well regarded,
non-MS, non-Intel, people that could help Digital if he simply had a
machine to try. More globally, there are only a few persuasive,
independent authors in the WNT rags. Why don't we spend a few
marketing dollars to rotate our best WNT PCs to these people. If we
are truly better, perhaps then their perceptions would change!
Perhaps then they would tell the world in a way that our marketing
can't. [In fact Mark said he would.]
How cheap it would be. Maybe even better than monkeys!
--Steve
|
| 5175.13 | the last word | USDEV::LEVASSEUR | | Tue Mar 11 1997 13:00 | 4 |
| .9 IMO you last paragraph neatly sums up the state of this totally
psychotic and out of control industry.
sigh....ray
|
| 5175.14 | Minasi | OTOOA::GMACDONALD | Its badluck to be superstitious | Tue Mar 11 1997 14:32 | 16 |
| I also attended the NT Wizards Symposium and was there for Mark Minasi's
comments. While his assessment as to whether Alpha has to be 10 times
faster that Intel are true or not, I disagreed with his comment that people
shouldn't buy Alpha "because somebody may have a 16-bit Clipper application
or whatever that they want to run."
I thought his comments around Alpha were somewhat disrespectful. But, he
is one of the best presenters I've ever seen. Very funny, lots
of analogies, etc.
I'm also not sure why the event was held in Seattle. Microsoft had no or
very little presence there that I could see. It kind of showed that
Microsoft places very little value on our partnership. If Microsoft won't
send people there, it should be somewhere in the middle of the country.
Don Henley was great.
|
| 5175.15 | | bhajee.rto.dec.com::JAERVINEN | Ora, the Old Rural Amateur | Tue Mar 11 1997 14:35 | 12 |
| re .14:
>If Microsoft won't
>send people there, it should be somewhere in the middle of the country.
The only question is, in the middle of _which_ country...
:-)
Microsoft's European TechEd will be in Nice this year... it's not in
the middle of any country...
|
| 5175.16 | | axel.zko.dec.com::FOLEY | http://axel.zko.dec.com | Tue Mar 11 1997 14:36 | 6 |
|
Don Henley was there? Why? (Eagles NT? On the Border with
Windows95? Life in the Fast Lane with Exchange? Hotel Redmond?)
mike
|
| 5175.17 | Everybody is using IX as a postscript these days;-) | SCASS1::WISNIEWSKI | ADEPT of the Virtual Space. | Tue Mar 11 1997 14:36 | 146 |
| > <<< Note 5175.11 by PCBUOA::KRATZ >>>
>
> re .9
> Citrix got dumped, not Cyrix. Cyrix has some neat products
> coming out.
Yes, my mistake! Serves me right for getting emotional about
this...
JMHO
John W.
<<< HUMANE::DISK$SCSI:[NOTES$LIBRARY]DIGITAL.NOTE;1 >>>
-< The Digital way of working >-
================================================================================
Note 5177.0 Will there be a "bag" left to hold? 6 replies
CSC32::D_DONOVAN "SummaNulla(The High Point of Not" 123 lines 10-MAR-1997 13:00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was reading Note #5175 and remembered this article in this
week's "Business Week" about Citrix and MicroSoft. Any comments
or feelings about how this "resembles" our NT Cluster "strategy"?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"http://www.businessweek.com/1997/11/b351864.htm"
OF MICE AND MICROSOFT
How Citrix' overnight success turned so sour so fast
Dancing with an elephant is tricky in the best of
circumstances. Dancing with an elephant that changes course
on a dime can be downright hazardous. Just ask Edward E.
Iacobucci, chairman of Citrix Systems Inc. in Fort
Lauderdale, Fla. The software company saw revenues triple to
$45 million last year from just $15 million in 1995. At its
peak last year, the company had a market cap of nearly $1.5
billion. Most of that amazing performance was based on a
relationship with Microsoft Corp. that came down to this:
Microsoft endorsed Citrix technology that lets a dozen or
more computers share Windows programs running on a central,
networked computer. With the software giant's blessing,
Citrix was golden.
The merry dance ended on Feb. 26, when Citrix announced that
Microsoft was considering adding features to new versions of
Windows to do part of what Citrix' products do. With Citrix'
Microsoft relationship in question, investors fled and the
stock plummeted 60% on Feb. 27, to 10 5/8 from 26 1/4. On
rumors of a Microsoft rift, it already had fallen nearly $6 a
share earlier that week. Citrix' market capitalization
briefly dropped below $250 million.
FRIEND OF BILL. What's surprising is that the market was so
surprised. After all, the reliance on Microsoft was listed
prominently among ''risk factors'' in public disclosures made
in connection with Citrix stock. The documents even alerted
investors to the possibility of Microsoft becoming a major
competitor. ''They were clear, to my knowledge, that
Microsoft might end up with a similar technology,'' says
James E. Allchin, a Microsoft senior vice-president.
Part of what may have lulled Citrix investors into a sense of
security was Iacobucci's history with Microsoft Chairman
William H. Gates III. Iacobucci says he worked with Microsoft
''when Microsoft was smaller than Citrix.'' Before starting
Citrix in 1989, Iacobucci worked for 11 years at IBM and
headed the IBM-Microsoft team that developed the OS/2
operating system. Gates even wrote the foreword to
Iacobucci's OS/2 Programmer's Guide. Microsoft was an early
investor in Citrix, owned 6.8% of its shares, and had a board
seat.
All that meant little when it came down to business: Citrix
was serving a market that Microsoft figured it needed to be
in. Citrix products allowed customers to hook up all sorts of
computers--including Macintoshes and stripped-down ''network
computers''--to servers that let them use Windows or Windows
NT programs.
Microsoft says it began exploring the development of such
''multi-user capability'' because customers were asking for
it. Microsoft blessed the Citrix approach so customers could
get immediate gratification. But, says Allchin, it ''was just
a question of time'' before Microsoft would develop its own
product. Coming now, the timing is sooner than the market had
anticipated, says Thomas C. Offut, vice-president of business
development for Wyse Technology Inc., a network-computer
maker and strategic partner with Citrix.
Citrix still has a business, with Microsoft's own version
months or perhaps years away, says Chip Gliedman, director of
research for technology consultants Giga Information Group
Inc. ''Every company that has made its living extending
Microsoft's capability has had to learn to dance between the
feet of the elephant,'' he says. ''I'm not writing Citrix
off, and I'm advising our clients who are deploying Citrix
not to do so.''
UNDEAD. Indeed, addressing industry analysts at a Robertson,
Stephens & Co. technology conference the day after the
announcement, Iacobucci borrowed a line from Mark Twain,
assuring investors: ''The reports of my death have been
greatly exaggerated.'' Citrix, he points out, has licensing
agreements with Microsoft and other strategic partners, $137
million in cash, and no debt.
