Conference netcad::hub_mgnt

HUBwatch for (OpenVMS and OSF/1) V3.0 support the GIGAswitch.

It will *not* be in HUBwatch for Windows V3.0.  I'm not sure if it will be
in a future version of the Windows product.

    re. .1

    GIGAswitch not *ever* supported under HUBWATCH for WINDOWS?? 
    
    This is interesting because at NET-U or whatever they chose to call
    it, they mentioned that HUBWATCH for WINDOWS will catch up to the
    OpenVMS in terms of version release.  AND maybe in the future it
    may be released before OpenVMS.  Now there is a possibility of not
    putting GIGAswitch support in one of the releases.
    
    So what we have is a single network application that WAS supposed
    to run on many platforms and look the same no matter where you go
    could become "Yes you can manage those 100 DEChub 900's you just
    bought with HUBWATCH for WINDOWS.  Oh, and you want to manage those
    8 GIGAswitches too?.  Sorry you'll have to spend another $25K to
    get a VAXstation and $3K for HUBWATCH because we won't "PORT" that
    to WINDOWS".
    
    This just makes the field job that much harder rather than easy.
    It should be one application, one version, many platforms.  I don't
    care if GIGAswitch support is ONE version late just don't make it
    never.
    
    Bill Seaver, any comments??
    
    Per chance should someone poll the field?????
    
    dave
    
    PS.  I have an $800K RFI riding on the answers given to us at NET-U.
    

>    GIGAswitch not *ever* supported under HUBWATCH for WINDOWS?? 

Dave, that is *NOT* what I said in .1

It's a big job to put 200 pounds of sh*t into a 100 pound bag. A PC is a 100
pound bag.  To get support for the new bridge, new repeaters, the fddi 
stuff and so on, and to ship the Windows version in a short time requires 
some trade-offs.  For version 3.0, the Windows version supports the DEChub 
stuff to pretty much the same degree that 3.0 for OpenVMS and OSF/1 do.  It 
does not, however, support the GIGAswitch stuff.  The OpenVMS and OSF/1 
versions do support it.

I haven't heard anything one-way-or-the-other about whether the next release
(4.0?) will support GIGAswitch on the PC.  Maybe it will, maybe it won't.

Our motto:  We do what we can, and add a little more, and we ship as soon as 
            we possibly can.

Tom Hood
Who'd rather be surfing.

    Tom,
    
    I do understand the short development time and trying to get stuff
    out the door.  The 90/900 network products are probably the most
    popular products we have ever had in this company.  That puts strains
    on the field trying to get temper customer demands to match product
    development and manufacturing.  That puts strains on product
    development because we need to catch up/over take the competition in
    terms of functionality and features.  And as for manufacturing,
    we can sell all that they make usually and for the DECbridge 900, more.
    
    I know the goal is to get releases on all platforms to occur
    simultaniously.  Maybe the day will come when WINDOWS will lead
    OpenVMS in terms of release date.  At least that is what they told
    us at NET-U.  8^)  I hope that most of this stuff can fit in the
    PC, even if it is a version or (gulp) 2 behind.  Hopefully product
    management will keep the field informed so we know what's happening
    and what to expect.
    
    dave
    
    Question:  When you put 200 pounds of sh*t in a 100 pound PC and drop
    it, what sound does it make?

	GIGASWITCH support is planned for HUBwatch for Windows V4.0, 
	the next release after V3.1 goes out in September.

    Yes GIGAswitch will be in HUBwatch V4.0 for Windows. To help bring some
    additional rational to this decision we (and the GIGAswitch product
    management) made this tradeoff:
    
    1. We sell alot more HUBs (and modules) than GIGAswitchs.
    2. The HUBs scale much lower than the GIGAswitch thus PC based
    management is needed ASAP.
    3. GIGAswitch is high end and ALPHA's or VAX's are likely in that
       enviroment.
    4. To have added GIGAswitch to HUBwatch for Windows V3.1 would have
       slipped the release 1-2 months.
    
    I think the decision is a good one and I think most of the field
    would agree.
    
    Bruce