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Conference csc32::consolemanager

Title:POLYCENTER Console Manager
Notice:Kits, Scans, Docs on CSC32:: as PCM$KITS:,PCM$DOCS:, PCM$SCANS:
Moderator:CSC32::BUTTERWORTH
Created:Thu Aug 06 1992
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1541
Total number of notes:6564

936.0. "Engineering changes/Standard of Support - Who is responsible now? - Does anyone care about us any more?" by 42326::COFFEYJ (The Uk CSC Unix Girlie.) Tue Aug 22 1995 06:34

Hi all, 

Up until recently supporting PCM has been an enjoyable part of 
some of our roles...   with the departure of Simon and Phil
I am becoming more and more concerned. 

We have had no communication (other than people saying what they
think is the case in here) to suggest who the new responsible 
engineers are or even whether they know or care that this 
conference exists! 

For a considerable period of time we have been unable to access 
the supported kits or documentation. 

Given the first fix on any problem system is to get it to 1.6+ECO
then the fact even the CSCs do not have access to these kits 
means we have effectively 0 support channels so long as this 
situation continues. 

At the last count easynotes.lis still says OPG:: is the home of 
this conference, hence I'm still only just finding out people 
who think it's just all gone missing - and these are the guys
who are having to try to represent digital ON SITE with CUSTOMERS.
The support they are getting is ridiculous!

We are now lucky enough that some of us have managed to collect kits or
documentation other as 'favours' from our peers

Currently Dan is providing VMS 1.6 kits,
I have OSF 1.6 kits available by anon ftp on tyguer:/PCM/PCM-KITS/OSF/PCM_V1.6
and I believe Mark Yates is looking out a copy of the ECO for OSF 
so that I can make that publicly available on tyguer (anyone else with 
PCM 1.6 or 1.6-ECO documentation or kits please feel free to mail me 
on decuk::jc if you want to help have a full unix tree of documentation 
and kits on a high-availability system. 


So - I guess my question is: 

Does anyone have a list of who are our new "Simon-and-Phil's"?

Is this conference watched any more or are we a self-help group?

Is there anyone who should have been responsible for passing on this 
information?

and 

Does anyone have the kits/docs for digital unix please!



regards


Jo Coffey. 

T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
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936.1Some contactsZENDIA::DBIGELOWInnovate, Integrate, EvaporateTue Aug 22 1995 13:3849
Jo,
    
    The pcm v1.6 kits for OSF are in the same location as the other kits:
    pcmsvr::cm$kits. There was no V1.6 kit produced for Ultrix.
    The documentation is there as well in PCMSVR::CM$DOCS.
    
        PCM product support/development is being moved to Isreal. Since they are 
    new to the product, please bear with us during this period of
    transition. We will do our best to help you, but until the team in
    Isreal gets up to speed, the bug fixes will take a while. 
    The last I heard, they have all the software and are in the process
    of setting up the hardware and are expected to be in full swing by the 
    end of Q1 which is about a month form now. 
    
    They are actually Negev Software Industries (NSI) so
    don't be confused by their answering system (though they are usually
    quick to pick up the phone).  The names below are in calling order (try
    the first name first, second next, etc.) if you need to get a hold of
    someone.  Don't forget the time zone difference, at 10:00 a.m. EST it
    is 5:00 p.m. there.  I find the best way to connect is to send a email
    and set up a call time.  Additionally, Eliezer is known as, called, 
    Laser.

    Eliezer Rotshtein DTN 882-3403  NAC::ALEXWS::LASER
                       Project Manager - NSI POLYCENTER

    Alex Katz         DTN 882-3403  NAC::ALEXWS::ALEX
                       NSI Engineering Manager

    Menachem Cohen    DTN 226-2446  NAC::RDVAX::COHEN
                       NSI U.S. Manager
    
The following people are contact points in NSM/DSM (USA) for PCM.

     Jon Coleman       DTN 227-3073  NAC::COLEMAN
                       PCM Engineering Manager

     Dave Bigelow      DTN 227-3114  NAC::ZENDIA::DBIGELOW
                       Engineer - PCM Support

The following people are CSC contact points for PCM.  Please keep in
mind the time zone difference.  Colorado is three hours behind EST (at
5:00 p.m. EST it is 2:00 p.m. there).  We are working on the appropriate
contact person in Atlanta.

     Dan Butterworth   DTN 592-4906  COORS::BUTTERWORTH
                       CSC Support in Colorado

    
936.2We're doing all we can....CSC32::BUTTERWORTHGun Control is a steady hand.Tue Aug 22 1995 14:3615
    Jo,
      I placed the documentation in
    
    CSC32::DUMPS:[BUTTERWORTH.PCM]*.PS
    
    Remember, the documentation is generic to all platforms.
    