And while Microsoft plans to build more components into
Windows that make multi-user and remote-user capability
possible, both Iacobucci and Allchin point out that the
software giant may license some technology from Citrix in its
multiuser programming. ''Microsoft is a big enough company
that it can do anything it wants when it wants to,''
Iacobucci says. ''The fact that we're still here
[negotiating] bodes well.'' Indeed, that's what happens when
you dance with elephants. You get crushed--or learn to dance
faster.
By Gail DeGeorge in Miami, with bureau reports
-------------------------------
RELATED ITEMS
TABLE: The Saga of Software Supplier Citrix...
CHART: ...And How Far It Fell
PHOTO: Edward Iocobucci, Citrix CEO
Return to top of story
-------------------------------
[SIGNUP][ABOUT][BW_CONTENTS][BW_+!][DAILY_BRIEFING][SEARCH][CONTACT]
[Image]
Updated Mar. 6, 1997 by bwwebmaster
Copyright 1997, by The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights reserved.
|
| 5175.18 | The rule of 10x+ | SCASS1::WISNIEWSKI | ADEPT of the Virtual Space. | Tue Mar 11 1997 15:28 | 108 |
| re: .11
"Alpha needs to be 10x the performance of Intel to justify the risk."
Absolutely, 100% correct at the workstation space:
Let's review what we've seen of the 10x+ rule in our business:
1987 VAXstation 2000 1 mip (roughly)
1988 Sun Sparc stations 10 mips (and a company was built)
VAXstation 2000 1 mip (roughly)
1989 Sun Sparc stations 10-15 mips (and software started to migrate)
VAXstation 3100 4 mips
1990 Sun Sparc 25-30 mips (software portfolios fully migrated)
VAXstation 4000/76 (12 Mips) Workstation software growing
sparce...
VAX 10000+ application portfolio began seriously migrating from
workstation class systems because much cheaper faster machines
were available, the magic of an installed base had very little
hold on those software vendors and customers when faced with a
10x ramp...
So let's move up a little time:
1994 4086 Intel 75 mips and <500 applications
20164 Alpha 300 mips and <100 native applications
1995 5086 Intel 200 mips and >2500 applications
20164 Alpha 600 mips and <300 native applications
FX!32 work began
1996 5086 Intel 500 mips and >10k applications
21164 Alpha 1000 mips and >1000 native applications
FX!32 is on line for the rest
of the applications but not at
full performance
1997 6086 Intel Mips and More Mips...
21164 Alpha Lowered prices, eliminated other marginal
risc vendors, but less than 10% of the
WNT marketplace.
No where on the real curve did Alpha do 10x+ the performance of
Intel (the market leader) except at the high end and who leads
these days with mainframes?
So why would anyone take a chance?
They need the raw performance? They don't like Intel? They
like Digital? The read a nice review about alpha. A salesman
convinced them that 64-bit migration would a difficult thing
for them?
Take your pick all those reasons add up to 7-10% of the WNT Server
marketplace (where alpha is today)...
Those reasons don't seem to be a compelling reason to choose Alpha
over a market driven "Safe" choice for most software vendors and
customers. They're not good enough reasons most of the time to
get software vendors to do a native "Port" for Alpha so we had to
develop FX!32.
--
To phrase the 10x+ rule:
In order to attract software vendors and customers to a platform, that
platform's initial performance characteristics must be 10x the existing
competitive platforms. There after step increases of 20-30% per year
will cement the attraction and eliminate the competition. The race
begins again when the competition gets to >50% of your current
performance...
--
We've never been better than 2-5x the performance of Intel's chips
at the low end or 2-5x better than Sun or HP's chips at the midrange
and then not for any extended period of time.
It's hard to build critical mass for a new architecture without some
compelling reason (performance) to move to it...
With Mercede and the 32-64 bit conversions on the horizon we have
yet one last chance to slam dunk alpha.
Don't talk costs, don't talk about what the market would pay for
2x pentium's performance.. Get the prices down, attack the
pentium marketplace with 10x the performance at the same price...
of course that just my opinion...
John W.
(Digital has already had more chances with Alpha they we deserve in
the marketplace and it's shame on us if we blow this window of
opportunity until mercede arrives...)
|
| 5175.19 | | TLE::REAGAN | All of this chaos makes perfect sense | Tue Mar 11 1997 15:30 | 9 |
| On Thursday night, the entertainment for the symposium was a Don Henley
concert. Timothy B. Schmidt made a guest appearance. One of the
charities during the week as the Walden Woods organization. I sure
Digital/Microsoft/Oracle/somebody made a reasonable donation to the
charity for Don to show up. Speakers got special seating (we were
let into the ballroom about 5 minutes before the rest of the attendees
so we could rush up front. I was in the 3rd row!)
-John
|
| 5175.20 | We do have supporters. | MAIL1::DERISE | | Tue Mar 11 1997 15:31 | 23 |
| As for Windows NT Magazine, they have actually published some pretty
positive articles about our products, including Digital Clusters for
Windows NT, FX!32, and as recently as the February issue they gave a
great review of the Personal Workstation, both Intel and Alpha flavors.
They have also published positive reviews for our service and support.
Windows NT Magazine is actually quite refreshing after going through
the traditional PC rags. I used to be a big fan of PC Magazine, but
they hardly, if ever, say anything good about Digital.
As for Mark Minasi, I agree he probably needs some education about
Alpha. However, in his earlier session, he did state a couple of
things that I thought were interesting. He stated that he firmly
believed in 64-bit NT and that this should be a priority for Microsoft.
He was very favorable about the 64-bit addressing that will be
introduced in NT V5 for Alpha. Though he did mention the non support
for virtual memory for 64-bit memory access will require much more
attention to system configurations. He also stated that anyone buying
software should insist that it be supported on Alpha. By the way, this
also seems to be a thread being espoused by Windows NT Magazine in
general.
So, I think we do have our supporters out there. We just have to do
better at helping them help us.
|
| 5175.21 | | NCMAIL::SMITHB | | Wed Mar 12 1997 09:17 | 1 |
| If we have to rely on some trade mag writer to help us, we truly are doomed!
|
| 5175.22 | it only helps | MAIL1::DERISE | | Wed Mar 12 1997 09:35 | 4 |
| re .21
I don't think we need to rely on them, but having a few on our side say
positive things about our products doesn't hurt!
|
| 5175.23 | I think we need help from anyone who will give it... | 12680::MCCUSKER | | Wed Mar 12 1997 09:52 | 3 |
| re .21
Are you suggesting we don't need help from the likes of trade rags?
|
| 5175.24 | | NCMAIL::SMITHB | | Wed Mar 12 1997 09:59 | 10 |
| I am suggesting that we need to help ourselves by:
- effective and consistant marketing
- lower prices to compete
The trade rags just reflect reality as they (and most customers and
stock analyst) see it.
- no one knows about our products
- the ones we have are too expensive
|
| 5175.25 | Other comments he made... | STAR::DIPIRRO | | Wed Mar 12 1997 10:56 | 4 |
| He said something else, on a different note, which struck me very
funny. He referred to Computer Associates as the place "where software
goes to die." He certainly didn't hold back in sharing his opinions
with the audience!
|
| 5175.26 | Thoughts from the common man . . . | OASS::BURNAMAN_B | And now, live, from Atlanta . . . | Wed Mar 12 1997 12:10 | 35 |
| <RE: .24 >
- no one knows about our products
I agree completely with what was said and I have been saying it for
years myself, but I would go on to augment this by saying that:
- no one knows about our company!
Digital has spent/squandered a small fortune (size is relative) on
a so-called branding campaign. My relatives have told me independently
that had they not known someone who worked for Digital, they would have
had no clue that Digital was a computer company - the ad's did not con-
vey this to them. One even called them "useless noise".
If Digital is serious about staying in business, then a major change in
strategy needs to occur. Our advertisements, in my opinion, need to be
in the form of testimonials from well-known companies extolling the
virtues of Digitals many significant successes over the years, Digitals
many strengths (past, present and, probably most importantly, future) and
Digitals products.
Digital needs to continue to do "whatever it takes" to make it easier
for customers and partners to do business with us.
And finally, if there is no non-compete clause in the agreement we ink-
ed, then lets compete, for crying out loud! We've got good products,
too. While no MBA, I still remember what my Business 101 class had to
say about advertising, which was:
Advertising is the act of telling someone that you have something that
they may be interested in buying. The purpose of advertising is to
generate demand for your product(s).
Bruce (I got an A in the class, does this make me VP material?) in Atlanta
|
| 5175.27 | your next question please | MKTCRV::KMANNERINGS | | Wed Mar 12 1997 12:33 | 6 |
| >>Bruce (I got an A in the class, does this make me VP material?)
No Bruce, no, don't even think it would. It takes a very special kind
of talent, very special indeed.
..Kevin..
|
| 5175.28 | More MS "Alliance" feedback... | MSDOA::HICKST | | Thu Mar 13 1997 11:57 | 19 |
| Wow... back a few notes, someone was relating about Micro$oft and the
Digital Alliance, etc.
Having come back from the NT Symposium, I have to add my voice to the
chorus. It was painfully evident that Microsoft doesn't take the
"Alliance" seriously. I was really struck with this when the MS
executive (Bob whatever) gave the speech on the first day. He had a
half dozen Digital-specific slides from which he READ the bullets in a
DISTRACTED and DISINTERRESTED manner. Then he launches into heartfelt
praise for MS's internal web pages that review financials, and some
other MS internal stuff of interest to no one but MS. What a pile of
drivel!
You're right. We spend 98% of our time marketing to ourselves, patting
each other on the back and telling each other how great we're doing.
Meanwhile, the rest of the industry (and most of the dwindling customer
base) couldn't give a rat's @$$.
- Tim
|
| 5175.29 | | bhajee.rto.dec.com::JAERVINEN | Ora, the Old Rural Amateur | Thu Mar 13 1997 12:42 | 2 |
| re .28: Didn't he also refer to OpenVMS as "MVS" in his speech?
|
| 5175.30 | | WOTVAX::HILTON | Save Water, drink beer | Thu Mar 13 1997 13:55 | 5 |
| 1st time I presented the MS alliance to a customer, he said: "Great,
but everyone has an alliance with MS"
Greg
|
| 5175.31 | two people called it OpenMVS | TROOA::MSCHNEIDER | [email protected] | Thu Mar 13 1997 14:10 | 8 |
| re: .29
Yes the Microsoft presenter did call it OpenMVS ... but then again so
did Bruce Claflin from Digital. I have to agree that the stuff on MS
web pages was quite painful .... it was like they discovered something
new, well at least new to them and had to tell the world. Perhaps we
might show them some of our internal websites so that they realize that
this was not something invented in Redmond.
|
| 5175.32 | Press Release | SMARTT::WOZNIAK | | Fri Mar 14 1997 10:33 | 206 |
| [ PR Newswire]
[Vulcan Communications]
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[ Business - Company - Industry - Finance - PR Newswire - Business Wire -
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Back to Digital Equipment Corp news page
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday March 14 9:14 AM EDT
Digital Microsoft Alliance for Enterprise Computing Momentum Continues for
Windows NT
Two Major Goals in Sight for 1997
Strong Customer Demand Positions Digital and Microsoft to Achieve More Than
One Million Microsoft Exchange Seats Delivered by Digital by Mid-Year
Microsoft Windows NT 5.0 Beta with 64-Bit Very Large Memory Support Will Be
Delivered on Digital Alpha This Year
MAYNARD, Mass., March 14 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Equipment Corp today
announced the Digital Microsoft Alliance is on track to reach two major
milestones for Microsoft(R) Windows NT(R) Workstation and Server. In less
than a year since the introduction of Microsoft Exchange Server, Digital and
Microsoft Corp have joined forces to win more than 750,000 Microsoft
Exchange seats with companies such as Lockheed Martin, British Telecom,
Lehman Brothers Inc., Volkswagen, and Swiss Telecom PTT. With the release of
Microsoft Exchange 5.0 on March 11, 1997, the companies expect to have more
than one million seats under contract by mid-year. Digital also announced
that the beta of Microsoft Windows NT 5.0 with 64-bit Very Large Memory
(VLM) support will be delivered on Digital Alpha this year, giving customers
significantly faster access to data.
"Digital has been a strong supporter of Windows NT for more than five years,
and through our Alliance for Enterprise Computing has established itself as
a leading supplier of Windows-based solutions to the enterprise," said Bill
Gates, CEO of Microsoft Corporation. "This has been proven through our joint
engagements with customers and our joint successes with Microsoft Exchange.
Microsoft will continue to work closely with Digital in such areas as
providing 64-bit VLM capabilities on Windows NT for Digital's Alpha
processor, which is the leading RISC platform for Microsoft Windows NT
today."
"Our strategic alliance with Microsoft has made the Windows NT environment a
robust, enterprise-level solution," said Digital Chairman Robert B. Palmer.
"As more and more companies embrace Windows-based solutions, our Alliance
continues to grow in breadth and depth, successfully delivering Windows NT
products and solutions worldwide."
Momentum Continues
British Telecom selected Digital and Microsoft to implement Microsoft
Exchange for more than 100,000 users and will provide a new range of
corporate intranet services to BT's corporate customers. This solution is
based on Digital's high-performance Alpha and Intel systems; "firewalls;"
and Microsoft's suite of Internet software products including Internet
Information Server, which is incorporated in Windows NT Server; Microsoft
Internet Explorer; and Microsoft Exchange Server.