    I'm trying to get the Digital Unix kits out there too.
    
    Hopefully, I'll have access to another build system soon so that
    I can check-in some of the bug fixes I have found and assist with the
    development and maintenance.
    
    Regs,
      Dan
936.3Engineering Repsonse to problems?42708::YATESMSoft, Strong, and very very long...Tue Aug 22 1995 14:3915
    Thanks for the note Dave - the contacts will be very useful.
    
    As a point of interest, during this transition period, how quickly can
    we expect a response to a call raised to IPMT level and escalated to
    engineering. If the guys in Israel have yet to get the hardware set up
    and come up to speed, does this suggest customers should expect a one
    month delay before receiving a response?
    
    (I ask as I have an extremely difficult customer in exactly that
    situation now)
    
    Thanks in advance
    
    Mark.
    
936.4CSC32::BUTTERWORTHGun Control is a steady hand.Tue Aug 22 1995 14:4317
    >As a point of interest, during this transition period, how quickly
    >can we expect a response to a call raised to IPMT level and escalated
    >to engineering. If the guys in Israel have yet to get the hardware set
    >up and come up to speed, does this suggest customers should expect a
    >one month delay before receiving a response?
    
    I certainly hope not! Once the systems are setup and ready for 
    work I'll be assisting the Israelis as much as possible and getting
    the outstanding IPMT's fixed.
    
    >    (I ask as I have an extremely difficult customer in exactly that
    >    situation now)
    
    Just curious but what is the customers problem?
    
    Regards,
       Dan
936.5UK PCM on unix support : I get the CSC call - Mark gets the site visits ;^)42326::COFFEYJThe Uk CSC Unix Girlie.Wed Aug 23 1995 05:1720
Excellent info - thanks... just the reassurance we out here 
needed - there are actual people out there who we have names 
of for escalations, even if they aren't up to speed yet. 

Thanks to Dan and Dave on that one... 


>    The pcm v1.6 kits for OSF are in the same location as the other kits:
>    pcmsvr::cm$kits.

Do I take it that means pcmsvr is now on line, working, no disk problems
and we can ftp or decnet copy from it now?

I *think* the problem Mark is refering to is the one detailed in 
924.0 in this conference - as far as I know (ringing Mark for an 
update as I type...) the customer should now be on digital Unix 3.0 
and PCM V1.6+ECO (unless the problem was fixed by the upgrade/Mark's 
site visit yesterday - she says with crossed fingers). 

Jo. 
936.642326::COFFEYJThe Uk CSC Unix Girlie.Wed Aug 23 1995 12:5431
>    >As a point of interest, during this transition period, how quickly
>    >can we expect a response to a call raised to IPMT level and escalated
>    >to engineering. If the guys in Israel have yet to get the hardware set
>    >up and come up to speed, does this suggest customers should expect a
>    >one month delay before receiving a response?
    
>    I certainly hope not! Once the systems are setup and ready for 
>    work I'll be assisting the Israelis as much as possible and getting
>    the outstanding IPMT's fixed.


Before *anything* else I want to make sure it's clear I am in no way 
criticising CSC or engineering people here, just (unless I hear reason
otherwise) who-ever planned this overlap-and-support-free transition. 

We've an IPMT here in the CSC, yup it's being looked at now (as of 14th Aug)
and I'm sure as soon as there is an update we'll get one ... but it was logged
on the 24th July and it took two weeks for anyone to acknowledge it (7th Aug)!
 
At least if there'd been some proper cover whilst Israel were still waiting
for the kit the acknowledgement could have got back sooner! :-)


Still it wasn't one of mine and we've all got all the info now I think...


Best of luck to the engineers... 
lets just hope they don't do this to any other products in quite the 
same style... 

Jo. 
936.7yes, but no ftpZENDIA::DBIGELOWInnovate, Integrate, EvaporateWed Aug 23 1995 13:589
    re .5
    
    >Do I take it that means pcmsvr is now on line, working, no disk problems
    >and we can ftp or decnet copy from it now?
    
    Yes, it does, although ftp access does not seem to be available. I'll 
    look into getting it operational.
    
    Dave
936.8They ARE GOOD !!!52446::ERANEran Gorev @ISO, DTN : 882-3402Mon Sep 04 1995 15:1116
    
    FWIW - I'm not very objective, working for Digital Israel, but I do
    want to reassure those of you who feel concerned.
    
    The engineering team assigned to PCM is EXCELLENT !!!
    
    They are a bunch of talented, professional, hard working people.
    
    It is safe to assume that once things get going, you won't need to look
    any further for support.
    
    Just give 'em some time.
    
    Regards,
    Eran