A recent contract with Lockheed Martin calls for Digital to implement more
than 120,000 Microsoft Exchange seats in more than 50 countries. This is one
of the largest Microsoft Exchange contracts to date.
In addition, Digital is implementing Microsoft Exchange internally, and has
migrated more than 35,000 of its own employees on five continents.
Test Drive Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0
As part of the Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 "Cyber Launch" on March 11,
1997, a Digital AlphaServer 4000 system was deployed at Microsoft to support
the Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 Testdrive. The Digital AlphaServer 4000
allows any user on the Internet to "test drive" the new features of
Microsoft Exchange Server, which include web browser (HTTP), POP3, and LDAP
access. To test drive Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0 users can access the URL
at: http://www.exchangeserver.com/testdrive.
Reduced Cost of Ownership, Other Benefits
Digital and Microsoft also are working together to dramatically lower total
cost of ownership by delivering cost-effective Windows NT Workstation
solutions. Digital supports the Microsoft Zero Administration Kit for
Windows NT Workstation announced on March 12, 1997. Digital will participate
in the Microsoft Zero Administration initiative for Windows to further
reduce the end-user operation costs on Digital's Personal Workstations for
Windows NT. As the industry leader, Digital is already helping customers
reduce the total cost of ownership in the workstation area with Intel and
Alpha-based Digital Personal Workstations for Windows NT.
Swiss Telecom, which provides more than five million Swiss users with
telephone, pager and fax service, is installing 30 Windows NT clusters to
serve as the middle tier between 15,000 PCs and its high-end mainframe
systems. The clusters, each consisting of two Digital Prioris servers and
RAID array 310 storage, will support a broad mixture of Digital and non-
Digital equipment.
Kvaerner, a $10 billion, Norwegian-based ship building, travel, oil
exploration and construction conglomerate, has chosen a Windows NT
technology- based intranet solution to link 40,000 of its employees in 400
offices around the world. Another Alpha and Intel solution, Kvaener will
deploy the Microsoft Internet software portfolio, including Microsoft
Internet Explorer. In addition to network backbone support, Digital is
providing total Internet planning, design, and implementation.
New York Mercantile Exchange, the world's largest trading center for
petroleum products and precious metals, recently purchased 50 Digital
Prioris servers and more than 1,100 Digital Venturis PCs. These systems,
which complement their existing Alpha servers, will provide the
infrastructure for the trading floor the quarter following the scheduled May
1997 opening of the Exchange's new building in Manhattan. "We've used
Windows NT in development for 18 months," said Allen Feryus, senior vice
president of Information Services and chief information officer, "and have
not had a single Windows NT- related failure, lockup, or issue. We have
every confidence in its ability to support mission-critical applications."
Microsoft Windows NT 5.0 Beta with 64-Bit VLM on Alpha This Year
Digital and Microsoft are working to deliver Windows NT 5.0 with 64-bit VLM
support by the end of this year. Customers with enterprise applications
requiring efficient access to very large databases will benefit from the
greatly increased performance of 64-bit computing. With the growing trend
toward high-volume transaction and query-based applications, VLM is expected
to become an important technology for many of today's businesses. This
capability will be supported by the new 64-bit VLM interface being
implemented in Windows NT 5.0.
"We are pleased," said Palmer, "that customers will first take advantage of
Windows NT with 64-bit VLM support on our industry-leading platforms."
Digital's Alpha RISC architecture already boasts a full 64-bit capability
for high-performance scalability in client/server computing across the
enterprise. With Windows NT 5.0 on Alpha, applications will be able to take
advantage of significantly faster access to data because data is mapped
directly into memory. For example, a Digital AlphaServer 8400 system with up
to 26GB of memory running Windows NT 5.0 will be able to fully use all of
this memory for data access. All existing Windows NT-based applications will
be compatible with Windows NT 5.0.
Digital -- Leading Microsoft Service Advantage Partner and Solutions
Provider
As a leading partner in the Microsoft Service Advantage program, Digital
delivers the worldwide services and support large organizations need to
successfully plan, build, and manage mission-critical systems based on
Microsoft products.
Digital is a leading integrator and provider of management and support
services for Windows NT-based solutions. With more than 1,300 high-level
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers (MCSEs) and Microsoft Certified
Solution Developers (MCSDs), Digital has more than any other vendor and 10
percent of the world's total. To meet growing customer demand for Enterprise
integration services, Digital plans to increase this number to 2,500 by the
end of 1997.
Digital is a worldwide Microsoft Authorized Support Center (ASC) and was
selected for its ability to provide a comprehensive range of high quality,
integrated support services for organizations using Microsoft products in
distributed environments. Microsoft recently recognized Digital as the ASC
having the most MCSEs. In addition, Digital handles the highest support call
volume for Microsoft products with the lowest escalation rate of all
Microsoft ASCs. To provide global support for Microsoft products, Digital
also has more than 450 service locations in more than 100 countries. Digital
consistently achieves top ratings from analysts and customers for the level
and quality of support provided.
Digital is one of Microsoft's largest Solution Providers. Digital has met
the stringent requirements for Partner Level status and will be a Partner
Level Solution Provider in every major Microsoft location. Digital's
relationship with Microsoft as a Partner Level Solution Provider extends the
reach of both companies to apply the best technology and enterprise services
to particular customer problems.
The Digital Microsoft Alliance for Enterprise Computing (AEC) was
established in August 1995 to meet customer demand for Microsoft-based
solutions and support in enterprise-wide computing. The Alliance combines
Microsoft client/server products with Digital's leadership in enterprise
systems, service, support and systems integration, enabling customers to
deploy business solutions on the Microsoft Windows and Windows NT operating
systems with assurance of integration into the most complex business
environments. Users can visit the site at: http://www.alliance.digital.com.
Digital Equipment Corporation is a world leader in open client/server
solutions from personal computing to integrated worldwide information
systems. Digital's scalable Alpha and Intel platforms, storage, networking,
software and services, together with industry-focused solutions from
business partners, help organizations compete and win in today's global
marketplace.
NOTE: Digital, the Digital logo, and AlphaServer are trademarks of Digital
Equipment Corporation. Microsoft, Windows NT, Windows and Win32 are either
registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United
States and/or other countries. SOURCE Digital Equipment Corporation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Back to Digital Equipment Corp news page
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Questions or Comments?
|
| 5175.33 | Why does Microsoft remain silent? | STAR::JACOBI | Paul A. Jacobi - OpenVMS Development | Fri Mar 14 1997 14:09 | 12 |
| >>> Digital Equipment Corp today announced....
This announcement would be more believable if it was made by Microsoft!
Since the announcement was from Digital, it sounds more like damage
control. Customers don't believe in the alliance precisely because
they only hear Digital talking about the alliance, while Microsoft
remains silent.
-Paul
|
| 5175.34 | MS stands by Alpha chip | ACISS1::DIDATO | Buy a VAX at Sears??? | Fri Mar 14 1997 14:56 | 5 |
| Interesting announcement by Microsoft today, see
http://www.news.com/News/Item/0,4,8811,00.html
for article titled "MS stands by Alpha chip"
Tony
|
| 5175.35 | Not directly from Microsoft | STAR::JACOBI | Paul A. Jacobi - OpenVMS Development | Fri Mar 14 1997 18:04 | 9 |
|
>>> Interesting announcement by Microsoft today
Sorry, but I don't think that this announcement is directly from
Microsoft. This sound like re-hash of our press release.
-Paul
|
| 5175.36 | Let's hear it from the horse's mouth | UNXA::ZASLAW | Steve Zaslaw | Fri Mar 14 1997 18:11 | 44 |
| The article is below. I read only that Mr. Heskett claims Microsoft did
something. But he offers no evidence and sites neither press release nor MS web
page to document his claim.
MS stands by Alpha chip
By Ben Heskett
March 14, 1997, 7:30 a.m. PT
Microsoft (MSFT) today showed
continued support for the struggling
Digital Equipment (DEC) Alpha
microprocessor by pledging to deliver
64-bit Very Large Memory (VLM)
support for the platform in its next
version of Windows NT.
Windows NT 5.0, due in beta in the
second half of this year, targets the
midrange server and emerging
workstation market. Support for VLM is
a feature that will be attractive to small
niche of the market that uses
graphic-intensive applications, such as
oil companies.
VLM allows more information to be
processed in memory, which can speed
up end-user access to applications and
files, as well as minimize the time users'
spend waiting for a query to be processed
by a centralized database.
By supporting VLM on the Alpha
processor, Microsoft continues to show
support for a processing architecture that
beats the clock speeds of rival processors
but has stumbled in gaining mass
acceptance and attracting third parties.
VLM is one of many features that will
debut in NT 5.0. Also due is the
long-anticipated Active Directory
service that is a large step forward from
NT 4.0's limited directory scheme.
|
| 5175.37 | Still Waiting for horse to say something positive | ACISS1::DIDATO | Buy a VAX at Sears??? | Mon Mar 17 1997 10:34 | 6 |
| I have to agree, at first it looked like a case of Heskett having a
preview of a Microsoft Press release, but searching Microsoft's site
reveals no such releases, so Heskett may be looking at Digital's Press
release with the belief that Microsoft would back up the statements.
Tony
|
| 5175.38 | | STAR::KMCDONOUGH | SET KIDS/NOSICK | Mon Mar 17 1997 13:55 | 15 |
|
Have a look at
http://www.infoworld.com/cgi-bin/displayStory.pl?970314.edecnt.htm
"Microsoft to deliver 64-bit version of NT for Alpha chip" with quotes
from Bill Gates.
Kevin
|
| 5175.39 | Please explain the oil company statement. | HGOVC::JOELBERMAN | | Mon Mar 17 1997 21:39 | 3 |
| Will one of you NT wizards explain the 'VLM helps niche companies like
oil companies with their graphics' statement.
|
| 5175.40 | | LGP30::FLEISCHER | without vision the people perish (DTN 381-0426 ZKO1-1) | Mon Mar 17 1997 22:34 | 10 |
| re Note 5175.39 by HGOVC::JOELBERMAN:
> Will one of you NT wizards explain the 'VLM helps niche companies like
> oil companies with their graphics' statement.
Oil exploration these days is done with graphic display and
manipulation of very large sets of seismic data -- probably a
good application for VLM.
Bob
|
| 5175.41 | Seismic Analysis is primarily Unix-based today | WAYLAY::GORDON | Resident Lightning Designer | Tue Mar 18 1997 08:26 | 11 |
| > Oil exploration these days is done with graphic display and
> manipulation of very large sets of seismic data -- probably a
> good application for VLM.
And I have a friend who's a geophysicist for one of the major
players in that that field. They resell Sun, IBM and SGI systems, but the
software hasn't been ported to Alpha.
--Doug
|
| 5175.42 | | BIGUN::BAKER | at home, he's a tourist | Tue Mar 18 1997 17:19 | 14 |
| 'VLM helps niche companies like oil companies with their graphics'
VLM - Virtual Logical Marketing
We think they are a niche company because they dont manufacture computers
too. I suspect that they dont see themselves as a niche company at all.
In fact, I suspect we just lost their business because our words dont
show an understanding for the criticality of such analysis to their
business.
- John
|
| 5175.43 | | DANGER::ARRIGHI | and miles to go before I sleep | Tue Mar 18 1997 17:50 | 4 |
| re .42
Reread .36. The "niche" came from a non-DEC source who also referred
to us as "struggling".
|
| 5175.44 | Official Announcement (from CNN) | GYRO::faux.zko.dec.com::skinner | Internet Business Group | Tue Mar 18 1997 18:41 | 3 |
| From CNN
http://www.cnnfn.com/digitaljam/9703/18/microsoft_hp/
|
| 5175.45 | The full bad news: from www.microsoft.com | NEWVAX::PAVLICEK | Linux: the PC O/S that isn't PC | Wed Mar 19 1997 16:48 | 245 |
| ______________________________________________________________________
HP and Microsoft Announce Joint Strategy to Simplify Enterprise
Computing With Integrated Products and Services
Joint TCO Strategy Delivers Windows NT-Based Solutions in
Heterogeneous Environments
PALO ALTO, Calif. - March 19, 1997 - Hewlett-Packard Co. and Microsoft
Corp. today announced a three-point strategy to help customers lower
the total cost of ownership of large enterprise-computing environments
and simplify their management. To support the strategy, the companies
are introducing a series of products, services and programs to reduce
enterprise-computing costs while greatly increasing the productivity
customers can expect from their computing technology. Specifically,
the companies agreed to offer the following:
* Products and services for addressing total cost of ownership (TCO)
* Microsoft(R) Windows NT(R) Server network operating system-based
enterprise solutions
* Solutions for heterogeneous environments
Lewis E. Platt, HP chairman, president and chief executive officer,
and Bill Gates, Microsoft chairman and chief executive officer,
detailed the strategy during a press conference here at HP
headquarters.
"Customers are deploying Windows NT Server in the enterprise and have
told us they want these solutions integrated into their overall
computing environment," Gates said. "We are excited to be working more
closely with HP, a leader in integrating and supporting heterogeneous
enterprise environments. We look forward to this enhanced
collaboration to better serve our customers' needs."
"HP and Microsoft bring to the marketplace important qualities that no
other vendors can match," Platt said. "Microsoft has industry-leading
products, and HP leads the industry in meeting the needs of enterprise
customers. This powerful combination will make HP the leader in
Windows NT, HP-UX and heterogeneous enterprise solutions. Combining
these attributes in a focused approach will create enormous value for
our customers."
Products and Services for Addressing Total Cost of Ownership
HP and Microsoft intend to adopt a common approach for defining,
assessing and managing the TCO of enterprise information technology.
This new approach is designed not only to reduce costs, but to extend
the total value that information technology provides customers through
simplified management of enterprise environments.
The joint TCO initiative will focus on products, services and
technology that help customers build, implement and manage
cost-effective enterprise environments. The first deliverables from
this agreement are intended to include the following:
* Joint delivery of TCO assessment services to provide
recommendations on how to improve an IT organization's ability to
lower costs and increase productivity to its end users. Joint TCO
assessment services are available immediately.
* Incorporation of Microsoft's Zero Administration for Windows(R)
initiative into HP's overall enterprise-computing management
efforts. HP plans to develop technology that allows end users
access to the enterprise network from any smart-card-enabled
Windows operating system-compatible PC. Combining Microsoft's Zero
Administration for Windows initiative with HP's smart-card-enabled
PCs will enhance security while providing more flexible
utilization of Windows-based computers. These capabilities will
lower costs by optimizing all available PC resources.
* HP's unveiling specific plans for the NetPC - the HP Net Vectra PC
series - with an expected entry-level selling point of about
$1,000. HP is expected to ship the NetPC in the second half of
this year.
* Combining HP OpenView System and Network Management software,
along with Microsoft Windows technologies and management products,
including Systems Management Server, to bring predictable,
measurable cost controls to IT environments. Using HP's new
Service Management Strategy's tools and services, including
Systems Management Server, HP will enable predictable service
levels based on explicit cost and service agreements between
business end users and IT organizations.
* HP intends to deliver a new TCO capability based on HP's
internally deployed PC-Common Operating Environment (PC-COE).
PC-COE is a set of services and tools that has helped HP reduce
its desktop computing costs by $200 million per year. HP also
establishes a new organization within the HP OpenView division to
market TCO solutions.
Windows NT Server-Based Solutions for the Enterprise
Responding to customers needs for Windows NT-based enterprise
solutions, HP and Microsoft have agreed to collaborate on numerous
Windows NT-compatible enterprise products, services and programs.
Specifically, the companies said they intend to do the following:
* Promote Microsoft Exchange Server as a strategic Windows NT
messaging solution for the enterprise. The companies are adopting
a common messaging technology strategy and will recommend
Microsoft Exchange Client and the Microsoft Outlook(R) desktop
information manager as a messaging client for both
Windows NT-based Microsoft Exchange Server and HP-UX-based
OpenMail Server environments. For Windows NT environments, HP
plans to recommend Microsoft Exchange Server. HP therefore plans
to discontinue further marketing and development efforts on
OpenMail for Windows NT.
* Expand HP's messaging practice skill base to follow the market
trend to Microsoft Exchange Server. HP consulting services for
Microsoft Exchange Server will provide assessment, architectural
design, implementation and management consulting to enable the
delivery of an integrated, scalable and cost-effective messaging
infrastructure for the enterprise. In addition, HP says it will
offer transition services to Microsoft Exchange Server for
customers of Windows NT Server. The services are available
worldwide immediately.
* Open, and jointly staff, an Enterprise Solutions Center in
Redmond, Wash., that optimizes Windows NT Server-based enterprise
solutions running on HP NetServer systems. The center will provide
performance optimization services and proof of concept testing for
leading enterprise software vendors, integrators and customers.
* Expand HP's education services for Windows NT Server and the
Microsoft BackOffice(R) family environments to include skills
analysis, custom education training plans, curricula and
certification programs.
* Launch HP consulting services for customers that want to implement
Windows NT Server-based enterprise environments. HP will offer a
full range of planning, implementation, and operation consulting
and integration services.
* Deliver high-availability Windows NT Server-based products and
services. HP plans to adopt Microsoft Windows NT Server clustering
technology (code-named "Wolfpack") as its strategic clustering
technology for its Windows NT Server-based solutions. As one of
Microsoft's core Wolfpack partners and a Microsoft Authorized
Support Center (ASC), HP will introduce two services that will
provide scalable levels of support to ensure maximum availability
in enterprise-class environments. The new services - Critical
Systems Support and Personalized Systems Support - will enhance
the Microsoft Service Advantage family of services and join HP's
existing high-availability services for HP-UX environments.
Microsoft endorses HP as a strategic partner for high-availability
Windows NT services.
* Endorse Microsoft Internet Information Server and HP NetServer
systems as a comprehensive platform for Internet, intranet and
extranet solutions. Microsoft and HP will jointly promote
Web-based solutions that customers can easily integrate into their
environments. The companies also will collaborate on a variety of
Internet solutions, such as a Web-based project for Stanford
University's Graduate School of Business based on Windows NT and
HP desktops and servers.
* Launch programs to aggressively integrate Windows NT Server into
existing enterprise environments. The programs will combine
up-front consulting, migration tools and post-sales support as
part of a low-risk approach for customers when migrating to HP
NetServer systems from other competitors' hardware platforms. The
first migration program is expected to focus on the
financial-services market.
* HP intends to port HP's Virtual Vault technology to Windows NT,
which will allow for secure transactions across the World Wide
Web.
* HP announces the availability of HP OpenView IT/Operations on
Windows NT Server by the end of 1997.
Solutions for Heterogeneous Environments
HP and Microsoft intend to collaborate on joint products, services and
technology that make it easier for customers to integrate and manage
heterogeneous computing environments. Development would focus on the
following areas:
* Tools and procedures taking advantage of industry standards that
provide users with reliable messaging within mixed HP OpenMail and
Microsoft Exchange Server environments. These tools and procedures
will provide messaging services and common calendaring as well as
directory synchronization.
* Complementary, scalable, enterprisewide network and systems
management solutions. Specifically, HP will market Microsoft
Systems Management Server as part of an OpenView IT/Administration
package and Microsoft will distribute, with the next major release
of Microsoft Systems Management Server, the HP OpenView
IT/Administration and IT/Operations agents. HP plans to
incorporate standardized Web-Based Enterprise Management (WBEM)
technology, including the Common Information Model (CIM) into its
management products. HP and Microsoft are supporting the
standardization effort of WBEM.
* Microsoft supporting HP's development of single sign-on solutions
to simplify user access and administration in heterogeneous
environments. This will resolve the need for multiple passwords to
access resources that exist in heterogeneous operating
environments.
* Collaboration on the DirectX(R) set of APIs as part of HP's and
Microsoft's efforts to continue aggressively pursuing the
technical computing market. Microsoft will license HP's
soon-to-be-announced large model rendering technology and include
it as an integrated component of Microsoft DirectX. HP will offer
DirectX on all HP-UX technical workstations. This will enable
independent software vendors to easily deploy 3-D technical
engineering applications across HP-UX and Windows NT Workstation,
based on a common set of APIs.
* Launch HP high-availability support services to complement HP's
current consulting and education programs for heterogeneous
environments. These services will address integration of a wide
variety of environments, including Windows NT, HP-UX, mainframe
and other UNIX environments.
About HP
Hewlett-Packard Co. is a leading global manufacturer of computing,
communications and measurement products and services recognized for
excellence in quality and support. HP has 112,800 employees and had
revenue of $38.4 billion in its 1996 fiscal year.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in
software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of
products and services for business and personal use, each designed
with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to
take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.
Microsoft, Windows NT, Windows, Outlook, BackOffice and DirectX are
either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the
United States and/or other countries.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their
respective owners.
Satellite coordinates:
March 19
3:45-4:15 p.m. EST
Galaxy 2, Transponder 6
March 20
10:30-11 a.m. EST
Galaxy 3, Transponder 22
Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional
information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at
http://www.microsoft.com/corpinfo/ on Microsoft's corporate
information pages
_________________________________________________________________
(c) 1997 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Legal Notices.
|
| 5175.46 | Maybe HP would like our marketing slides? | SCASS1::WISNIEWSKI | ADEPT of the Virtual Space. | Wed Mar 19 1997 17:13 | 18 |
| So now it'll be interesting to see the cross licensing of patents
pitch, We have engineers on site pitch, and we have a special
integration between "Pick Yer O/S" and WNT pitch, and we have a
migration strategy for "Pick Yer O/S" to WNT pitch from HP...
Hey WNT marketing.. Maybe we could make some money selling our
Power Point old WNT "Alliance" presentations to HP for their sales reps...
It looks like HP is going to repeat exactly what happened to us...
It's good to know my skills are resusable if I hurry and move to
HP...
And Digital stock is now at 27 1/2...
JMHO,
John W.
|
| 5175.47 | Pros and cons | BBRDGE::LOVELL | � l'eau; c'est l'heure | Wed Mar 19 1997 18:57 | 29 |
| The downside view ;
"How much of our original proprietary clustering know-how
made it into Wolfpack and is now in the hands of HP for free?"
The upside view ;
Despite all the buddy-buddy talk and fine wordsmithing
on the press release, MS and HP are agreeing to have competing
(or at least heavily overlapping) products in the following
key areas ;
- Enterprise Messaging. OpenMail on HP-UX against Exchange/NT
Of course this will be positioned as giving HP customers a
choice. I bet our IOSG and MIG engineers plus our salesfolks
could give a different point of view.
- Internet/Intranet Web Server. Netserver goes head-to-head
with IIS. Should be a short fight.
- Enterprise network management. Openview and SMS try to figure
out who is master and who is slave in what will be positioned
as an "open" peer-to-peer" "cross-platform" "enterprise"
solution. (Sound familiar to anyone who remembers our DECmcc
Netview deal?)
Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.
/Chris/
|
| 5175.48 | Official Response | WOTVAX::HILTON | Save Water, drink beer | Thu Mar 20 1997 04:30 | 241 |
| Posted without permission, but distribution at the bottom says it's gone to
all Digital employees.
I N T E R O F F I C E M E M O R A N D U M
Date: 19-Mar-1997 04:36pm GMT
From: Robert Bismuth
BISMUTH.ROBERT@A1@SALES@PKO
Dept: VP Corp Strategic Alliances
Tel No:
TO: See Below
Subject: DIGITAL responds to HP-Microsoft announcement 1
On March 19, Hewlett-Packard and Microsoft are announcing a
strategic initiative for Windows NT Enterprise environments. Their
announcement focuses on three areas:
o Total cost of ownership (TCO) program announcement:
service offering program and NetPC desktop system
(to be delivered late in CY97);
o Enterprise Windows NT solutions: limited mail and
system management;
o Very limited program/service for integrating
Windows NT and HP-UX
An opportunity for DIGITAL
Due to the lack of depth and narrow nature of this announcement,
it poses no threat to DIGITAL. It actually generates significant
Windows NT, DIGITAL UNIX and services sales opportunities for DIGITAL.
Hewlett Packard finally sees that it must get into the Windows NT
market. Microsoft is happy to get another major systems vendor
supporting Windows NT opening up access to HP's UNIX customer base.
HP's belated and limited support for Windows NT solutions is in fact a
"me-too" endorsement of DIGITAL's established and successful Windows NT
product and services solutions strategy, plus DIGITAL's AllConnect and
Affinity Programs.
HP is starting almost from scratch and does not have the
background and relationship DIGITAL has with Microsoft.
DIGITAL has been associated with Microsoft for over 12 years.
DIGITAL has been involved with Windows NT for five years and been in an
extremely close alliance with Microsoft for the last 18 months. For a
significant amount of that time, DIGITAL has delivered Windows NT
services and solutions to enterprise customers worldwide.
Microsoft has stated that it is important for people to understand
that its relationship with Hewlett-Packard does not constitute an
"alliance." Rather, it has labeled it an "initiative" -- not even a
partnership. The advantages DIGITAL enjoys as an ally of Microsoft --
cross-training/certification of field resources, RISC parity with Intel,
joint sales engagement, etc. -- are completely missing from this
initiative with HP.
This is because, while HP is making a few concessions toward
Windows NT, it remains primarily a UNIX solution-focused company. This
is particularly true for high-end enterprise servers where HP has no
available Windows NT server, since Windows NT does not support the
PA-RISC architecture. HP is limited to Pentium levels of performance
until Merced is available from Intel in late 1999.
As a result, HP will continue to push UNIX much more strongly
than Windows NT and Microsoft's field will continue to experience HP's
"bait and switch" tactics of using Windows NT to land HP-UX sales.
Total Cost of Ownership program
Hewlett-Packard will be announcing support for Microsoft's
"NetPC" strategy for lower-cost PCs. HP is in fact only one of many
vendors, including DIGITAL, who are simultaneously announcing such
support and plans on March 19 at CeBIT as a part of a wider Microsoft/
Intel industry initiative.
HP's TCO service program shows little originality or
differentiation. It is based on an openly available Microsoft blueprint
for total cost of ownership program -- something many service providers
are adopting. It is analogous to DIGITAL's PC Utility service offering.
PC Utility has been available for several years, offering
customers everything necessary to lower their cost of ownership with
respect to PC systems. DIGITAL's PC Utility service has achieved many
significant customer wins worldwide.
In addition to the obvious immaturity of the HP program, HP is
also not signing up to put its SI and support staff through Microsoft
certification. Currently DIGITAL has 1,300 certified engineers, with a
commitment to increase this number to 2,500 within a year. With 450
service locations worldwide, plus established practices dedicated to
Microsoft-based solutions, DIGITAL's lead is extremely difficult to
duplicate.
HP also will be announcing high-availability services for Windows
NT, including support for and adoption of Microsoft's WolfPack
clustering product. This new and immature service will compete with
DIGITAL's established high-availability services.
Enterprise Windows NT solutions
HP is discontinuing OpenMail for Windows NT. This is more
motivated by business considerations than its relationship with
Microsoft.
Given Microsoft's Exchange Server pricing and penetration into
the enterprise market, projected revenue from OpenMail on Windows NT
does not justify continued product investment.
At the same time, HP is also very clear that it is continuing to
sell OpenMail on HP-UX. Microsoft is providing no special
interoperability between these two mail environments: HP will live with
SMTP and LDAP for interoperability.
Unlike DIGITAL, HP is not moving internally to an Exchange
infrastructure. This bifurcated mail strategy and lack of internal use
severely limits HP's ability to impact the mail/messaging market with
Microsoft Exchange.
HP is dropping part of OpenView (the Norton Administrator for
Networks component bought from Symantec) and integrating with Microsoft
SMS for that functionality. The appropriate system management agents
will be distributed freely on both HP and Microsoft's Web sites.
Microsoft is not adopting OpenView; rather, this move gives Microsoft-
based solutions -- whether from HP or other vendors, such as DIGITAL --
increased access to HP's customer base.
Just prior to this announcement, Hewlett-Packard announced its
version of a very limited interoperability program for customers wanting
to use both Windows NT and HP-UX. This program lacks the depth of
DIGITAL's AllConnect program and will be limited to use through a single
HP SI practice.
Finally, HP will be announcing enterprise solutions training
courses and an Enterprise Solutions Center. HP's center will not be a
customer center. It will be focused on ISVs characterizing applications
on HP Intel systems. This is extremely limited compared to DIGITAL's
centers in Bellevue, Wash., and Valbonne, France, which allow activities
by customers, partners and ISVs.
Conclusion
Since announcing the Alliance for Enterprise Computing in August
of 1995, Microsoft and DIGITAL have already implemented a proven
worldwide engagement model founded on trust and a common goal of
Windows-based enterprise solutions and services. Customers around the
world have achieved new competitive advantages from solutions delivered
through this successful alliance. HP's narrow announcement with
Microsoft cannot compare to this success.
The substantial mind share which has been built by the Alliance
for Enterprise Computing continues to expand between DIGITAL and
Microsoft employees.
The bottom line? HP lacks a Windows NT strategy and direction.
It has realized it needs a Windows NT strategy and attempted to achieve
it with this announcement. But HP hasn't succeeded.
This announcement with Microsoft does not yet show evidence of a
real Windows NT strategy or any measurable ability to deliver Windows-
based solutions in the enterprise.
Rather, HP has announced a series of limited entry points into
the Windows NT market and is positioning Windows NT very much at the
low end of the market with HP-UX still their real play in the enterprise
market.
Clearly, HP has embarked on a "me too" strategy. Its customer
base will be somewhat confused by the apparent endorsement of Windows
NT, yet its lack of depth in terms of products and services.
In fact, HP has endorsed DIGITAL's strategy. In addition,
DIGITAL, unlike HP, can deliver and support Windows NT Enterprise
solutions today!
Distribution: This message was delivered to you utilizing the Reader's
Choice delivery services. You received this message because you are a
Digital employee. If you have questions regarding this message, please
contact the author.
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| 5175.49 | | BIGUN::nessus.cao.dec.com::Mayne | A wretched hive of scum and villainy | Thu Mar 20 1997 04:45 | 4 |
| Is it time to drag out the rumour that HP ported Windows NT to PA-RISC a while
back, but it ran so slowly they hushed it up? 8-)
PJDM
|
| 5175.50 | | DYPSS1::SCHAFER | Kalh�un! | Thu Mar 20 1997 08:22 | 2 |
| i hope to read .48 12 mos. from now and see how accurate that memo
is/was.
|
| 5175.51 | One view of it from outside | UNXA::ZASLAW | Steve Zaslaw | Thu Mar 20 1997 10:38 | 64 |
|
+ MICROSOFT-HP NT ANNOUNCEMENT TURNS OUT TO BE DAMP SQUID
After all the overheated and hysterical hyping of the event,
Hewlett-Packard Co and Microsoft Corp pulled out the merest
mouse of an agreement to get closer on Windows NT, simply
affirming that HP needs to step up its NT effort in order to
sell more personal computers and leap into the top three
manufacturers worldwide, and that Microsoft, which is weak in
consultancy and support, and not prepared to invest very much
in it, needs all the skills that it can rally from partners
such as HP. The agreement doesn't even seem to do very much to
put Digital Equipment Corp's nose out of joint. Hewlett-Packard
made all the right noises, saying it would "aggressively
integrate" Windows NT with its computers, and that it would
develop a a NetPC to the standards established by Microsoft and
Intel Corp, to be shipped in the second half of 1997 and priced
at about $1,000 - but it was careful to say that, as a company
twice the size of Compaq Computer Corp, it could afford to
support both Unix and NT equally. The agreement on Microsoft
Exchange is only that the two will ensure that it interoperates
with HP OpenMail where preview material had suggested Hewlett
would favor the Microsoft offering over its own. Microsoft is
to make its DirectX multimedia package available under HP-UX
Unix. Separately, Novell Inc said it had an agreement with
Microsoft to incorporate its linguistic technologies into
future Microsoft products, billing it a "multimillion-dollar"
agreement. And Rational Software Corp unveiled software based
on its Rational Rose visual modeling language for use with
Microsoft's Visual Basic, the fruits of a development and
marketing collaboration with Microsoft.
Source:
----------------------------------
| C O M P U T E R G R A M |
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New York, Published: March 20 1997
Issue Number 3124
|
| 5175.52 | | NETCAD::COLELLA | | Thu Mar 20 1997 17:37 | 34 |
| Digital To Enhance NT Backup Software
(03/20/97; 12:24 p.m. EST)
By Martin J. Garvey, InformationWeek
MAYNARD, Mass. -- Digital Equipment will
announce next week new capabilities for its
backup software that lets Microsoft Windows NT
users interoperate with its legacy customers.
The company will announce new software
modules that will make it possible for OpenVMS
server customers running its Archive/Backup
System to back up and store data from Win NT
clients.
Another new product, Digital's NetWorker Save
and Restore software module, will let customers
complete online backup and restoration of
Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Exchange
databases. The NetWorker products are
licensed from Legato Systems.
Digital will also supply an application interface
to its Archive/Backup System for SAP R/3 data.
"Everyone's going toward application-specific
hot backups," said Giga Information Group
storage analyst Anders Lofgren, who added that
that DEC's new modules are just the first wave
of an expected NT storage strategy.
"I'm expecting [Digital] to make an even bigger
push toward NT."
|